Facebook parent and metaverse pioneer, Meta, has kickstarted the Spark AR Hackathon Challenge in Dubai, encouraging participants to use augmented reality to identify how modern technology can contribute to key economic sectors.

The company is collaborating with UAE’s Coders HQ initiative and Dubai’s Museum of the Future to host the first-ever such event in the Middle East. The hackathon runs from May 23 until June 17, attracting participation from creators and developers globally.

“The global Spark AR Challenge keeps pace with the rapid developments in the sectors that are related to human life and driven by modern technology, data, and digital solutions,” stated Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications.

AR-powered devices, including smartphones and smart glasses, are propelling growth in a variety of economic sectors. Augmented reality is a crucial technology for the future, particularly for the metaverse, which is being considered the next big evolution of the World Wide Web.

According to Grand View Research, the global AR market was valued at $25.33 billion in 2021 and is expected to hit a compound annual rate of over 40 percent from 2022 to 2030.

The UAE government is heavily investing in new-age technologies, such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality, as it continues to progress towards an innovation-driven economy.

Meta’s hackathon brings together two key challenges from its partners. For instance, the Emirates and Dublin-based professional services company, Accenture, have tasked the participants with building  AR effects revolving around the theme’ Mobility of Tomorrow.’

The winners of these challenges will get their work featured on the social media platforms of Emirates and Accenture and can get their hands on cash prizes totaling over $50,000.

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