Monstarlab To Celebrate 50 Years Of UAE & Japanese Innovation And Partnerships

Monstarlab, the Japanese-established global technology leader, will host an event that marks a celebration of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and the UAE. The event will take place at the Museum of the Future in Dubai on 8th November 2022 and will welcome high-level speakers from a range of entities including Futureworld and the Museum of the Future itself.

The UAE and Japan are celebrating long-standing political, economic and social ties. Bilateral relations between the two countries predate diplomatic records with Japan starting crude oil imports from Abu Dhabi in 1962. The two countries have held special business relations for many years with high levels of collaboration across multiple industries, including technology, space, aviation, healthcare, energy, electronics, and education.

“We are honoured to be hosting this visionary and celebratory event that will mark half a century of strong relations between the UAE and Japan” commented Hiroki Inagawa, Monstarlab Group CEO / Representative Director. “This moment will also be an opportunity to showcase innovation and outline visions for the next 50 years. Monstarlab is an example of the growing ties between the UAE and Japan as we have brought our Japanese heritage and experience to the Emirates. We have established a base in the UAE, working with banks, hospitality leaders, government entities, and other types of businesses. Our goal is to continue supporting organisations to drive growth across various sectors and meet the demand for cutting-edge solutions, such as smart apps for consumers, data-led strategies, immersive experiences and advanced Internet of Things (IoT) solutions.” added Inagawa.

Increasing numbers of organisations based in the UAE are adopting technology-led approaches, helping them to improve services and build capabilities for their own workforce. Monstarlab specialises in end-to-end transformation of enterprise and scale-up businesses. It aims to deliver enhanced training as well as hiring and coaching of people in the region as the company supports the advancement of regional skills and business opportunities.

Monstarlab was awarded the winning logo for the UAE-Japanese Ministry competition that was created by Ritche Paz, Dave Martin and James Bowskill. The task was to create the official logo for the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the UAE out of a total of 122 entries. The competition highlighted the strength of the relations between the two countries and the existing collaboration on future opportunities that will bring greater prosperity and trade.

Trade between the UAE and Japan has remained strong over the years, with bilateral trade in 2021 amounting to $30.5 billion. UAE exports to Japan rose to $26 billion, while its imports from Japan increased to $6.5 billion by the end of 2021. There are currently more than 340 Japanese companies with bases in the UAE, with the number expected to increase in the future. UAE is Japan’s 10th largest trading partner globally in 2021 and meets nearly 23 percent of its total crude oil requirements.

Both nations are aligned on a range of strategic areas including major investments in digital transformation as well as commitments to sustainability and carbon neutrality goals. The UAE has outlined a long-term diversification strategy based on the development of local talent and skills through the use of digital solutions, clean energy, and decarbonization.

These commitments are also part of the government of Japan’s Society 5.0 vision aimed at achieving economic advancement balanced with the resolution of social and environmental challenges. Japan’s strategy also aims to encourage start-ups and SMEs to create and develop advanced digital solutions designed to address current and future challenges across different regions. This demonstrates the alignment of the UAE’s and Japan’s strategies and reflects the importance of continuing the cooperation between them across multiple sectors and industries in the future.

Through its focus on attracting the world’s best strategists, engineers, and designers, Monstarlab is driving innovation and growth opportunities in the UAE and the wider Middle East region through the delivery of transformation initiatives requiring custom development and advanced technologies. Monstarlab brings significant benefits to businesses, communities, people, and talent within a number of sectors, including government, banking & financial services, and tourism.

In the UAE, Monstarlab has delivered successful projects for a number of customers including CAFU, Emirates NBD and Dubai Future Foundation. The global digital transformation leader has also built and launched the Careem Now platform pre-acquisition.