AUD’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center awards five students at BlockLab Ceremony

The American University in Dubai (AUD)’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (AEIC) recognized five students at the BlockLab Award Ceremony for successfully completing the Blockchain, AI and Blockchain, Gaming training programs. The event highlighted cutting-edge projects that integrate blockchain, artificial intelligence, and gaming technologies, showcasing AUD’s role in developing future-ready talent and advancing technology-driven education.

AEIC’s BlockLab, the first university-based initiative of its kind in the UAE, enables AUD students and AEIC startups to create monetizable applications in blockchain, AI, and gaming. In partnership with GameSphere, the program combines intensive professional training with hands-on projects, developing skills in full-stack development, blockchain, AI, machine learning, and data science. Participants progress from foundational coding to real-world problem-solving, completing mini-projects and capstone initiatives that build portfolios for careers as full-stack developers, blockchain engineers, and data scientists.

The event featured presentations from five students; Abaan Ahmed, Mayhiwot Abraham, Aly Mabrouk, Hamzeh Alanati, and Emran Agraw, who showcased innovative applications with commercial potential. The ceremony was attended by AUD President Dr. Kyle Long and Interim Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Assaad Farah, alongside industry partners Ms. Ravalika Thota, Head of Partnerships at GameSphere, and Mr. Srikhar Borra, Lead Architect at OSI Digital.

Dr. Sunitha Kshatriya, Director of AEIC and Associate Professor of Management, said, “AEIC’s BlockLab is aligned with Dubai Vision 33, transforming innovation into action by bridging academia and industry to create a digitally intelligent, knowledge-based economy. It also represents AUD’s commitment to equipping students with cutting-edge skills in emerging technologies. The quality and innovation in the students’ projects underscore the potential of the UAE’s next generation of tech leaders.”

The students’ projects demonstrated the diverse applications of blockchain, AI, and gaming, while collectively showcasing the potential of these technologies to transform industries. Abaan Ahmed, School of Engineering, Computer Engineering, developed a decentralized streaming platform that allows users to subscribe and access digital content through NFT-based plans, with monetization via subscriptions and premium access models, setting a foundation for creative digital economies. Building on this concept of NFT integration and ownership, Mayhiwot Abraham, School of Business, Finance, created a NFT-Powered Spotify Music Platform, empowering artists to mint albums as NFTs, store music securely, and connect directly with listeners, further demonstrating how blockchain can redefine creative industries.

Aly Mabrouk, School of Engineering, Computer Engineering, expanded the ecosystem by creating a simplified NFT marketplace alongside a proof-of-concept e-commerce recommendation engine, connecting creators and consumers in a scalable, data-driven environment. Similarly, Hamzeh Alanati, School of Engineering, Computer Engineering, explored decentralized commerce on a larger scale with an Amazon-style e-commerce platform, showing how blockchain-enabled marketplaces can support secure product listings, browsing, and purchases with optional NFT verification.

Finally, Emran Agraw, School of Business, Economics, applied these principles to the travel and property sector, developing an Ethereum-based Airbnb platform with end-to-end Web3 booking, transparent transactions, and AI-supported insights for dynamic pricing, demand forecasting, and occupancy planning.

Together, the projects reflect the capabilities BlockLab equips students with, and the real-world applications of emerging technologies across sectors from digital content and music, to marketplaces, commerce, and services. All five students will co-own the intellectual property for their projects, reflecting AUD’s commitment to bridging academia and industry while preparing students for careers in innovation-driven fields.