Abdulla Alsharhan / Ajyaal

A producer of media content, entertainment, cartoons, and other art for young children in the UAE.

As part of Khalifa Fund and Twofour54 in Abu Dhabi, Ajyaal Media is a leading and integrated company in the field of entertainment for children in the United Arab Emirates. Ajyaal Media was established in 2009 and it is managed by team of young Emirati entrepreneurs in addition to experienced staff, talented artists, and passionate creators.

Its mission is to develop trendy media content that promotes meaningful messages targeting youth while taking culture of the society into account.

Mazra3at Bu7meidan

A fast, fun multiplayer card game, where the objective is to escape the clutches of "Bu7meidan," the grumpy farmer.

The game is based in an Arabic farm in the desert. The objective of the game is to avoid being captured by “Bu7meidan”. Each character and action is unique and it is up to you to play the right card at the right moment. The last player who survives wins the game. Our catchy design will leave you on edge. Expect twists and turns at every hand of the game.

After playing over 20 different board games, creators Mohammed and Sharif came to the realization that this segment was lacking in the Gulf. There really aren’t any originally produced games from the Gulf. At the same time, they discussed how they felt society was becoming dependent on technology as a medium of fun and communication. They noticed more people on their phones and less people playing cards in cafes and Majlis’s. This is when they came up with Mazra3at Bu7meidan.

Khashab

A producer of handmade up-cycled furniture and art pieces that are inspired by Middle Eastern art.

khashab means "wood" in Arabic, and for them it is the story and history of which a salvaged piece of wood can narrate to their imagination. khashab produces handmade up-cycled furniture and art pieces that are inspired from Middle Eastern art, with minimalist and articulate forms that are equally multi-functional and aesthetic, fitting into the modern minimalistic lifestyle and small spaces. khashab’s concept was born out of a passion for recycling, reclaiming, and up-cycling with the aim of promoting a sustainable model of consumption in the design industry in UAE and the Middle East.

kashab's philosophy is "One man’s trash is another man’s treasure", the ability to see the beauty in what is supposed to be old or trash; and the absolute creativity in envisioning the potential of such material, embracing its imperfections and creating something beautiful out of it.

ByHand + HAND/EYE

Offer artisan enterprises from all over the world access to a range of advisory services, programs, and grants.

ByHand brings socially responsible artisan products to the market through a portfolio of marketing, product development and business mentoring programs using our network of consultants and advisors and artisan and buyer partners. We build relationships, strengthen entrepreneurial skills, expand markets, promote craft tradition, and encourage the sale of beautiful handmade products.

ByHand Consulting, co-founded by Colvin English and Karen Gibbs, is a private consulting company offering market-based expertise to help artisan enterprises establish new markets. HAND/EYE, founded by Keith Recker, is a not-for-profit agency which, in addition to publishing online and in print, also works to support artisans with grants and with business development programs.

Unsociable

Unsociable offers an array of services including artist development & management, e-commerce, digital marketing & advertising, film & production, music publishing, and real estate.

1988 Artist Management is a boutique music management and music services firm that is dedicated to discovering and developing a diverse roster of talented artists, producers, and song writers.

One of those artists includes Rob "G Koop” Mandell, who is a Grammy-nominated instrumentalist/composer and producer. Originally from Boston, Koop attended Berklee College of Music from 1997 to 2001 where he earned a degree studying guitar, percussion, and music theory.

Howlin' Rooster

A producer of handmade stringed and percussion instruments, like guitars and cajons, made out of salvaged materials from the UAE.

Howlin’ Rooster Guitars and Such consists of Basil, his wife Marie-Claude, and master carpenter Ranjith. They make about 20 products, and 80% of their materials are salvaged. The operation has progressed from being a toolbox, to two toolboxes, to a closet, to an office, to a workshop that once again needs to expand to be able to fit everything.

Howlin' Rooster has a commitment of passing on their knowledge by giving more workshops in the UAE that aim to teach people how to build their own musical instruments while reusing and recycling, hopefully encouraging a maker culture.

Iyad Naja

A multidisciplinary artist and designer who embodies the fusion of avant-garde principles and his national heritage.

Young Lebanese multidisciplinary artist and designer Iyad Naja embodies the marriage of avant-garde with heritage. He began his career in advertising before delving into design and Arabic calligraphy. In 2014, Naja co-established a design and development firm, which he dedicated to product design and surface art. Working with furniture, including mirrors, cabinets and lights, he aims to become an ambassador of heritage and communicate his message through a plethora of niche mediums.

Derived from objects of daily life, Iyad Naja’s works are to be perceived as a sensory experience. Whether a table, mirror, lamp, collage or even wall calligraphy, his art, fine and intricate, represents a stage and a single experience in the artist’s life journey. Both decorative and expressive, his pieces focus on revitalizing his heritage. His national pride and innovative spirit allow him to celebrate the everyday in the form of high art.

Ware Innovations

A designer and producer of impact-driven solutions and sustainable technologies for emerging countries.

Jhoule is the flagship product of Ware Innovations, a Mumbai based interdisciplinary design lab. Born of the belief that beautiful and meaningful objects and experiences can touch people’s lives, Ware Innovations focuses on creating innovative and impact driven product solutions and sustainable technologies for emerging countries.

The name ‘Jhoule’ is inspired by two different words; the Hindi word “jhool” which means to swing and the English word “joule” which represents energy. Jhoule is a human-motion powered electricity generator, powered by the swinging action of one’s limbs. Jhoule has been specially designed to provide light to the people living in rural India without reliable electricity connections.

Jhoule has been awarded the James Dyson Foundation Fund at Parsons as well as the Michael Kalil Endowment for Smart Design.

Muemma

A producer of high design consumer items that combine cutting edge technology with traditional home decor.

"At Muemma, pronounced [moo-ma], we are artisans, reinventing our surroundings and the way we interact with products on a daily basis. Our works of design focus on finding the harmony between the current technological age and the traditional home and living style. With this mission, our ideas evoke nostalgic qualities while introducing modern technology to create smart products for the home."

Muemma started as a collaboration among friends in the home & living industry. Adin, with his whimsical design style and eye for innovation and Sebastian’s entrepreneurial spirit and ability to foresee trending patterns, the two quickly collaborated as they grew the private collection of Westwing Germany, the largest shopping club for home and living.

Though Westwing’s 15 million members were predominantly women, most electronics they offered were cold and masculine. It wasn’t before long, Adin realized a lack of functional, stylish electronics fit for the home & living market and set off with the support of his colleagues to create a brand that would reimagine the technological landscape.