Innovation City (ex RakDAO), Paul Dawalibi‏, CEO, with Anton Golub & Demetrios Zamboglou – 23

Paul Dawalibi‏, CEO of Innovation City in Ras Al Khaimah, joins Anton Golub and Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou on blockCAST podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on how free zones are evolving and why the next chapter of tech, AI, digital assets, Web3, gaming, robotics, and health tech in the UAE may be written in RAK. Paul explains why free zones, rather than tourism, have historically been the UAE’s economic engine and why the traditional free zone model is due for disruption. He outlines Innovation City’s ambition to build a Silicon Valley style hub driven by ecosystem building, density of intensity, and sector specific enablement, moving beyond the standard license, visa, and desk formula to actively support founders and scale ups. The discussion covers competition and collaboration across free zones, what founders actually need to succeed including bankability, compute, labs, publishing, and streamlined compliance, how AI is changing entrepreneurship by lowering barriers while increasing noise, and why gaming, virtual worlds, and digital experiences may become one of the fastest growing parts of the economy as automation expands. A practical and forward looking episode on innovation ecosystems, founder success, and why Ras Al Khaimah is emerging as one of the most compelling growth stories in the region.