Growing a government-backed crypto and AI ecosystem from 500 to 800+ licensed companies takes more than good intentions. It requires community building, strategic content, and a consistent digital presence across every channel that matters.
Here’s how we at what. helped DMCC build one of the most active blockchain and Web3 hubs in the UAE – and what we learned along the way.
DMCC overview: why Dubai’s hub is key for crypto & blockchain
DMCC – the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre – isn’t just another free zone. It’s a government-backed ecosystem specifically designed to attract and support blockchain, crypto, Web3, and AI companies looking to establish themselves in the UAE.
Positioned in Dubai, the city sits within eight hours’ flying time of markets representing 65% of global GDP. That geographic advantage is real – but only if the right founders, developers, and investors know about it.
DMCC’s ambition was clear: become the go-to destination for crypto and AI businesses in the region, generate qualified leads, and build a community that actually delivers value.
That’s where we came in.
Inside the DMCC Crypto Centre: a physical hub for Web3 companies
The DMCC Crypto Centre is more than a co-working space. It’s an entire floor at Uptown Tower dedicated to bringing crypto, blockchain, and Web3 companies under one roof.
Physical proximity matters in this industry. Being able to walk down the hall and meet your next investor or technical co-founder creates a network effect that no Telegram group can replicate.
The Crypto Centre offers companies not just licensing, but access to a thriving ecosystem – advisors, regulators, service providers, and other builders all working in the same space.
That infrastructure gave us something real to market.
DMCC AI Centre: building infrastructure for artificial intelligence companies
Alongside the Crypto Centre, DMCC also operates a dedicated AI Centre – part of the same technology ecosystem floor at Uptown Tower.
The strategy was the same: bring AI startups, researchers, and enterprise teams into one physical location where collaboration happens organically. The AI and crypto verticals share resources, events, and a regulatory environment that supports innovation without unnecessary friction.
For us at what., managing the digital presence of both verticals meant understanding the overlap and reflecting that in our content strategy.
DMCC’s goals: lead generation, positioning, and community growth
DMCC’s objectives were threefold: position themselves as the leading crypto and AI hub in the UAE, generate licensing leads from qualified companies, and build an engaged community around the ecosystem.
The licensing landscape in the UAE is competitive. Free zones across Dubai and other emirates all compete for the same Web3 and AI companies.
To stand out, DMCC needed to demonstrate real community value – the kind that comes from events, shared infrastructure, and access to decision-makers.
Our job was to amplify that value digitally.
How what. managed DMCC’s full digital presence
We at what. took on the full digital presence of DMCC’s technology ecosystem – specifically the crypto and AI verticals.
In practice, our work covered:
- Managing and growing all social media accounts across X, Instagram, and LinkedIn
- Live coverage of physical blockchain and AI events across the UAE
- Running and moderating the DMCC Telegram community server
- Publishing blogs and placing PR to support lead generation and positioning
We weren’t just scheduling posts. We were building infrastructure for a community that needed to feel valuable to its members and credible to the outside world.
Using blockchain and Web3 events as a growth channel
Over the course of our engagement, DMCC hosted 25+ physical events. We attended and covered 24 of them live, creating real-time content across Instagram and other channels.
But live coverage was only part of the strategy. The more important work was building a system around those events – post-event analysis that tracked what actually came out of each one.
Which conversations led to licensing inquiries? What topics generated the most engagement?
Physical events in the crypto and blockchain space do something social media can’t easily replicate: they put thought leaders, investors, and builders in the same room.
We focused on capturing that value and making it visible online.
Our greatest challenges: community building and working within strict constraints
A community only grows when everyone in it gets something out of it. That sounds obvious, but it’s where most ecosystem-building efforts fall apart.
You can’t manufacture belonging. If the people in your ecosystem aren’t getting tangible value – connections, knowledge, opportunities – no amount of content will keep them engaged.
DMCC understood this early. They built physical infrastructure, hosted regular events, and created environments where meaningful connections could form.
Our job was to amplify that signal digitally.
Marketing for a semi-government organization comes with strict brand guidelines, structured approval processes, and a small margin for error.
Early in the engagement, approval workflows created friction. Material was taking too long to get published, which matters in a fast-moving space like crypto and AI.
We worked to improve the process from the inside – mapping bottlenecks, improving communication between teams, and reducing back-and-forth without compromising compliance.
The result was a faster, more efficient pipeline for getting content approved and published – making the rest of the work possible.
Results of what.’s engagement with DMCC
We can point out the following headline results from this project:
- 800+ Web3 and AI companies licensed in Dubai through DMCC
- 24 physical blockchain and crypto events attended and covered with live content
- 10,000+ organic community members grown across social platforms
Growing from 500 to 700 licensed companies within a single year – and continuing beyond 800 – reflects what happens when lead generation, community building, and positioning all reinforce each other.
This wasn’t about one viral post or one successful event. It was about building a system where every piece contributed to the same goal.
Our biggest learning on community building
The biggest lesson from this project: community isn’t a content strategy. It’s a value proposition.
If the people in your ecosystem aren’t getting something tangible out of being there, no amount of posting will manufacture genuine belonging.
DMCC’s physical infrastructure gave us at what. something real to market. The Crypto Centre, the AI Centre, the events, the network of 800+ companies – those are genuine reasons for a founder to choose Dubai and DMCC.
Our job was to make that value visible and compelling to the right audience.
Next steps: building your crypto, blockchain, or AI ecosystem
If you’re building or scaling a crypto, blockchain, or AI project and need a team that understands both the technical landscape and how to grow an audience in it, we at what. would love to talk.
Check out our Web3 and Crypto Marketing services to see how we approach community building, lead generation, and positioning for blockchain and AI companies.
Or book a free consultation to explore what’s possible for your project.
