Meta reveals the winners of the first-ever global Spark AR challenge in the Middle East 

Today, Meta revealed the winners of the Middle East and North Africa’s first Spark AR challenge in collaboration with the UAE National Program for Coders, the Museum of the Future, and Lenslist. During the three-week competition, creators worldwide submitted over 400 effects, to showcase their creativity using the latest Spark AR features and competing for a shot at winning cash prizes amounting to over $50,000. 

Since submissions closed on June 19th, the judging panel made up of experts from Accenture, Emirates Airline, the Museum of the Future, Lenslist, and Meta has been busy assessing the submissions. Throughout the process, the judges were blown away by the quality and creativity of the entries. Four criterias were used in selecting the winners: Craftsmanship, Originality, Creativity, and Theme. 

Two key tracks set by the challenge’s strategic partners, Emirates Airline and Accenture, shaped the challenge: participants were tasked to create AR effects around the ‘Mobility of Tomorrow’ theme for Emirates Airline and the ‘Opportunities of the Future’ theme for Accenture. 

Here is a look at the prize winners in each of the tracks. 

Mobility of Tomorrow

• First prize (USD6,000): “Fly Above The Future” by' Syaoki Biek 

• Second prize (USD3,000): 

  • “Airplane Invisible” by Munik Carvalho

  •  “spacesky:mars” by Domenico Amalfitano 

  • “TRAVEL FOR ALL” by Kenichiro Takamatsu 

• Third prize (USD$1,000):

  • “Airport of Future” by Anastassiya Marchenko 

  • “Future trips” by Flavia Freire Carneiro

  • “i c e Entertainment” by Elsa Elsa 

  • “Clouds Art Gallery'' by  Kazumi Sato 

  •  “Space Jellyfish” by Viacheslav Sirman 

  • “future hangar” by Danilo Teixeira 

Opportunities for the future

• First prize (USD6,000): “VR Gaming ROOM”  by Safa Hadil Nani 

• Second prize (USD3,000): 

  •  “Cyber ​​Vibraphone” by Space Joe 

  • “Space Lecturer 2023” by Kauri Beguely 

  •  “Future Science” by Reem Chalak 

• Third prize (USD1,000):

  •  “The Ufo Builder!” by Julian Pratama Ashidik

  • “Future Dermo ?️” by Emilio Vegas 

  • “AR interview” by Amir Orozobekov 

  • “Robot Factory effect” by Djanilson Lopes 

  • “Future Laboratory” by  Mariia Silich 

  • “AR Medical training” by Tobias Mosart