Muscat – Telecommunications provider Omantel recently organised a media tour of its headquarters in Airport Heights in Muscat.

Media personnel visited the Omantel Innovation Labs, Omantel Museum, Innovation Oasis, and Smart Store.

The tour aimed to showcase Omantel’s expertise, partnerships, reach and access to technology to contribute to Oman Vision 2040 and promote innovation and entrepreneurship in new and emerging technologies namely 5G, Internet of Things, Cybersecurity, Customer Experience Technology and Big Data.

The reporters were acquainted with companies running their businesses from the Omantel Innovations Labs. They were also introduced to Omantel Museum which has on display telecommunication devices used earlier in the country and the region, and briefed about a smart store – E-Dukaan – a contactless shopping platform.

On the occasion, Mohammed al Zadjali, building manager of the Omantel headquarters, said, “The innovation labs is a platform to channelise the company’s resources for the growth of Oman’s tech entrepreneurial domain.”

He added, “We want the world to know that 5G has more applications than perceived. E-Dukaan is an initiative that Omantel is very proud of as it is the first smart store in the entire Middle East. The store is equipped with in-store cameras that capture shoppers’ movements in the aisles, while the smart shelf sensors track products that shoppers put in their baskets. Items chosen by shoppers keep getting added to their virtual cart through an app, which Omantel is developing. The price of items purchased will be debited from customers’ mobile wallets as they walk out of the store and a receipt sent to them electronically.”

According to H H Sayyida Ghada Jaifar al Said, senior manager, Omantel Innovation Labs aims to leverage the company’s expertise, partnerships, reach and access to technology to contribute to Oman Vision 2040 and promote innovation and entrepreneurship in new and emerging technology. “Omantel Innovation Labs will support startups through multiple programmes, including a six-month accelerator that offers mentoring, office space, knowledge transfer, funding, and access to customers, markets and investors.”

Currently, several Omani startups are honing their market preparedness under Omantel Innovation Labs’ Accelerator Programme designed in collaboration with local and international partners. “The programme is tailored to the needs of each participating startup to ensure that they commercialise, grow rapidly, and scale effectively, while ensuring the technical feasibility, market desirability, and financial viability of their products and operations,” Sayyida Ghada said.

These startups include Autoplant – an AI and IoT solutions provider for the agriculture sector; Lamma, Oman’s first super app – a unified communications platform with payment integration; Mamun – an embedded credit, payments and insurance platform; Pixel Tech – a subscription-based tool that allows sellers in the GCC to set up digital stores and sell their products online; and Remedy.om – a platform that connects patients with clinics and therapists.