Students’ start-up inks deal with Fuego Digital Media

Mobile device application development venture, Dune Apps, takes next step after winning Business Plan Competition

Youssef Francis, Edmond Abi-Saleh and Ossama Obeid are setting out to change mobile device application development in the Middle East. The three Carnegie Mellon Qatar undergraduates founded Dune Apps with the specific goal of making applications – or apps – for people in the region.

“Mobile phone and mobile device usage is huge in the Gulf, yet few if any apps are developed here or are designed specifically for this region,” says Abi-Saleh, junior business administration major and Dune CFO. “We saw a market niche and decided to go for it. We want to create applications that target people in the Gulf Region: not just Arabs but everyone living here.”

Dune has inked a deal with Fuego Digital Media that the three co-founders hope will transform the startup into the first mobile phone application development powerhouse in Qatar. From there, they hope to spark interest in other young people to create a culture of innovation that will transform Qatar into the regional leader in app development.

“Their timing is perfect,” says Kevin Higgins, CEO of Fuego. “Mobile apps are a huge part of what is coming. Fuego is building web-based systems for various public and private enterprises and we already have clients approaching us for solutions.”

Higgins says the three Carnegie Mellon students made a very positive impression on Fuego. Their passion and dedication, combined with their demonstrated experience in building apps and earning revenue from the global marketplace, made it a natural partnership.

Dune plans to develop two types of apps under Fuego’s guidance: platform apps and enterprise apps. Platform apps are the ones we all use, including games, health apps, social networking and mapping. These apps are distributed through the Apple App Store, Google Android Market and BlackBerry App World. Enterprise apps would be commissioned and designed specifically for a corporation that wanted an app for its employees or customers to use.

Dune’s story began in 2009 when Francis approached Obeid and Abi-Saleh about working on a project together. Francis, sophomore computer science major and CEO of Dune, had been developing and selling apps since 2007, “before there was even money to be made,” he says. His passion for the work was so strong that it led him to change his career path from medicine into the field of mobile device app development.

The trio soon formed a partnership with each one bringing different skills to the mix. Francis brings technical knowledge while Obeid, junior computer science major and COO of Dune, brings computer skills and creativity. Abi-Saleh brings the business skills such as finance, sales and marketing.

In May 2010, Dune entered and won a Business Plan Competition organized by Carnegie Mellon Qatar. As the winner, Dune received a monetary prize and valuable input on how to take its idea to the next level. Additionally, the plan for Dune and overarching goal for Qatar as a whole caught the eye of many investors. “Developers in this region are rare, especially ones with a Carnegie Mellon degree. That opened the eyes of a lot of investors,” says Abi-Saleh.

But Dune had its sights set on one company in particular. “We really wanted to work with Fuego, so we were so excited when they contacted us,” says Abi-Saleh. “We knew we wanted to be under the wings of this QSTP company so that we could learn from their experience. Fuego is ideal because it is complimentary to us: they do websites and we do apps.”

The agreement with Fuego will provide Dune with office space, equipment and guidance in all aspects of business. Francis, Abi-Saleh and Obeid will have mentors and will be introduced to writing commercial grade software.

“The formation of start up technology companies is in its infancy in Qatar,” says Higgins. “Infrastructure is just now being put in place to nurture these kinds of businesses. Dune and Fuego can become substantial success stories that can further encourage the formation of the infrastructure to create more of these kinds of businesses here in the Gulf.”

Dune Apps will function as a division of Fuego with the goal at the end of the 18-36 month incubation period being to spin off Dune as a self-standing enterprise in the Qatar economy. While the three cofounders will be working hard on developing apps and learning from the experts at Fuego, in the short term they will still be concentrating on their studies at Carnegie Mellon.

“We do have our eyes focused on the long term though,” says Abi-Saleh. “We really want to push for the region, not just for ourselves. We want to show there is potential in Qatar and the Gulf. We want people to see that developers here have value and we can give people the apps they want and need.” To learn more about Dune Apps, visit DuneApps.com.