How WOLF Qanawat shaped REALM smart city propositions

How the WOLF Qanawat community entertainment app has shaped Saudi Arabia’s new smart city propositions

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has evolved dramatically and impressively over the last few years, offering exciting new possibilities and opportunities for its people and visitors. Community engagement is the key to success and at the heart of the country’s present and future.

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Much of the country’s expansion and investment focuses on the ambitious development of iconic smart city giga projects, such as New Murabba in Riyadh. This focus on infrastructure and technology is part of Vision 2030 and has definitively put Saudi Arabia on the global map, with Riyadh recently securing 25th place in the IMD Smart City Index, as growth in the city is fueled by the work of the Kingdom’s largest developer, ROSHN.

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However, building smart cities goes beyond just the foundations and utilities – it’s also about connecting communities to help them live well and thrive. And it’s REALM’s experience and expertise that will help shape the human side of how these cities and the country as a whole evolve. 

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Just over four years ago, REALM’s many years’ experience in community engagement, gamification and monetisation, led to the creation of the WOLF Qanawat app, which now boasts over 4 million, mostly Saudi Arabian, users. The learnings and successes of this app will now help create new, bespoke digital app experiences for Saudi Arabian organisations to support the human element of smart city infrastructure, whilst enhancing connectivity for sustainability, transportation and tourism sectors. 

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The WOLF Qanawat app was developed specifically for the Arabic-speaking MENA market as a community engagement and entertainment platform. Over the years, it has evolved into a successful and vibrant community where app users come together to chat, entertain and support each other within thousands of friendship groups.

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When the app first launched in 2020 – as an evolution of Palringo, the first ever chat app on the App Store – entertainment in Saudi Arabia was more limited than it is today, and WOLF Qanawat offered users the possibility to create, perform, participate in and enjoy entertainment in-app. It was a way to engage with others, form friendships and have fun. Over time, the app has listened to its users, adapting its offering to ensure they enjoy the very best in community engagement.

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Much like the WOLF Qanawat app, REALM’s bespoke app offerings will support smart city companies, helping connect the communities that reside there, ensuring they are engaged, supported and heard. The apps will inform, connect and facilitate an easier and better way to live in the city, whether recommending a place to eat, finding the right sports team, or becoming part of their ideal local friendship group of like-minded people. 

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REALM’s aim is to put people first within the iconic smart city masterplans that are being created, by incorporating community engagement in the very first stages of planning; these user-friendly digital app experiences will help cities grow and succeed.

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The apps that REALM will work with partner companies to create will have people connectivity at their core, whilst including gamification elements to offer rewards and recognition, friendly competitions that act as ice breakers, as well as a feeling of togetherness. In addition, REALM is currently working closely with the sports sector in Saudi Arabia, creating apps that take engagement and commitment to the next level, bringing fans together and offering ways to socialise, play, be entertained and generate revenue through gamification. 

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If your company is operating in the smart city development sector in Saudi Arabia, do get in touch to see how we can work together to help achieve shared goals.