App for a business community

Dubai Friends: Gentle Digitalization of the Russian-Speaking Business Community in Dubai

🌊 Community Background

The Dubai Friends community was founded in 2022 by two inspiring entrepreneurs — Olga Fler and Irina Baranova. Drawing on their extensive experience and networks from previous ventures (Olga led charitable initiatives, while Irina ran an executive search agency), they united their connections and shared vision.

The first meetups took place in cozy Dubai cafés, where Russian-speaking entrepreneurs could exchange experiences, find support, and build business relationships far from home. What began as a series of informal gatherings quickly evolved into a structured community with its own traditions, unwritten rules, and a unique culture — a true family of like-minded people, where everyone could feel “among their own” even in multicultural Dubai.

🌱 The Need for a Digital Solution

As the community grew, it became harder to maintain member connections, pass on experience to newcomers, and coordinate meetups. The need arose to preserve the warmth of the circle while making communication more convenient. Thus, the idea was born — not just to create an app, but to bring the community into the digital world with the same heart, and new capabilities.

🤗 Project Highlights

Preserving Authenticity

• Story-based profiles capture the feeling of those heartfelt conversations that started the friendships
• Personality-driven member pages reflect not just professional traits but individual character
• Casual communication style keeps the tone warm and familiar

Practical Functionality

• Member map helps users find fellow Russians nearby
• Themed chat groups bring vibrant discussions into digital space
• Mutual support exchange digitizes the practice of helping one another

Unified Information Hub

• Event calendar aggregates all community activities
• Photo archive carefully stores memories of meetups and joint events
• Notice board functions as a digital word-of-mouth platform

🌟 Project Results

The Dubai Friends app helped solve key challenges of the community. New members now integrate faster and more comfortably, gaining access to shared knowledge and networks. Technology didn’t replace live communication — it made it more accessible and organized.

The app gently transferred the unique atmosphere of mutual support and heartfelt connection into the digital world, preserving the distinctive character of Dubai’s Russian-speaking business community and enhancing its capacity for collaboration.