Have a question? +971 56 404 0503
Tech Interviews
From Entertainment to Edutainment: The IdeaCrate Approach
Shifa Yusuff Ali, Founder & CEO, IdeaCrate Edutainment Company
The children’s play centre industry has traditionally focused on entertainment. What made you believe the model needed to evolve?
The shift to thoughtful play has been gradual, but it’s now more evident than ever. Families today are far more intentional about how and where they spend their time. Parents are not just looking for somewhere to take their children on a weekend. They want tobe reassured that the experience is meaningful, supports their child’s development, and adds value to their time together as a family.
Research has proven that children learn most effectively through play, but not all play delivers at the same value. There is a real difference between passive, unstructured time and play that is designed to build motor skills, social confidence, and creative thinking. The industry has largely treated play as a generic offering, while we saw an opportunity to treat it as a discipline, rooted in child development and intentional design.
The commercial dimension is also that in a maturing market, the concepts that endure are those that give families a genuine reason to return—not just because they are convenient, but because the experience is consistently valuable.
Purpose-driven play is better for children, and it is a stronger business model.
You often speak about creating environments that work for both children and parents. How important is experience design in building modern family spaces?
It is central to everything we do. I have always believed that family spaces should serve the whole family, not just the child. Too often, the parent experience is an afterthought. But when you design with both in mind, the entire dynamic changes.
I have always wanted to build a business that is close to the community it serves. Parenting can be overwhelming at times, and it was important to me to create spaces where both parents and children feel supported, welcome, and connected. At Orange Wheels, for example, parents are not spectators. The activities are designed so families can participate together. That shared experience is what turns a visit into something families genuinely value.
Good experience design also extends well beyond the physical space. It is the journey from the moment a family discovers us online, through the booking process, the arrival, the time spent inside, and the follow-up afterward.
Every touchpoint either builds trust or erodes it. We think carefully about all of them.
Many industries are moving toward experience-led models. How do you approach designing environments that are both educational and engaging?
When we think about designing our spaces, we always start with the question: what do we want the family to feel and take away from this experience? That is what keeps the balance between educational value and genuine engagement.
Our approach starts with developmental outcomes. What do we want a child to gain from this experience? Is it fine motor skills, social interaction, creative expression, or problem-solving? We work backward from those outcomes to design activities that deliver them through play. The child experiences fun. The parent sees growth. Both leave satisfied.
We also invest heavily in the sensory and spatial design of our environments. Colour, lighting, sound levels, and material choices are not just aesthetic decisions; they are developmental ones. Overstimulation is the enemy of focused play. Our spaces are deliberately calmer, more intentional, and more thoughtfully curated than what you typically see in this category.
It requires constant iteration. We observe how children and families interact with our spaces, we gather feedback, and we refine. Design is never finished. It is a living process.
Technology is increasingly shaping how families interact with these spaces. How are digital tools helping enhance the experience?
Children today are already exposed to high levels of digital stimulation, and that shapes how they engage with the world around them. As a result, we are very deliberate about how technology features in our spaces.
For parents, technology plays a clear role in simplifying the journey—whether through booking systems, communication, or feedback loops. It allows the experience to feel more seamless and predictable.
For children, the approach is more measured. The intention is not to replicate screen-based engagement inside a physical environment, but to support interaction in a way that enhances the experience without overwhelming it.
We are also building capabilities that help parents better understand how their child engaged during a visit, including the types of activities and developmental areas explored.That is meaningful technology. It adds value without replacing human interaction.
Our position is clear: technology should enhance the experience, not become the experience. Children need tactile, physical, human-led play. That is non-negotiable for us.
From a business perspective, what have been the biggest operational challenges in scaling physical experience-driven businesses?
The biggest challenge is maintaining experience quality as you grow. In a product business, you can standardise production. In an experience business, you are always relying on people, environments, and interactions, and those are inherently harder to scale consistently.
Our play facilitators are central to what makes our spaces work. They are not just supervising children; they are guiding play, engaging families, and creating moments. Recruiting, training, and retaining the right talent remains most significant investment. You cannot scale culture from a document.
Real estate is another constraint. Our experiences require specific spatial conditions—layout, flow, and ceiling height—that are not always easy to accommodate within standard retail formats.
Scaling successfully requires discipline in both operations and decision-making.
With plans to expand regionally and globally, what does scaling an experience-based brand require?
It requires being very clear about what is non-negotiable and what can flex. For us, the philosophy is non-negotiable: purposeful play, family-centric design, and developmental intent. Those principles travel across markets. But how they are expressed might look different depending on the region and its culture.
Operationally, scaling requires robust systems. We are investing in standardised training programmes, operational playbooks, and quality frameworks that allow us to onboard new locations without diluting the experience.
But systems alone are not enough. It needs to be underpinned by strong local leadership that understands both the brand, customer and the market.
Ultimately, scaling an experience brand is slower than scaling a product brand. And I am comfortable with that. Growing too fast at the expense of experience quality would undermine the very thing that makes IdeaCrate valuable.
With so many indoor play options available, how does IdeaCrate differentiate itself?
Three things set us apart.
First, intent. Everything in our spaces exists for a reason. We do not add attractions because they are trendy or because competitors have them. Every activity, every design choice, every programme is rooted in a developmental purpose. That level of intentionality is rare in this industry.
Secondly, the family experience. We do not just design for children. We design for families. That means parents are part of the experience, not on its sidelines. It means our spaces feel welcoming for adults, not just tolerable. And it means the overall visit is something families genuinely look forward to, together.
Third, our multi-brand approach. Orange Wheels, Orange Seeds, and Orange Hub each serve a different need and age group, but they are connected by a shared philosophy. A family can grow with us, from their child’s earliest years in a nursery environment through to more social, high-energy experiences as they get older. That continuity is something no single-concept competitor can offer.
Beyond that, the difference is often felt rather than seen.
It is the culture we have built: the way our team interacts with families, the warmth of the environment, the feeling you get when you walk through the door. That is what keeps families coming back.
Looking ahead, how do you see the edutainment industry evolving?
The edutainment market is projected to reach over nine billion dollars globally by 2031, and the Middle East is one of its fastest-growing regions. That growth is a clear signal: families are willing to invest in experiences that go beyond pure entertainment.
I expect the next few years to bring greater sophistication to how education and entertainment are combined. The early movers in this space are proving that parents will pay a premium for quality, purpose-driven experiences. That will attract more investment and raise the bar for the entire industry.
I also think community will become more central to how these spaces operate. The best family spaces will not just be places you visit; they will be places you belong to. We are already seeing this in our own business, where families build relationships with our team and with each other. That sense of belonging creates loyalty that no discount or promotion can match.
At the same time, I think the industry will move toward more thoughtful, right-sized concepts. Large-format entertainment centres with high capital costs and short refresh cycles are a challenging model. The future favours concepts that prioritise experience depth over scale.
For IdeaCrate, the direction is clear: continue to lead with purpose, invest in our people and our design, and build a brand that families trust.
What inspired the creation of IdeaCrate, and how has your vision evolved?
The idea behind IdeaCrate goes back about ten years, to a moment that many parents will recognise. I was looking for a space to take my children where the experience felt genuinely enriching, not just entertaining. That search made me realise there was a real gap in the market for family spaces that combined quality, purpose, and warmth.
I wanted to build something that sat at the intersection of education and entertainment, where play is designed with developmental intent and where families feel they belong. That conviction became the foundation of IdeaCrate: the belief that children deserve play experiences that are thoughtfully designed, and that parents deserve to be part of that journey.
The vision has evolved considerably since those early days. What started as a single concept has grown into three distinct brands: Orange Wheels, a premium indoor play concept focused on purposeful play and family connection; Orange Seeds, a Montessori-inspired nursery rooted in emotional wellbeing and early development; and Orange Hub, a social, high-energy space for older children and group experiences.
Each serves a different need, but all are built on the same philosophy. We have also become much more deliberate about end-to-end experience design, thinking beyond what happens inside the space to how families feel at every stage of their interaction with us.
As we have grown, the focus has shifted toward maintaining that intent at scale—ensuring that the experience remains consistent across locations. The goal now is to set new standards for what family spaces can be, starting in the UAE and expanding across the world.
Rohit Chowdhary, Head of Advanced Consulting Services at Nokia, sat down with The Integrator to share insights into the company’s vision for enabling the AI Supercycle. He outlined how Nokia’s end-to-end portfolio spans everything from AI-ready connectivity and energy-efficient 800G data centre networking to intelligent, self-optimising home Wi-Fi experiences powered by AI.
A key focus of the discussion was Nokia’s shift from strategic advisory to real-world execution through its dedicated Automation Excellence Practice, helping operators translate ambitious transformation roadmaps into measurable outcomes. The conversation also highlighted the growing importance of integrated, intelligent and secure networks that can support rising AI workloads, eliminate infrastructure bottlenecks and unlock tangible business value, while maintaining the highest standards of security, privacy and resilience
Could you begin by telling us about your role at Nokia and the journey that brought you here?
I lead Nokia’s Advanced Consulting Services business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. My journey with Nokia spans nearly seventeen years, beginning at a time when consulting was largely focused on network transformation initiatives. Over the years, I have worked closely with operators around the world on transformation programmes, analytics adoption, customer experience management and digital modernization.
As the industry evolved, so did our consulting focus. Following the Nokia and Alcatel Lucent merger, we established what is today known as Advanced Consulting Services. The organization now spans several domains, including Security, Business monetization, Cloud and Technology transformation, Autonomous Networks, and Data & AI.
More recently, we launched an Automation Excellence Practice. The idea was simple. Customers often appreciated our strategic blueprints but needed practical expertise to implement them. Today, we have specialized engineers who combine telecom expertise, AI capabilities and software development skills to turn strategic visions into real automation pipelines, AI-driven workflows and production-ready use cases. Our role is to help customers move from concept to measurable business outcomes.
Nokia is often associated with connectivity, but the company is increasingly talking about AI readiness. How does Nokia’s infrastructure portfolio support this transition?
AI is creating what we describe as an AI Supercycle. It is transforming everything from data centres and cloud infrastructure to network architectures and edge computing. Supporting this shift requires a complete ecosystem rather than isolated technologies.
Nokia’s portfolio addresses this across multiple layers. On the network side, we continue to innovate in radio technologies, including AI-RAN capabilities developed alongside strategic partners such as Nvidia. We also have a strong optical networking and IP portfolio that enables the high-capacity connectivity required between data centres, edge locations and cloud environments.
One area that excites me is our innovation in data centre networking. We are introducing highly efficient coherent optical technologies and advanced switching platforms that significantly reduce infrastructure footprints while improving performance and energy efficiency. These innovations are becoming increasingly important as organizations invest in AI factories, AI grids and large-scale inference environments.
Beyond connectivity, we also provide intelligent automation layers through our Autonomous Networks platforms, enabling operators to manage complex, multi-vendor environments more efficiently and intelligently.
What are some of the biggest infrastructure bottlenecks you see operators and enterprises facing as AI adoption accelerates?
One of the biggest challenges is understanding that AI infrastructure is not just about compute power. Organizations often focus heavily on GPUs and processing capabilities, but connectivity can quickly become the limiting factor.
You can deploy the most powerful AI infrastructure available, but if the network cannot support the required data movement between racks, data centres and edge locations, performance suffers. This is where intelligent networking becomes critical.
At Nokia, we are helping customers design what we call AI-ready connectivity. This includes high-capacity optical networking, intelligent routing and the seamless interconnection of compute environments. As AI workloads become increasingly distributed, the ability to move data efficiently becomes just as important as the ability to process it.
On the consumer side, Nokia has been showcasing AI-driven Wi-Fi management capabilities. How does this improve the end-user experience?
The home network has become far more complex than it was a few years ago. Consumers expect flawless connectivity across multiple devices, applications and services.
Our AI-enabled Wi-Fi solutions continuously monitor network performance and user experience. They can identify coverage gaps, detect congestion, analyze interference patterns and even recommend or automatically implement corrective actions.
The goal is to create a self-optimizing network environment where many issues can be resolved autonomously before they impact the user. This reduces support requirements for service providers while delivering a more consistent and reliable experience for customers.
The Middle East is witnessing an unprecedented surge in data centre investments. How do you see this shaping Nokia’s opportunities in the region?
The Middle East has emerged as one of the most dynamic markets globally for AI infrastructure investments. Governments and enterprises are actively investing in sovereign AI capabilities, advanced data centres and digital ecosystems.
This creates significant opportunities, not only for Nokia but for the broader technology industry. The success of these initiatives depends on having secure, scalable and efficient connectivity between compute resources, cloud environments and end users.
Our role is to help customers build these foundations. Whether it is data centre interconnectivity, optical networking, intelligent routing or autonomous operations, Nokia’s technologies are designed to support the scale and performance requirements of AI-driven economies.
As data volumes continue to grow, security and data sovereignty are becoming increasingly important. How is Nokia addressing these concerns?
Security is deeply embedded into Nokia’s strategy and innovation roadmap. As a European technology company, trust, resilience and security have always been fundamental principles in how we design and operate our solutions.
While we continue to invest heavily in AI innovation, we are equally focused on strengthening security capabilities across our portfolio. This includes advanced network security architectures, AI-driven threat detection and preparations for future technologies such as quantum-safe networking.
We are actively engaged with industry bodies, standards organizations and ecosystem partners to help define the next generation of secure digital infrastructure. As AI becomes increasingly pervasive, security must evolve alongside it, and that is an area where Nokia continues to invest significantly.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of AI-driven networks?
What excites me most is the convergence of AI, automation and connectivity. Networks are evolving from passive transport layers into intelligent platforms that can learn, adapt and optimize themselves.
The future will be defined by autonomous operations, AI-native networks and real-time decision-making at scale. Organizations that successfully combine these capabilities will unlock entirely new business models and levels of operational efficiency.
For us, the opportunity is not just about deploying technology. It is about helping customers transform the way they operate, innovate and create value in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Exclusive interview with Uday Shankar Kizhepat – Vice President and General Manager for ME
How is WSO2 sailing through in the region amidst the uncertainty?
The Middle East continues to be one of the most dynamic technology markets globally. While there is uncertainty in the broader geopolitical and economic environment, we see that organizations across the region remain committed to their digital transformation programs and continue to invest in the areas of API modernization, application integration, Identity and access management, data connectivity, cloud transformation and AI enablement. This is because digitization is now a business necessity rather than a discretionary investment.
For WSO2, this has translated into continued demand for solutions that help enterprises modernize systems, securely manage digital identities, integrate increasingly complex technology landscapes, and adopt AI responsibly. We are seeing particularly strong interest from government, financial services, telecommunications, and energy sectors, where organizations are focused on improving operational agility while maintaining security, compliance, and resilience.
Any new products / solutions that have been introduced for the region?
One of the most significant developments for us is our vision for the Agentic Enterprise and the introduction of WSO2’s Agentic Enterprise Fabric. Rather than treating AI as a standalone capability or bolt-on feature, we have embedded AI capabilities into the very fabric of our platform.
The Agentic Enterprise Fabric enables organizations to securely connect data, APIs, applications, identities, and AI agents across the enterprise. This creates a foundation where intelligent agents can operate with the right context, governance, and security controls while delivering measurable business outcomes.
The WSO2 Agent Manager is an open platform for the full life-cycle of enterprise grade AI agents. The WSO2 AI gateway helps in governance by monitoring the usage, applying guardrails, optimizing costs & exposing APIs as MCP tools so that AI agents can safely interact. The WSO2 agent ID helps to register, authenticate, authorize and audit AI agents as first class identities.
This approach is resonating strongly in the Middle East, where organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation and looking for scalable, enterprise-grade AI implementations that can be governed and integrated into existing business processes.
What are the key solutions that have kept WSO2 ahead of its other competitors in the region?
Our differentiation comes from helping customers address key critical challenges simultaneously: APIs, integration, identity, and AI adoption.
Our API management platform helps companies ship, govern and monetize APIs, AI and MCP across any gateway or any cloud. Our integration capabilities enable organizations to connect legacy and modern systems quickly, helping accelerate digital initiatives. Our identity and access management solutions provide the security and trust layer needed for large-scale digital services. Last but not the least, our Agentic Enterprise Fabric brings AI into the core of the enterprise architecture rather than layering it on top as an afterthought.
All of this combined with our open-source heritage, flexible deployment options, and ability to support sovereign cloud and hybrid environments, gives customers the freedom to innovate with zero lock-in. This flexibility is critical in the Middle East region, where organizations increasingly prioritize digital sovereignty, data control, and long-term technology independence.
What are your plans for the coming few months in the region?
Our commitment to the growth and development of the Middle East region remains. We have just completed registering our office in KSA which reiterates our focus on deepening our engagement with customers and partners across the GCC and wider Middle East. We are investing in helping organizations move from AI pilots to production-ready deployments, while continuing to support large-scale modernization and digital transformation initiatives.
We also plan to strengthen our partner ecosystem, expand our presence in key markets, and work more closely with organizations pursuing digital sovereignty initiatives. As governments and enterprises accelerate their AI and digital agendas, we see significant opportunities to help them build secure, connected, and intelligent digital platforms for the future.
What’s your anticipated growth for the digital / tech sector in the coming few years?
The outlook remains very positive and we are optimistic. Over the next three to five years, I believe the region will move from digital transformation to intelligent transformation, where AI becomes embedded in core business operations rather than existing as isolated applications. Organizations that successfully combine AI with strong integration, identity, governance, and data foundations will be best positioned to create sustainable competitive advantages.
This shift will create significant opportunities for technology providers, system integrators, and enterprises alike.
Exclusive interview with Uday Shankar Kizhepat- Vice President and General Manager for ME
How is WSO2 sailing through in the region amidst the uncertainty?
The Middle East continues to be one of the most dynamic technology markets globally. While there is uncertainty in the broader geopolitical and economic environment, we see that organizations across the region remain committed to their digital transformation programs and continue to invest in the areas of API modernization, application integration, Identity and access management, data connectivity, cloud transformation and AI enablement. This is because digitization is now a business necessity rather than a discretionary investment.
For WSO2, this has translated into continued demand for solutions that help enterprises modernize systems, securely manage digital identities, integrate increasingly complex technology landscapes, and adopt AI responsibly. We are seeing particularly strong interest from government, financial services, telecommunications, and energy sectors, where organizations are focused on improving operational agility while maintaining security, compliance, and resilience.
Any new products / solutions that have been introduced for the region?
One of the most significant developments for us is our vision for the Agentic Enterprise and the introduction of WSO2’s Agentic Enterprise Fabric. Rather than treating AI as a standalone capability or bolt-on feature, we have embedded AI capabilities into the very fabric of our platform.
The Agentic Enterprise Fabric enables organizations to securely connect data, APIs, applications, identities, and AI agents across the enterprise. This creates a foundation where intelligent agents can operate with the right context, governance, and security controls while delivering measurable business outcomes.
The WSO2 Agent Manager is an open platform for the full life-cycle of enterprise grade AI agents. The WSO2 AI gateway helps in governance by monitoring the usage, applying guardrails, optimizing costs & exposing APIs as MCP tools so that AI agents can safely interact. The WSO2 agent ID helps to register, authenticate, authorize and audit AI agents as first class identities.
This approach is resonating strongly in the Middle East, where organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation and looking for scalable, enterprise-grade AI implementations that can be governed and integrated into existing business processes.
What are the key solutions that have kept WSO2 ahead of its other competitors in the region?
Our differentiation comes from helping customers address key critical challenges simultaneously: APIs, integration, identity, and AI adoption.
Our API management platform helps companies ship, govern and monetize APIs, AI and MCP across any gateway or any cloud. Our integration capabilities enable organizations to connect legacy and modern systems quickly, helping accelerate digital initiatives. Our identity and access management solutions provide the security and trust layer needed for large-scale digital services. Last but not the least, our Agentic Enterprise Fabric brings AI into the core of the enterprise architecture rather than layering it on top as an afterthought.
All of this combined with our open-source heritage, flexible deployment options, and ability to support sovereign cloud and hybrid environments, gives customers the freedom to innovate with zero lock-in. This flexibility is critical in the Middle East region, where organizations increasingly prioritize digital sovereignty, data control, and long-term technology independence.
What are your plans for the coming few months in the region?
Our commitment to the growth and development of the Middle East region remains. We have just completed registering our office in KSA which reiterates our focus on deepening our engagement with customers and partners across the GCC and wider Middle East. We are investing in helping organizations move from AI pilots to production-ready deployments, while continuing to support large-scale modernization and digital transformation initiatives.
We also plan to strengthen our partner ecosystem, expand our presence in key markets, and work more closely with organizations pursuing digital sovereignty initiatives. As governments and enterprises accelerate their AI and digital agendas, we see significant opportunities to help them build secure, connected, and intelligent digital platforms for the future.
What’s your anticipated growth for the digital / tech sector in the coming few years?
The outlook remains very positive and we are optimistic. Over the next three to five years, I believe the region will move from digital transformation to intelligent transformation, where AI becomes embedded in core business operations rather than existing as isolated applications. Organizations that successfully combine AI with strong integration, identity, governance, and data foundations will be best positioned to create sustainable competitive advantages.
This shift will create significant opportunities for technology providers, system integrators, and enterprises alike.
KINGSTON SUPPORTS MIDDLE EAST INDUSTRIAL DIGITALIZATION WITH EMBEDDED MEMORY AND STORAGE SOLUTIONS FOR MISSION-CRITICAL SYSTEMS
DELINEA INTEGRATES WITH CYERA TO PRIORITIZE DATA-AWARE IDENTITY SECURITY IN THE AI ERA
JUNGLEBOWLS BRINGS THE ENERGY OF THE JUNGLE TO DUBAI WITH AN ALL-DAY BREAKFAST EXPERIENCE
-
News11 years ago
SENDQUICK (TALARIAX) INTRODUCES SQOOPE – THE BREAKTHROUGH IN MOBILE MESSAGING
-
Trending8 months agoOPPO A6 Pro 5G Review: Reliable Daily Driver
-
Tech News2 years agoDenodo Bolsters Executive Team by Hiring Christophe Culine as its Chief Revenue Officer
-
VAR1 year agoMicrosoft Launches New Surface Copilot+ PCs for Business
-
Automotive2 years agoAGMC Launches the RIDDARA RD6 High Performance Fully Electric 4×4 Pickup
-
Tech Interviews2 years ago
Navigating the Cybersecurity Landscape in Hybrid Work Environments
-
Tech News11 months agoNothing Launches flagship Nothing Phone (3) and Headphone (1) in theme with the Iconic Museum of the Future in Dubai
-
VAR2 years agoSamsung Galaxy Z Fold6 vs Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: Clash Of The Folding Phenoms