The UAE Innovation Month, 'UAE Innovates 2025', kicked off on Saturday, February 1, celebrating a decade of groundbreaking innovation across the country. The event, under the theme 'The Power of 10 – Where Does Your Strength Lie?', brings together the government, private sectors, and the community to showcase how innovation has transformed life in the UAE.
This year's edition coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation. Throughout February, activities will take place across all seven emirates, culminating in the UAE Innovates Exhibition in Dubai, which will showcase innovations significantly impacting government work and society over the past decade.
Other major highlights include the fifth edition of the UAE Innovates Awards, which will honor projects shaping the nation’s growth. The event also features the Pitch@Gov program, focusing on renewable energy solutions and offering university students the opportunity to win up to AED 200,000.
The closing ceremony on February 26 will celebrate the winners of the UAE Innovates Awards, recognize partners, and highlight the transformative impact of innovation across the UAE. This year’s edition also coincides with the declaration of 2025 as the 'Year of Community' in the UAE, emphasizing the importance of societal contributions.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, highlighted the UAE’s successful transformation of innovation from conceptual frameworks to tangible applications under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. Ensuring these advancements strengthen the UAE’s global competitiveness, he remarked, 'The UAE Innovation Month serves as a nationwide platform bringing together all segments of society.'
Al Gergawi noted, 'Over the past decade, UAE Innovates has been instrumental in driving groundbreaking ideas, initiatives, and projects enhancing quality of life.' This sentiment echoes the broader mission of positioning the UAE as a global hub for innovation.
Throughout February, 'UAE Innovates 2025' features hundreds of innovative activities and events aimed at both professionals and the general public. The centerpiece of these activities is the UAE Innovates Exhibition, which showcases federal and local government entities' successful projects demonstrating the power of innovation over the past decade.
Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, emphasized the platform's role over the years, stating, 'UAE Innovation Month has evolved from simply celebrating innovation to developing it, transforming inspiring ideas to impactful projects.' This evolution highlights how the initiative has enhanced the efficiency of both government and private sectors.
Adopting 'The Power of 10 – Where Does Your Strength Lie?' as the theme reflects the government's commitment to sustaining and advancing innovation across all sectors. Al Hashimi called for engagement from government entities, private sector institutions, and the community: 'We must actively participate to celebrate innovation and its role as a driving force for shaping the future.'
The UAE Innovates 2025 Exhibition at The Boulevard at Jumeirah Emirates Towers will be the largest exhibition since its inception, showcasing innovative models and experiences positively affecting UAE society.
Alongside the exhibition, the fifth edition of the UAE Innovates Awards will recognize projects across various categories, including Most Innovative Use of Resources and Most Innovative Project in Sustainability, with special awards for impactful social innovations.
For university students, the sixth edition of the Pitch@Gov Program will focus on 'Renewable Energy for a Better Life', with winning projects offered financial support totaling AED 200,000. Winners will also have the chance to join the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund’s accelerator program, promoting the development of innovative solutions.
The month-long celebration culminates with the closing ceremony on February 26, recognizing not just award winners, but all contributors to UAE Innovation Month's success. This important milestone reflects the UAE government’s continuous efforts to embed a culture of innovation throughout the public sector and within society.
Since its inception, UAE Innovates has engaged over 1.5 million members of the community and hosted more than 8,000 events, with participation from more than 130 government entities, private sector companies, and academic institutions. Many showcased projects have since evolved.into working models contributing to the UAE's development efforts across various fields.
For more information on the events and innovations during 'UAE Innovates 2025', visit the official website.