How Dubai resident is ‘transforming excess into equal access’ for thousands in UAE

Dubai resident and social entrepreneur Rana Hajirasouli is reshaping how businesses and communities approach surplus resources.
The founder of The Surpluss, she was named runner-up in Dubai Holding’s global sustainability challenge, Innovate for Tomorrow 2024, with her pioneering solution, ‘Transforming Excess into Equal Access’. Today, she is a Dubai Holding partner, using her platform to turn unused inventory into tangible benefits for residents across the city.

Helping low-income individuals

The Surpluss operates as a business-to-business platform that enables companies to trade excess materials and resources, reducing waste while optimising efficiency. Through her partnership with Dubai Holding, Rana has taken this model a step further, introducing a ‘circular giving’ approach that directly benefits thousands of residents in need.
“We’re working with Dubai Holding on an initiative to support over 20,000 low-income individuals in the UAE. We are giving unused inventory a new home, which directly benefits many Dubai residents, especially those who need it most,” Rana told Gulf News.
“We partner with more than 25 businesses and organisations to make sure that essential items that are sitting in stock, as excess, don't end up in landfills. Instead, these surplus resources are given directly to people who can use them, helping with their daily needs. This means that less is wasted, and more individuals can benefit from these brand-new items in a dignified manner.

Progress, innovation

Since winning the Innovate for Tomorrow challenge, The Surpluss has evolved significantly through Dubai Holdings mentorship and direct access to industry experts and investors.
“The real-time feedback and collaboration helped us unearth new intellectual property and discover a completely new go-to-market strategy, identifying how companies can implement a ‘vertical circularity’ within their own value chains.”
Rana pointed out that small and medium-sized enterprises using The Surpluss platform have already reported recouping investments in weeks and, in some cases, stabilising financially by monetising surplus stock.
“Essentially, it’s a way for them to profitably engage in sustainable practices. We’re proud to have helped our partners divert millions of kilograms of surplus from landfill.”

Expansion plans

Looking ahead, Rana envisions scaling the initiative globally while keeping its roots firmly in Dubai. The Surpluss is preparing to expand to North America, the UK, and Southeast Asia, with the potential to mitigate two gigatons of carbon emissions if adopted by 200,000 companies worldwide. Locally, the collaboration with Dubai Holding remains a cornerstone, demonstrating how circularity and social impact can coexist and create lasting benefits for thousands of residents.

Entrepreneurs can participate in the Innovate for Tomorrow 2025 challenge, with a prize pool of Dh850,000. Submissions, focusing on food loss and waste, resource recovery, and digital sustainability innovation, are open until November 25.