How Dubai teen creates low-cost hydration tablets for heat protection

When a delivery rider arrived at his home visibly exhausted, Jash Jain noticed something unexpected. The man had water with him and still felt severely dehydrated. That encounter sent the 16-year-old Dubai International Academy student into months of research, conversations with outdoor workers and the complicated process of turning an idea into a certified product.

The rider, Ali, had come to deliver groceries. Jain invited him to sit down and offered him food and water. Ali declined the water, explaining that he had already consumed two bottles and felt they were doing little to relieve his exhaustion.

“I went back home and realised that in extreme heat, dehydration occurs too fast for water alone to help,” Jain says. He began examining existing hydration products and found that sports drinks such as Gatorade and Pocari Sweat could be too expensive for regular use, while tablets available through pharmacies were not always portable or accessible enough for workers constantly on the move.

Jain interviewed 50 delivery riders about the physical demands of their jobs, the support provided by their employers and the hydration problems they experienced. Their responses shaped Thirst-E, an affordable supplement intended to help outdoor workers replenish essential nutrients.

“The role of the delivery riders who ignited my curiosity shouldn’t be understated,” he says. “A big part of Thirst-E comes from directly speaking to the target audience.”

Each dissolvable tablet contains 274mg of sodium, 20mg of magnesium, 40mg of Vitamin C and 10mg of zinc. It opens and dissolves in water, making it easy to carry and use during a working day. Jain researched the ingredients, consulted a doctor in his family and sought advice from someone experienced in the hydration-supplement industry. An Indian white-label manufacturer that produces similar tablets for pharmacies then manufactured the approved formulation.

The product’s development also introduced Jain to questions he had not anticipated. When he showed Thirst-E to a teacher, she asked whether it was suitable for pregnant women. “I didn’t know, so I contacted the manufacturer and made sure it was,” he says.

The team initially conducted small-scale tests among themselves and within the community while remaining in contact with the manufacturer about suitability and use. The formulation was tested in India and received a free-sale certificate from the Indian government. Bringing it to Dubai involved extensive legal exchanges before Thirst-E obtained the required Dubai Municipality certificate permitting its sale.

Its first substantial pilot involved more than 60 employees across 6thStreet’s delivery and warehouse departments. Fifteen participants completed a detailed feedback survey covering dehydration, flavour and usability. Among the respondents, 67 per cent selected ratings indicating significant daily dehydration, 100 per cent found the tablet easy to use, 93 per cent liked its taste and 93 per cent reported feeling more hydrated after taking it.

As founder, Jain oversees product development, corporate conversations, pilot programmes, brand partnerships and feedback collection. A five-member team supports the project by creating content for its Instagram account, @thirsteofficial, and website, thirst-e.com.

Discussions with Talabat about a potential delivery-rider pilot remain ongoing, with no collaboration confirmed yet. Jain also plans to approach delivery and construction companies through a business-to-business model, offering sachets for 50 fils each.

His wider proposal includes a “hydrate your rider” option on delivery apps, allowing customers to add 50 fils to an order to fund hydration tablets. People could also purchase Thirst-E directly and offer tablets to delivery riders, gardeners and other outdoor workers.

What began with one exhausted man at a doorway has given Jain a close view of the people who keep a city moving even through its hottest months. His response is designed around a modest price, a portable tablet and a question that deserves far greater attention: who looks after those working outside?