Abu Dhabi: Residents and citizens can expect a month filled with activities, competitions and hundreds of key events during the UAE Innovation Month, which kicks off on February 1 under the slogan “Innovation Starts with You.”
Set to be held across the seven emirates in an effort to promote innovation in society, the nationwide celebration for everyone in the UAE commences in Abu Dhabi on Thursday before moving to other emirates every week throughout the month.
From competitions and workshops engaging the community to forums, exhibitions and the launch of national initiatives for innovation throughout the UAE, each emirate will have its own one full week of innovation.
The government and private sectors, including academic entities such as schools, are set to showcase the most important innovative developments that contribute to the promotion of welfare among all members of society.
At Abu Dhabi’s corniche, among the key events marking the first week is the Innovator 2018 programme where more than 100 innovators are showcasing their unique projects.
The Abu Dhabi Science Festival has also been merged with Innovator 2018. Other events throughout the week are also being organised in Al Ain with 600 school students set to visit interactive workshops.
The Google Innovation hub will also be launched at the United Arab Emirates University on February 7. At the same university, an innovation exhibition will showcase a set of innovative services and inventions that government agencies provide.
Among the innovations to be showcased in Abu Dhabi will be a drone that measures air and marine pollution and set constraints and regulations to reduce percentage of this pollution.
One of the biggest competitions taking place across the UAE in six different emirates will be the UAE Hackathon Open Data Challenge, which is open to the public to participate and will include cash prizes worth over Dh600,000 to be won.
The Innovation Truck, which will be moving along the innovation route, will be stationed at the Abu Dhabi Corniche for the first week and will hold competitions the public can participate in.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future and chairman of the Science Technology and Innovation higher committee, said the UAE Innovation Month is an embodiment of the UAE leadership’s vision and clear directives to transform the country into an open global laboratory to experiment with avant-garde policies and programmes.
“The UAE Government has successfully established innovation as a work ethic,” he said, adding that the country is now embarking on a new phase that focuses on results and empowering individuals.
“UAE Innovation Month is the fruit of the complementarity, synergy and collaboration between the Federal Government, the Executive Councils of the emirates, private sector companies, and various academic and social institutions,” he said.
“This makes it the largest national event of its kind in the UAE, underlining innovation’s pivotal role in forecasting and building the future.”
Huda Al Hashemi, assistant to the director-general for Strategy and Innovation at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, said for the third cycle, the event seeks to engage the whole community with its key entertaining events this year held at popular spots in each emirate.
This year’s innovation month would be centred on four main themes inspired by the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. “The UAE Innovation Month will focus on four aspects inspired from our founding father — the innovative leader, the creative thinker, the change maker and the inspirational thinker
What is UAE Innovation Month
Previously known as the UAE Innovation Week, the UAE Innovation Month is the largest celebration of its kind that seeks to celebrate the best in ideas on innovation from the government and private sectors as well as from the public.
It is being organised under the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The nationwide celebration of innovation focuses primarily on the seven major sectors of the National Innovation Strategy: health, transportation, renewable energy, technology, education, water and space.
The UAE Innovation Month is set to open in Abu Dhabi, where a series of events will mark the first week of the initiative on February 1-7. The event continues with its second week (February 8-14) in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah simultaneously, before moving on to Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain on February 15-21. It concludes its events in Dubai on February 22-28.
What to expect in each emirate
Abu Dhabi (February 1-7):
Innovator 2018 and Abu Dhabi Science Festival (February 1-7) at Abu Dhabi Corniche;
UAE Hackathon Open Data Challenge (February 4-6), Khalifa University;
UAE University Science and Innovation Park open days (February 4-6);
Science Fair for Environmental Innovations (February 6-7) at Shaikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre.
Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah (February 8-14):
First global Seaside Startup Summit for SMEs; Al Marjan Island RAK Environmental Carnival (February 8-12); Corniche Al Qawasim RAK 3d Revolution Exhibition (February 9), American University of RAK;
Fujairah Innovation Race (February 11); Castle Fujairah
Fujairah Innovation Journey (February 8-9); and Fujairah Fort (February 8).
Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain (February 15-21):
Sharjah Panorama Project aims to narrate the life of His Highness Shaikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah (February 15-21) at Al Majaz Waterfront;
Events and innovations showcased at The Sharjah Centre for Astronomy (February 15-21);
Ajman Racing Innovation (February 15-17), Ajman Corniche;
Ajman Innovation Exhibition (February 15-21), Emirates Hospitality Hall;
UAQ Innovation Month Exhibition (February 19-20), Shaikh Khalifa Hall.
Dubai (February 22-28):
National Science, Technology and Innovation Festival (February 15-19), Festival Arena;
Aeronnovation Summit 2018 (February 28), Dubai World Trade Centre;
Finovate (February 26-27);
Youth Scientists Innovation Laboratory (February 25), Dubai Youth Hub.
