The impetus for innovation comes from breakthroughs that directly improve the lot of humanity and this momentum, at the core of national progress, has been building in the UAE as the surge in patent applications rises year upon year. For example, in 2017, there was a 17 per cent increase in patent applications due to initiatives such as the Government Accelerators. This is a robust indicator of the country’s march towards becoming a regional and global intellectual property hub and this journey is aided by events such as the Technology and Innovation Pioneers (TIP) Healthcare Awards held in Abu Dhabi this week that honoured 23 winning patent ideas, from within the country and outside.
These included a new class of antibiotic compounds, a device to correct an ear defect that affects 300 million people and a new catheter that is safer and easier to use. Every new idea in improving health outcomes has a monumental payoff for both individuals and governments.
The TIP Awards, organised by Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, in collaboration with the Health Department, are facilitators that will help fast-track UAE’s Vision 2020 health objectives. The award sum of Dh3 million, to be distributed among the winners, is incentivisation at its best that encourages individuals to yoke their knowledge in health care to innovation and thereby offer game-changing solutions for mankind.
As history has proved, all it takes is one individual’s passion for rewiring the grid that can become a transformative advantage for all and the UAE, in ensuring that this indispensable virtue burns bright in every creative mind, is actively abiding by one of its core values — encouraging innovation for a global good.
