News DeskDubai, UAE – The Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity initiative held under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, marked yet another milestone year with Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), honouring the top five contestants.
The awards ceremony took place as part of Dubai Future Foundation’s (DFF) flagship event, the Dubai Future Forum — the world’s largest gathering of futurists and future-driven institutions — at the Museum of the Future.
Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa, the Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity initiative brought together students and professors whose projects outshone applicants from over 800 universities around the globe developing disruptive innovations to tackle some of the world’s most urgent social and environmental challenges. The top 100 projects were featured in an exhibition inaugurated by Her Highness at AREA 2071 at Emirates Towers.
“Dubai is dedicated to nurturing innovation and creativity across all fields, creating an environment where pioneering minds, institutions, and industries can thrive. Through Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity, we bring together the brightest global talent with sustainable solutions for today’s pressing challenges. This initiative cements our role as a global innovation hub, driving positive change and advancing impactful solutions,” Her Highness said.
Her Highness presented the five standout participants with a total prize purse of AED360,000 to further advance research in their respective fields. The winners, selected by an expert jury, include: ANGIE (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) – Magnetically guided microcapsules for brain tumour treatment; TERRACELL (Stanford University, USA) – Soil-powered renewable energy for Internet of Things sensors; FREZA NANOTECH (Uganda Christian University) – Biodegradable solutions for fruit and vegetable preservation; PLASMA WASTEWATER PURIFICATION (Indian Institute of Technology Delhi) – Advanced plasma treatment for wastewater contaminants; and TIME SENSITIVE APPLICATIONS OF IN-NETWORK ML (University of Oxford, UK) – In-Network ML for ultra-low latency in time-sensitive applications.
Decade-long track record
With a decade-long track record, the Prototypes for Humanity programme highlights academia’s fundamental contribution to solving complex issues, complemented by a programme that provides global talent with unmatched access to government support, industry partners, venture experts and funding opportunities to drive impactful change.
From global challenges in health, energy, and data to society and nature, the Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity programme collaborates with visionary students and professors from over 100 countries working across diverse disciplines to identify and advance projects that can address the pressing problems facing the world at significant scale. Among the 100 projects featured in Dubai this week, including entries from students at Stanford, Oxford, and Imperial College, 11 are from the Middle East and North Africa, including four from the UAE, two each from Egypt and Morocco, and one each from Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Turkey.
Lead partners
The DFF and the Hussain Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation are the lead partners of the Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity programme, with the latter having made a substantial AED100 million pledge to advance innovation and technology in Dubai. Dubai Culture and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) are supporting partners for the initiative. Prototypes for Humanity, an Art Dubai Group initiative, leads the joint efforts and provides the academic network for the programme.
Turning ideas into reality
His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the DFF, stated: “Dubai stands among the world’s foremost cities of the future, driving progress not just for itself but as a model for global innovation. At the core of our vision is a commitment to innovation, and Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity exemplifies this by connecting visionary talents from around the world with professionals equipped to turn their ideas into reality.”
Arif Amiri, CEO of the DIFC, said: “Our longstanding support for this initiative underscores its importance in showcasing excellence in innovation, positioning Dubai as a global leader in this arena. With Dubai’s vibrant ecosystem, the programme emphasises how essential it is to bring together individuals, universities, and corporations to address worldwide challenges.”
Hussain Sajwani, Founder and Chairman of DAMAC, commented: “Supporting Dubai’s leadership in innovation and welcoming global creative minds is truly an honour. Our commitment to advancing innovation aligns seamlessly with Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity, embodying the collaborative spirit between academia and industry.”
Tadeu Baldani Caravieri, Director of Prototypes for Humanity, remarked: “For a decade, Prototypes for Humanity has established itself as the world’s most comprehensive convener of academic innovation. Academia has always driven progress, and Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity uniquely unites innovators and industry to tackle complex global challenges, reinforcing Dubai’s status as a global centre for impactful ideas.”
He added: “Over the past ten years, we’ve developed the largest academic network, connecting over 20,000 professors from more than 800 universities across six continents. This year’s entries included a diverse range of pioneering ideas from some of the world’s leading institutions.”
2024 awardees
Category: Health
Winner: Angie (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) – Magnetically guided microcapsules for brain tumour treatment
Description: Angie addresses the challenge of treating inoperable brainstem gliomas, such as diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG), which are resistant to conventional therapies. This innovative solution involves magnetically guided microcapsules that deliver CAR T-cells directly to the tumour site. Using remote magnetic navigation and ultrasound-triggered release, the precise delivery system enhances the efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy while minimising side effects. This breakthrough approach offers hope for improving survival rates in patients suffering from this aggressive cancer.
Category: Energy
Winner: Terracell (Stanford University, USA) – Soil-powered renewable energy for IoT sensors
Description: Terracell is a soil microbial fuel cell that generates renewable energy from microbes, breaking down organic carbon in the soil, offering a sustainable power source for IoT sensors in remote and challenging environments. Its innovative design, with perpendicular electrodes and a vertical, waterproof cathode, enables operation in both dry and flooded soils, extending sensor runtime by 120%. All components, except carbon electrodes, are 3D-printable and locally sourced, making Terracell accessible and eco-friendly. It offers a groundbreaking solution to power IoT devices for environmental monitoring without relying on batteries or solar panels.
Category: Civil society
Winner: Freza Nanotech (Uganda Christian University) – Biodegradable solutions for fruit and vegetable preservation
Description: Addressing the significant post-harvest losses faced by smalltime farmers and vendors, particularly in developing countries, these biodegradable sachets, stickers, and bags extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by inhibiting the enzymes responsible for spoilage. This innovative, eco-friendly solution reduces reliance on refrigeration and harmful chemicals by using cutting-edge nanotechnology to preserve produce for up to 60 days. Freza’s affordable, biodegradable products help farmers reduce waste, increase income, and support environmental sustainability by lowering plastic use and methane emissions from rotting produce.
Category: Nature
Winner: Plasma wastewater purification (Indian Institute of Technology Delhi) – Advanced plasma treatment for wastewater contaminants
Description: This project addresses the growing issue of harmful contaminants (ECs, or emerging contaminants) in water, such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides, which traditional wastewater treatment systems cannot effectively eliminate. The non-thermal plasma-based treatment system utilises electricity to completely degrade and mineralise these contaminants, ensuring safe effluent. Operating at a maximum temperature of 50°C, this sustainable approach integrates hydrogen production for electricity, promoting eco-friendly energy use. Such innovations are vital for future smart cities with decentralised wastewater solutions.
Category: AI & data-science
Winner: Time sensitive applications of in-network ML (University of Oxford, UK) – In-network ML for ultra-low latency in time-sensitive applications
Description: The rise of machine learning (ML) in time-sensitive applications like autonomous vehicles and financial trading calls for ultra-fast response times. Traditional ML frameworks often struggle with latency and performance. This research introduces in-network ML, offloading ML inference to network devices such as switches and NICs, achieving up to 800x faster response times and up to 1000x lower power consumption compared to server-based solutions. By embedding ML directly within the network, data traffic is reduced, and efficiency is enhanced for real-time AI applications.
