Dubai, UAE, 2 January 2025: Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences announced the results of the seventh edition of the Innovators 2024 competition. Following the evaluation of projects that advanced to the final stage and underwent the implementation phase, winners were selected based on criteria including creativity, social impact, quality of execution, and innovation efficiency.

On this occasion, His Excellency Dr. Khalifa Ali Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, stated: “We are delighted to announce the results of the seventh cycle of the Innovators competition, which began in June last year with the participation of 137 students from schools across the UAE. The performance showcased a remarkable level of skills and knowledge among students, contributing to the competition's development and expansion. We extend our congratulations to the winners, appreciating their efforts and enthusiasm in demonstrating their innovative talents. Looking ahead, the competition aims to broaden its horizons to inspire students towards creative thinking and to provide an enabling environment for transforming their ideas into real-life projects that support sustainable development and enhance national capabilities in innovation and technology.”

His Excellency added: “Hamdan Bin Rashid Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences reaffirms its commitment to fostering excellence, nurturing innovators, and contributing to efforts and initiatives that advance education. We congratulate the winners and wish them continued success, while expressing gratitude to the judging panels and team members for their dedication in ensuring the competition's success across all stages.”

The Innovators 2024 competition awarded Abdullah Ahmed Al Hammadi and Fatima Rashid Awad for their project, Aboory; Mohammed Adnan Mohammed and Ardzin Nathaniel Omaldi for their project, MindSync; and Nabeel Nadeem Al Qadi, Alaa Salah Abdulaziz, and Youssef Rasim Al Shaki for their project, Smart Modular Shading System. Encouragement awards, including the 'Sustainability Award' and the 'Community Service Award,' will be announced at a later date. All winning teams will be honored at a grand ceremony during Innovation Week in February 2025.

The competition’s evaluation process was overseen by a distinguished panel of experienced and qualified judges. Out of 137 participating teams, 45 met the competition criteria, with 20 progressing to the first evaluation phase and nine advancing to the final implementation and evaluation stage, resulting in three winning teams.

The Emirates Fab Lab, headquartered at Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, was established in alignment with the National Innovation Strategy. As the first comprehensive educational innovation lab in the UAE to achieve membership in the global Fab Lab organization, it is certified according to international standards for Fab Lab centers worldwide. The lab fosters an innovation-friendly environment by providing community centers equipped with the latest devices, tools, and software, alongside training courses in digital manufacturing for all societal segments.