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Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business
Showcasing unique and inspiring creations from budding Innovators around the UAE, the 2016 edition of the Innovator Show opened officially on Thursday at Corniche-East Plaza in Abu Dhabi.
Brought to you by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and the Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee (TDC), the two-day exhibition features projects and innovations created by UAE residents which cover a wide spectrum of fields including Art & Design, Automotive, Mechanics & Digital Fabrication, Robotics & Electronics, Aerospace, and Sustainability & Life Sciences.
Innovator Show is packed with exciting activities for all, including interactive demonstrations and workshops and inspiring signature projects. Inaugurating the Innovator Show, HH Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court, reaffirmed the keenness of the UAE’s wise leadership on providing Emiratis with the right environment that nurtures innovation and excellence in all fields, encourages new ideas and concepts and promotes a culture of innovation. During the show, Sheikh Hamed viewed several outstanding projects and was briefed by the participants on the mechanism and applications of their innovative solutions, and the aims they aspire to achieve. Sheikh Hamed then wished all participants further success in their endeavors, stressing the importance of innovation in the development and growth of the nation.
The Innovator Show forms an integral part of the Innovator Programme, a government initiative founded to support the development of human capital in the science and technology sectors. The programme facilitates the creation and realization of home-grown innovation, supporting talented thinkers aged 13+, both beginners and professionals alike, throughout the different stages of their innovation development – from inspiration to creation.
Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Education Council, emphased ADEC’s willingness to introduce initiatives and projects that focus on enhancing student skills, while motivating them to create, innovate and experiment, while encouraging talent and dedication.
“ADEC is keen to promote a culture of innovation among the community to support inventors, and help boost scientific research activities, solve problems and find creative solutions, especially since innovation is considered a cornerstone to establishing a knowledge-based economy. The Innovator aims to highlight the growth of innovative and creative young talents across the UAE, since the event gathers youth with common interests together, while providing a platform to communicate and exchange ideas as well as display inventions and creative work to the wider community.
Additionally, the initiative promotes teamwork and inspires other students to materialize their creative ideas,” added Dr. Al-Nuaimi.
Ahmed Saeed Al Calily, Director General, Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee commented, “A knowledge-based economy is driven by ideas and innovation, with a strong infrastructure in science and technology-based industries playing a crucial role. Programmes such as Innovator encourage and support creative talents in the UAE to bring their unique ideas to life, enabling a ‘maker society’ where innovation springs from collaboration. Such programmes also provide a platform for UAE Innovators to inspire others by sharing their ideas, and in turn galvanises a culture of innovation and brings the reality of a knowledge-based economy ever-closer.”
Visitors of all ages can learn about the latest trends and techniques in the innovation world through a full schedule of engaging workshops which includes: ‘Techshop at Innovator Space’; ‘Intel Galileo Workshop’; ‘3-Doodlers’; ‘3D Printing Buzz 2016’; ‘Weevil Eye Soldering’; ‘Mosaic Art by Nassim Al Majed’ and ‘Play with Clay’. There will also be live demonstrations from ADMAF, Abu Dhabi Art Hub and Abu Dhabi Art among others.
Innovations from Khalifa University and Smart Guidance System for the blind will be the featured signature projects at the event. The Internet Company, DMM. Make, will be bringing ten exciting startups from Japan to showcase the very latest innovative products being designed and developed in the country. These startups include Primesap, specializing in creating devices for healthcare process optimization, Eagle Eye, the developers of a wearable device that enables football players to analyze their performance and Cerevo, an innovative team of makers who have won consecutive CES Innovation Awards for their IoT products in 2015 and 2016.
The Innovator Programme includes the Innovator Space, a 1000m2 facility open since last November in Al Zeina and packed with industrial grade advanced manufacturing equipment, where anyone can learn about making and prototyping out of metal, plastics, wood, electronics and textiles – thanks to classes and hands-on mentoring from expert staff. The Space is run in partnership with TechShop, the world leading operator of maker spaces.
The Show will actively support local innovations through the six ‘Development Funds’ offered that will be awarded to the selected winning projects. “The Best Project Fund” will be judged by an expert panel and based on various merits and set criteria. “The People’s Choice Fund” is an open category and voted for by attendees of the show. Recipients of each fund will be awarded AED 10,000 as well as getting free access to the Innovator Space where they will receive further guidance and support from the TechShop staff to continue to develop their innovations.
Innovator Show 2016 is brought to you by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and the Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee (TDC), and in partnership with INTEL, Innovator Programme’s Technology Partner, The Municipality of Abu Dhabi City as ‘Community Partner’ and other partners including ADMAF and TECHSHOP. The event is open today from 2-10 PM and tomorrow from 2 to 8:30 PM.