UAE Innovates Award set to recognize country’s top public sector innovations at Expo 2020 Dubai  

 Dubai: 17 January 2022 – The Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation (MBRCGI) has announced that nominations for the second edition of the UAE Innovates Award will close on 24 January. The awards programme, which includes six categories under the theme of innovation, is part of the nationwide annual UAE Innovates 2022 festival in February, which is one of the world’s largest innovation festivals and this year runs alongside Expo 2020 Dubai.

UAE Innovates is part of the government's ongoing efforts to support a culture of public sector innovation by celebrating achievements and recognizing novel solutions and processes. The initiative’s objective is to position the UAE as a global hub for innovation and knowledge and a nurturing environment for developing and implementing projects to enhance the public sector.

The UAE Innovates Award, which is managed by Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, aims to celebrate innovative individuals, entities, and institutions, while motivating talents for the future. It also aims to promote innovation in various sectors and enhance the community’s involvement in creating future initiatives that can improve lives and create more robust government models. By supporting these projects, UAE Innovates Award will help the country to realize its priorities and ambitions for the next 50 years. 

Her Excellency Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, said: "The UAE Government aims to create an inclusive community movement that embraces creative ideas and innovations to support the nation's vision and create more resilient government models. The UAE Innovates Award, which celebrates innovations and the individuals behind them, is aligned with the leadership's directives to engage the local community in designing and developing projects that enhance the country's scientific and technological excellence. 

“The new edition of the award is especially significant this year, as it coincides with Expo 2020 Dubai, which will host numerous events under UAE Innovates 2022. We encourage members of the communities to engage with the UAE Innovates Award, submit nominations, and help shaping  the governments of the future.” 

Award categories 

Judges of the UAE Innovates Award will consider several criteria, including novelty, replicability, impact, agility, proactivity, and resilience. There are six main categories recognizing innovations that enhance the automation of government procedures, achieve digital leadership, support efficient use of resources, simplify procedures, improve social services, and reflect  significant changes in government work.

Winners will be honored at the closing ceremony of UAE Innovates 2022 at Expo 2020 Dubai. The ceremony in February will be attended by various federal and local government entities, alongside private sector entities and academic institutions. The ceremony will be a national event celebrating the culture of innovation in the UAE, which underpins the country’s approach for the next 50 years.

You can submit nominations for the UAE Innovates Award here: https://uaeinnovates.gov.ae/2022-awards/. Projects nominated for the awards will get the chance to be featured in the third edition of the "Innovations from the Nation" report.

UAE Innovates 2022, which runs throughout the month of February, will witness a consolidated effort by government, the private sector and individuals to enhance a widespread culture of innovation in the UAE. UAE Innovates supports the UAE’s objectives for the next 50 years and aims to promote the position of the country as one of the most innovative in the world, through a series of events. 

After the success of the UAE Innovation Week over two years in 2015 and 2016, UAE Innovates was announced in 2016. It is the largest national event celebrating innovation and innovators across the country.