DUBAI – A turtle-tracking project that uses drones and artificial intelligence, a novel electromagnetic desalination concept, and a plan to produce sustainable concrete from brine water-derived minerals are among 17 climate-related solutions awarded grants and support as part of the Expo Live University Innovation Programme (UIP).

Student teams from UAE-based universities presented their ideas to an expert evaluation committee at a live-pitching event, held on Sunday at Expo City Dubai’s Terra Auditorium, on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit. The 17 selected projects will each receive a grant of AED 25,000 to help turn their idea into reality.

This, the third cycle of the UIP, engaged more than 1,000 students, with 36 UAE-based institutions presenting 350-plus proposals for innovative climate-related solutions. The final event welcomed 20 teams of UAE nationals and international students from universities from across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.

Yousuf Caires, Executive Director, Expo Live Innovation Programme, said: “The youth of the UAE know that their future is inextricably linked to a healthy, thriving planet and they are passionate about helping to steer a more sustainable course. The overwhelming response to the Expo Live University Innovation Programme and the abundance of quality, innovative ideas demonstrates that passion and renews our hope for a brighter, cleaner future.

“Each of the 17 solutions selected today has incredible potential to benefit people and the planet, and we are proud to support them, here on the sidelines of this crucial climate conference, as they take these concepts to the next stage.”

The students included two teams of cadets from Abu Dhabi Police College – one using AI to intelligently analyse climate data and another transforming waste into valuable resources. The winners also included a team of Ethiopian students who were selected from more than one million applicants to receive a UAE/Ethiopia government scholarship.

The UIP is part of Expo Live, which was initiated under Expo 2020 Dubai and continues as part of Expo City Dubai. Expo Live helps innovators from around the world develop solutions to pressing challenges, backing projects that improve people’s lives and/or preserve the planet, providing an invaluable platform for accelerating entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrating the power of collaboration and innovation to further human progress.

The first two UIP cycles attracted more than 1,000 applications from over 40 universities, from which 46 student teams from 19 universities were awarded grants.

Selected projects

Team Name

University

Sector

Flying High for Turtle Conservation – using drones and AI to track endangered turtles

Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence

Ocean

A window into the future – converting food waste into chitosan to support plant growth

UAEU

Decarbonisation/carbon management

BioCCS.ae - novel microalgae-based bio CO2 sequestration systems

American University of Ras Al Khaimah

Renewable energy

Brine Recovery using MED desalination driven by solar energy - Solar Brine

University Of Sharjah

Water systems

Brine Water-Derived Calcium Oxalate and Calcium Carbonates as management of brine desalination

Zayed University

Waste management

DeCarb – forming K2C03 to reduce CO2 emissions

BITS PILANI

Decarbonisation/carbon management

EcoSorb – jute fibre mats

American University of Dubai

Nature and land use

EcoVanguard – using AI to generate biogas from food waste

BITS PILANI

Renewable energy

Electromagnetic Desalination of Seawater - KIS, Kaleidoscope of Innovative Students

University of Dubai

Water systems

BPDC – Biofuels – a smart, anaerobic process to decompose polymers

BITS PILANI

Waste management

IFOR Robotics – autonomous underwater drone to tackle overfishing

BITS PILANI

Nature and land use

Modem application, using technology and AI to monitor and combat climate change

Abu Dhabi University

Waste management

Smart waste – transforming waste into an economic opportunity

Abu Dhabi Police

Waste management

Solar_Zilla – a solar-powered agricultural bot

Amity University

Food security

Sustainable Harvest – a platform for efficient disposal of coffee grounds

Zayed University

Waste management

The role of artificial intelligence in combating climate change

Abu Dhabi Police

Decarbonisation/carbon management

Waste to energy storage – converting biomass from the date tree into activated carbon

UAEU

Nature and land use

About Expo City Dubai

  • An inclusive innovation-driven, people-centric city of the future and one of five hubs on the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, Expo City Dubai is committed to maximising its positive social, environmental and economic impact
    • Designed as a blueprint for sustainable urban living, its roadmap to achieving net zero by 2050 and its broader decarbonisation targets raise the bar on responsible urban development
    • Its ecosystem supports cross-sector collaboration and provides a springboard for businesses of all sizes to scale and grow, enhancing Dubai’s position as a global centre of trade and reinforcing the UAE’s development and diversification ambitions
    • Its residential communities redefine urban living, exemplifying best practice in innovative, environment-friendly design with a focus on wellbeing and happiness
    • An incubator for innovation, it is a testbed for solutions and a platform for groundbreaking ideas that benefit both people and the planet
    • Packed with educational, cultural and entertainment offerings and a go-to destination for globally significant events, it celebrates human creativity and ingenuity and inspires future generations
  • The legacy of Expo 2020 Dubai, Expo City Dubai connects businesses, government, organisations, educational institutions, residents and visitors, working together to drive progress and create a better, more equitable, more sustainable future for all

For media enquiries, please contact
twitter.com/ExpoCityDubai                                
facebook.com/ExpoCityDubai
instagram.com/ExpoCityDubai
youtube.com/c/ExpoCityDubai
linkedin.com/company/expocitydubai/
tiktok.com/@expocitydubai

press.office@expocitydubai.ae