Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) has announced its support for 26 research projects led by 14 universities and academic institutions in Dubai, marking the conclusion of the second cycle of Dubai Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Grant Initiative.
The Initiative forms part of Dubai RDI Program under the Dubai RDI Ecosystem, which was formed as per 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, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation. The Ecosystem is overseen by the Dubai Future Foundation and serves as an integrated platform to advance research, development and innovation across the emirate.
The funded projects were selected from a total of 358 submissions received from universities and research institutions across Dubai. Following a multi-stage evaluation process, 73 projects advanced to the final stage, after which the top projects were awarded funding of up to AED 1.5 million each.
The second cycle saw the participation of 172 researchers from the UAE and around the world, alongside collaborative research efforts involving 44 institutions across the UAE and 12 countries, including Australia, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Submissions were evaluated against a comprehensive set of criteria, including alignment with Dubai’s priority research, development and innovation areas, the potential for future partnerships, contribution to capacity building, innovation in methodology and outcomes, expected impact across strategic sectors, and overall budget efficiency.
The second cycle of the Dubai RDI Grant Initiative focused on two main focus areas: Future Cities, and Health and Life Sciences. Research under the Future Cities track addressed smart mobility solutions, next-generation built environments and infrastructure, climate-resilient urban systems, and the use of urban health data for enhanced quality of life. The Health and Life Sciences track focused on biological discoveries and systems science, clinical and applied health, health innovation and biomedical engineering, as well as biomanufacturing and synthetic biology.
Khalifa Al Qama, Chief of Research, Development and Innovation at the Dubai Future Foundation, said that the strong participation in the second cycle of the Initiative reflects the accelerating momentum of scientific research and innovation in Dubai, and underscores the emirate’s continued commitment to supporting researchers and innovators. He noted that the Initiative plays a key role in funding high-impact research projects and pioneering ideas that address the needs of vital sectors, contribute to building a diversified and sustainable digital economy grounded in knowledge and advanced technologies, and enhance Dubai’s competitiveness across future strategic sectors.
The funded projects are led by a diverse group of academic institutions in Dubai, including the University of Birmingham Dubai, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, the American University in Dubai, the University of Dubai, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani – Dubai, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, Zayed University, Emirates Aviation University, the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, the University of Wollongong in Dubai, Middlesex University Dubai, Canadian University Dubai, Amity University Dubai, and the Higher Colleges of Technology.
The Dubai RDI Program is a core pillar of the Dubai RDI Ecosystem which provides a unified framework for all current and future research, development and innovation initiatives in the emirate. The Program aims to develop evidence-based and test-driven solutions to key local and global challenges, enhance productivity across priority sectors, and unlock new pathways that drives economic value. It also supports national efforts to anticipate and respond to major global shifts, build enabling infrastructure for emerging sectors, and reinforce Dubai’s long-term economic resilience and future readiness.