Innovation events kick off in Northern Emirates

Activities across the emirates will serve as inspiration for the country's future innovators

A week of events kicked off in Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah on Thursday to mark UAE Innovation Month.

Six activities will be held across Fujairah on Thursday and Wednesday as part of the country-wide initiative. More than 20 government and federal entities are taking part.

In the city, residents and visitors can meet with young inventors, learn about idea generation and take part in interactive workshops at Fujairah Fort on Thursday and Friday.

Fifteen inventors will give presentations on Al Faqit beach in Dibba about their creations and share lessons learnt from their experiences.

Fujairah Mall, in collaboration with Fujairah Scientific Club, will host various activities and display products developed by local inventors to serve as inspiration for the country's future innovators.

In Ras Al Khaimah, 60 start-ups from 12 countries will gather at Al Marjan Island to take part in the UAE’s first Seaside Startup Summit which will be held from Thursday to Monday.

The five-day summit, held in a majlis tent by the sea, will focus on connecting people and help start-ups broaden their outlook.

The Startup Summit concept was adopted in Armenia years ago in response to ineffective gatherings by innovators and entrepreneurs. The summit in RAK is organised by the Startup Armenia Foundation and Ras Al Khaimah’s Incubation and Accelerator unit. It is held under the patronage of Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, who is also expected to attend.

More than 1,500 people from across the world are expected to attend.

“The RAK Seaside Summit aims to provide entrepreneurs with an opportunity to demonstrate innovative business solutions, provide an opportunity to communicate with decision-makers and social networking sites, as well as compete for the opportunity to win funding,” said Dr Abdul Rahman Al Naqbi, director general of the Department of Economic Development (DED).

The start-ups will be competing to win $50,000 in funding by taking part in "brand battles".

Also in RAK, the public works department has organised a series of laboratories and workshops on innovation at Saqr Park in RAK on Thursday and Friday.

Innovation Week will run until next Wednesday in Fujairah and RAK before moving on to Sharjah.

For more information about UAE Innovation month events visit https://www.uaeinnovates.gov.ae/