Abu Dhabi Pushes Further Ahead As Regional Centre Of Innovation

Discussions, Presentations and Awards highlight Abu Dhabi Innovation Week

The emirate of Abu Dhabi has moved to further strengthen its status as the centre for innovation and entrepreneurship in the region, as global and UAE innovation experts gather together at the UAE’s capital – during the Second Abu Dhabi Innovation Forum to be held in conjunction with Abu Dhabi Innovation Week – to share knowledge and discuss issues that have significant impact to the further development of the Middle East.

Happening on the 24th until the 26th of January, 2011 and presented by Abu Dhabi University (ADU) and Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development - an entity established to support and develop small, medium & developed enterprises in the UAE, Abu Dhabi Innovation Week will include an Innovators Fair, and the Innovations Awards.

Dr. Ahmed Khalil Al Mutawa, Chief Executive Officer of Khalifa Fund said that one of their most important objectives is to support and develop innovation and creativity in business projects as well as encourage innovative practices among the academic and business sectors. He added that Khalifa Fund is helping the creative business ideas to be transformed into real business projects.

“Abu Dhabi is fast becoming the centre of innovation in the region and Abu Dhabi Innovation Week not only aims to help companies and entrepreneurs execute their innovative ideas but also to help them contribute to the UAE’s economic success,” said Ali Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Executive Board of Abu Dhabi University. “Abu Dhabi Innovation Forum, meanwhile, serves as the venue to learn about the new and innovative business concepts and ideas worldwide which can be inspiring and applicable to the region.

“We have great local talents with innovative potentials waiting to be recognised in the global field of innovation,” he added. “Consequently, the Innovators Fair will highlight the new inventions and applications produced by local innovators, while the Innovations Awards will recognise the important contributions made by up and coming innovators in the country.”

Following the success of the First Abu Dhabi Innovation Forum in January 2010, the Second Abu Dhabi Innovation Forum is to be held at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahar Hotel from 24th to 25th January, with the Innovations Awards happening on the evening of the 26th. On the other hand, the Innovations Fair is to be held at the Abu Dhabi University campus throughout the duration of Abu Dhabi Innovation Week.

Among the topics to be examined at the forum are innovative business models to transform companies; critical role of innovation in the emerging markets; and investing in local visionaries for the future of economy. Some case studies will also be presented at the forum such as the use of Social Media and Open Source as the new landscapes for innovation and Jordan’s iPark Technology Incubator.

The Abu Dhabi Innovation Forum, organised by Aim Events, the events management group of ADU, brings together speakers such as Alexander Blass, Top Innovator of the Year Award Grand Prize Winner and founder and inventor of the person-to-person giving technology on the Internet; and Wilf Dinnick, President and Founder of OpenFile;. Other speakers from the region include Dr. Wissam Rabadi, Executive Director of iPark Technology Incubator, El Hassan Science City; and Terence McElwee, Director of Technology Transfer & Innovation, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

Meanwhile, innovators from the UAE will display their fresh new products as well as their innovative solutions and services at their stands during the Innovators Fair at the university’s central foyer. This Expo is the first among the activities for the Leadership Series undertaken by ADU and Khalifa Fund.
 

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