Latifa bint Mohammed inaugurates ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity exhibition’ 2025

Exhibition, held under the patronage of Her Highness until 20 November, is the world’s most diverse gathering of academic talent and innovation

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), today inaugurated the latest edition of the ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ exhibition, being held under her patronage at AREA 2071 in Emirates Towers.

During the meeting, Her Highness discussed the vital role of university-driven scientific innovation in developing actionable solutions with real-world impact. Her Highness then toured the ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ exhibition, where she viewed a selection of the 100 showcased projects, chosen from thousands of submissions by students, graduates, and faculty from more than 1,200 universities across 120 countries. She was briefed on the exhibition, which runs until 20 November and is being held in parallel with the fourth edition of the Dubai Future Forum.  

The ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative is held under 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, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation. The initiative is organised under the patronage and leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. A joint effort between Prototypes for Humanity, an Art Dubai Group initiative, in partnership with Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), the Hussain Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation, and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the programme supports university innovators from around the world to advance their science- backed solutions towards real-world application and growth.

Clear trends for this year’s submissions highlighted a strong focus on tackling major global health issues, environmental concerns and climate resilience. Many students developed hyper specialised, real-world solutions, tailoring their academic expertise to provide bespoke, detailed responses to global issues. A significant proportion of projects prioritised affordability and accessibility, ensuring that innovation benefits a wider audience. The integration of powerful enabling technologies, such as AI across traditional sectors, further underscores the evolving innovation landscape, where core technologies can be applied to tangible problems. Tadeu Baldani Caravieri, Director of Prototypes for Humanity, said: “Our criteria for entry are demanding, and we receive thousands of applications each year with real solutions to real problems affecting society and the environment today. Innovations such as these need to be mobilised from universities into commercial development so humanity can truly benefit. ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ provides a crucial connection between ideas born in academia and commercially produced innovations.”

Throughout the exhibition and through ongoing engagement with the programme, young innovators gain access to local and international government, industry professionals, investors, and funding opportunities across a range of sectors, including healthcare, energy, agriculture, smart infrastructure, and applied AI. These connections are a crucial step in enabling students to advance their ideas to the next stage of commercial development and ultimately drive impactful change for real- world problems.

Five outstanding entrants selected from the 100 shortlisted entries will be awarded a shared prize pool of $100,000 to further advance their research in critical areas. The ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative serves as a global platform that brings together innovators, researchers, and forward-thinking creators to develop transformative solutions for humanity.

Under the guidance of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the initiative aims to advance future-focused innovation by supporting prototypes and experimental models that address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, while further strengthening Dubai’s position as a global centre for innovation.

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