Dubai Holding has announced the winner and runner-up for its global sustainability challenge, ‘Innovate for Tomorrow,’ which received 150 submissions worldwide.
The challenge aimed to advocate responsible consumption and production practices and unlock new solutions in areas such as economic circularity, efficient resource use, supply chain sustainability, waste minimisation, and consumer education.
Entrants hailed from across 31 countries, 68 per cent of which were UAE-based companies. Further, 30 per cent of the companies that applied had a female founder, and 81 per cent of the scale-ups that entered were operational.
Over one-third of the entrants targeted waste reduction, recycling and reusing, 24 per cent focused on solving supply chain sustainability issues, and 22 per cent looked at resource efficiency.
Meanwhile, 15 per cent of the entrants focused on supporting consumer education and raising awareness of key issues linked to sustainability.
The Pitch and Award Ceremony of ‘Innovate for Tomorrow’ was hosted at the Museum of the Future, where five finalists presented their scalable solutions to a judging panel of professionals in the presence of the Group’s senior management, industry experts, partners and key stakeholders.
Pitches were assessed for business viability, scalability, innovation and impact potential of the proposed solutions.
Frank Cato Lahti from Othalo, Norway, was selected as the winner with his ‘Upcycling Plastic into Homes’ solution.
He was awarded an exclusive, funded implementation of the award-winning solution through a pilot programme with Dubai Holding, which will be guided by the Group’s experts, it was shared.
Rana Hajirasouli from The Surpluss, UAE, was chosen as the runner-up for her ‘Transforming Excess into Equal Access’ solution.
The three other finalists were Manhat, UAE; Mi Terro, USA; and Midori, UAE.
The winner and runner-up were granted one-year access to TECOM Group’s in5 business incubator, the challenge’s execution partner.
In addition, all five finalists will gain access to Dubai Holding’s support network and attend a pitch day event featuring a group of potential investors.
Huda Buhumaid, Chief Impact Officer, Dubai Holding, said: “Innovate for Tomorrow champions innovation and sustainability, showcasing Dubai Holding’s commitment to harnessing entrepreneurial talent in support of the UAE’s net-zero ambitions. As a socially responsible business, sustainability and philanthropy are the cornerstone of our operations, and we are dedicated to fostering innovation and job creation by empowering SMEs and scale-up companies.”
“We look forward to reinforcing the winner with mentorship in the next phase of the challenge as they transform their visionary ideas into reality through a pilot programme with the Group, with the goal of driving substantial positive change in the UAE,” Buhumaid added.
Winner Frank Cato Lahti from Othalo, Norway, commented: “This challenge represents the most incredible opportunity to partner with Dubai Holding, allowing us a springboard into the MENA region and into the world. Dubai Holding has a power of execution that few others have, and this region has consistently pushed the boundaries and made the impossible possible. Thank you again to Dubai Holding and its execution partner TECOM Group’s in5 business incubator.”