Prototypes for Humanity is a community of professors, recent graduates and students from more than 800 universities around the world, whose primary mission is to develop prototypes and pilot models that address some of our most pressing global social and environmental challenges, ranging in areas from health, environment and materials to energy, data and agriculture.
With a track-record going back a decade, this initiative is proud to announce in 2024 an evolution in the community’s primary programme into Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity, and enhanced support for the most promising innovations towards commercial viability through partnership with government, industry and potential investors.
Prototypes for Humanity is the most diverse assembly of innovations that has the power to change the world, with programmes and activities to raise awareness of global problems, celebrate solutions, and catalyse action for positive social and environmental impact.
Each year, participating graduate projects offer audiences the opportunity to enter a universe of academic ingenuity rarely seen outside the campus, through the work of young minds addressing complex issues around the world. The initiative brings together key stakeholders who can accelerate impact action, including graduates, professors, and leaders in government, corporates, and entrepreneurial ecosystems, leveraging academic innovation and harnessing the power of partnerships to deliver tangible real-world impact.
An initiative by the Art Dubai Group, it is held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation and Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, and supported by Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
Established under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity is a global programme that invites innovators, researchers, and visionaries from universities around the world to develop transformative solutions for the benefit of humanity. Overseen by Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the programme aims to foster future-driven innovations by supporting prototypes and pilot models that address critical global challenges and, at the same time, advance Dubai’s position as a global innovation-hub. The programme is supported by strategic partners, the Dubai Future Foundation and the Hussain Sajwani–DAMAC Foundation, as well as founding partners Dubai Culture and the Dubai International Financial Centre. Led by Prototypes for Humanity, the programme connects university students and their professors with government, industry and potential investors worldwide to accelerate the growth of their pioneering ideas. Through its annual exhibition at the Dubai Future District, the programme showcases the top 100 innovations, driving community improvement, entrepreneurship, and market expansion. By nurturing talent and turning innovative concepts into reality, the programme strives to build a better future, from Dubai to the world.
Each year, we engage with thousands of students and professors across more than 800 universities, in 100 countries and 200+ research fields, looking for the most impactful environmental and social innovations, and we gather together in Dubai for a showcase of the top 100 projects. We invite the academics behind each idea to join our showcase and week-long series of activations in-person, aiming to create connections between bright minds and peers, industry, supporters, and global audiences. Each edition also presents prizes to exceptional researchers from our community, as part of the Prototypes for Humanity Awards.
The Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity programme offers selected university innovators a platform to evolve their research into ventures, with a view to reaching the people and markets for which their solutions are designed. The programme relies on strategic partnerships with leading private and public entities, which support the projects’ technical and commercial validation in a real-world environment, leveraging Dubai’s commitment towards collaboration and positive change. These efforts include business planning and enablement, supported by startup and industry experts, as well as potential direct investment into selected projects to fund pilots and proof-of-concept, which are essential for the projects’ transition from the lab to the market. Initiated in 2023, the venture-building component of the programme looks to benefit from Dubai’s advanced infrastructure across sectors at the core of sustainable change, including energy, healthcare, construction and smart infrastructure. Each participant’s journey is tailored, ranging from straightforward business set-up-guidance all the way to support with future investment rounds – all aimed at getting the founders to where they can operate and grow autonomously. The objective is to enable more academic talent to accelerate the development and success of their valuable solutions, from Dubai to the world. Learn more.
This is an initiative launched in 2023 looking for research synergies between the professors in our community across all disciplines and countries. The programme brings together (in person in Dubai and remotely) curated groups of academics working to address similar challenges, offering a platform for exchange between leading academics across the world.
Prototypes for Humanity is held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and member of the Dubai Council.
The Art Dubai Group (ADG) is a commercial public/private partnership that since 2005 has owned and operated the region’s most successful cultural events as well as offering its industry expertise to private and government institutions. The company’s mission is to develop sustainable ecosystems that support the development of vibrant creative scenes through a portfolio of events and programmes.
Learn more about our partners