Hamdan Foundation Advances 37 Teams in Innovators 2026 Competition
The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences has completed the inaugural evaluation phase of its ninth Innovators competition, selecting 37 teams from 112 submissions across government and private sectors.
The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences has successfully concluded the first evaluation stage of the Innovators 2026 competition, marking a significant milestone in the ninth edition of this prestigious initiative. The rigorous selection process has resulted in 37 teams advancing from an initial cohort of 112 participating teams, representing contributions from 28 government and private-sector entities across the Emirates.
The evaluation panel, comprising recognised experts and specialists, assessed each submission against stringent criteria encompassing innovation and creativity, applicability, practical feasibility and anticipated impact. This comprehensive approach ensures that only the most promising and viable projects progress to subsequent rounds of competition.
Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Executive Director of the Foundation, emphasised that the opening stage has revealed the considerable breadth and depth of intellectual contribution within the UAE’s innovation ecosystem. He highlighted the Foundation’s commitment to providing participants with a meaningful platform for rigorous assessment and development.
Dr. Al Suwaidi underscored that the competition’s significance extends considerably beyond the identification of exemplary projects. The initiative provides participating teams with invaluable practical experience in developing solutions, articulating their concepts and benefiting from specialist critique. This developmental dimension remains central to the ninth edition’s design, with a carefully structured evaluation framework supporting teams as they refine their submissions and strengthen their capacity to translate conceptual ideas into implementable applications.
The evaluation process comprises multiple stages, each designed to furnish comprehensive assessment whilst identifying ideas of the highest calibre in accordance with competition standards. As advancing teams continue refining their projects, further announcements regarding subsequent stage progressions will be released, culminating in the final evaluation and selection of winning entries.
Source: WAM