Arab Youth Centre empowers 11 innovators across seven nations with transformative General Motors partnership
A prestigious US$150,000 grant supports pioneering Arab talent developing solutions in artificial intelligence, mobility, healthcare and creative industries
The Arab Youth Centre has announced a remarkable milestone in its mission to nurture innovation across the Arab world, extending vital support to eleven exceptional innovators hailing from seven nations through a transformative US$150,000 grant from General Motors. This significant investment enables these visionary pioneers to advance their groundbreaking projects, research endeavours and commercial enterprises across a compelling spectrum of sectors including artificial intelligence, mobility technologies, education, healthcare and medical innovation.
The partnership announcement coincides with the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations, marking an evolution of their established collaboration since 2021. This expanded engagement reflects a profound commitment to cultivating Arab talent, fostering innovation ecosystems and creating meaningful career pathways that connect promising minds with the resources, expertise and professional networks essential for transforming ideas into solutions of regional significance.
The eleven recipients represent exceptional talent drawn from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Algeria and Syria. Their work encompasses an inspiring breadth of disciplines: from artificial intelligence and quantum computing to electric mobility and digital twin technologies, alongside educational innovation, coding curricula, entrepreneurial development and creative industries. Additionally, several pioneers are advancing medical technologies, including prosthetics and robot-assisted rehabilitation systems designed to enhance human capability and independence.
Eng. Fatima Al Hallami, Executive Director of the Arab Youth Centre, articulated the profound philosophy underpinning such partnerships: “The true value of partnerships lies in their ability to shorten the distance between talent and opportunity.” She emphasised that effective collaboration between institutions and the private sector creates tangible pathways for young innovators to expand their contributions to regional development and economic growth.
The recipients represent a distinguished cohort of achievement. Akram Amir is developing immersive defence training technologies through augmented reality and digital twin applications. Kareem Ayyad’s ai.Uktob platform, an Arabic generative artificial intelligence solution, has garnered engagement from more than 400,000 users. Yousra Farhani advances quantum computing research in Algeria, whilst Rashid Ahmad Al Salmi pioneers electric mobility technologies as an Emirati innovator.
In education and professional development, Mohammed Saud Al-Otaibi founded Wathba, a peer mentoring initiative supporting career development for young professionals across Saudi Arabia. Ahmed Bayram works with Syrian youth and refugees through Blackbox and Bridges for Entrepreneurship, transforming ideas into viable startups. Mohamed Gawish’s iSchool equips children throughout the Middle East and North Africa with essential competencies in coding, artificial intelligence, game development and data science.
Egyptian entrepreneur Hadeer Shalaby has trained approximately 350,000 women and young people whilst contributing to the creation of around 10,000 employment opportunities within underserved communities. Sharifah Alhinai nurtures creative talent across the Gulf region through innovative platforms including Sekka and the Khaleeji Art Museum. In medical innovation, biomedical engineers Nisreen Almadi and Hekma Jabouli are developing advanced prosthetics and robotic exoskeletons designed to enhance mobility and independence for individuals with movement impairments.
Jorge Plata, President and Managing Director at General Motors Africa and Middle East, underscored the broader strategic significance: “Our partnership with the Arab Youth Centre is an extension of our commitment to supporting a new generation of Arab innovators.” He highlighted how these eleven pioneers exemplify the abundant talent flourishing across the region when provided access to specialised resources and opportunities for advancement.
Source: WAM