The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has announced the winners of the second Make it in the Emirates Startup Pitch Competition at the third edition of the Make it in the Emirates (MIITE) Forum.
There were three winners across two categories; Archireef, Alloy Additive, and BioSapien claimed the top three spots in the Additive Manufacturing category, while Levidian, FortyGuard, and MANHAT emerged victorious in the Decarbonization category.
Additive Manufacturing winners
Archireef creates Reef Tiles from 3D-printed terracotta clay to support coral reef restoration. Based in Turkey, Alloy Additive uses wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM), one of the most promising technologies for large-scale part production. BioSapien has developed a 3D-printed biodegradable mesh that delivers a chemotherapy drug to improve quality of life for cancer patients while reducing costs.
Decarbonization winners
Based in the UK, Levidian provides climate tech solutions to businesses, aiming to help decarbonize the world’s most carbon-intensive industries. FortyGuard, a climate tech startup based in the UAE, is dedicated to addressing urban heat challenges with cutting-edge data analytics solutions. Manhat, a UAE-based deep technology startup, focuses on supporting water security through patented natural water distillation technology. It has developed the world’s first water technology that can be used to deliver floating farm solutions.
Over half of the entrants were international, including from Germany, Korea, Singapore, India, the UK and China. The competition aimed to attract investors, industrialists, and innovators to the UAE to benefit from the country’s competitive advantages.
Congratulating the winners, Her Excellency Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, said: “The UAE has created an environment in which technology startups can thrive. Supportive policies and agile regulation form the foundations of this environment where concepts can be piloted, implemented and scaled. The ministry, under the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology, is committed to continually nurturing this ecosystem, providing technology entrepreneurs with access to capital, enablers and expertise. Through initiatives such as the MIITE Startup Pitch Competition, we continue to build important synergies between innovators and investors, not only to deliver economic growth, but also to address some of the world’s greatest challenges.”
The top three winners from each category received financial rewards. The competition aligns with the objectives of the National Strategy for Industry and Advanced Technology and focuses on empowering and supporting technology startups to showcase innovative solutions while helping them connect with investors and financial institutions. Additionally, the competition offers opportunities to collaborate with industrial partners on pilot projects and participate in mentorship programs. The MIITE Startup Pitch Competition was sponsored this year by AIQ, VentureOne, Hub 71, and Yokogawa Industry.
The MIITE Startup Pitch Competition aims to fast track the technological transformation of the UAE’s industrial sector. In early April 2024, technology startups from around the world were invited to participate in the competition, with the aim of driving progress in artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing and industrial decarbonization by supporting startups with avenues for funding and collaboration.
Mentorship Program
Winners will be enrolled in a mentorship program to meet with potential investors and industry players to leverage their cutting-edge technologies in real-world settings. Some of the topics the program covers are Growing and Scaling in the UAE, Bridging the Gap between Industries, How to Setup Your Entity in UAE, and Capital Efficiency and Non-traditional Capital Access. In addition, there will be to startup testimonials that highlight the experiences and successes of setting up their business in the UAE. This segment is hosted in collaboration with the MIITE Forum’s mentorship partners, Hub 71, SHERAA and HFS.
