The Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation (MBRCGI) in partnership with The Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF) launched, today, the second edition of the Pitch@GOV initiative as part of the UAE Innovates 2023.
The month-long event aims to enhance collaboration between government entities and private sector organizations, entrepreneurs, as well as innovators aiming to help spread the culture of innovation in the country.
UAE Innovates, which runs throughout February, will witness a vast participation from a large number of federal and local government agencies, private and academic sector institutions, and community members.
MBRCGI is organizing the second edition of Pitch@GOV in cooperation with the Emirates Health Services and the Roads and Transportation Authority (RTA) in Dubai. The two entities identified a number of challenges that require innovative solutions specific to healthcare and transportation.
The initiative aims to utilize public-private partnerships to design innovative solutions to challenges as well as engage entrepreneurs in developing government work. The initiative also helps startups transform their ideas into feasible solutions to future challenges in vital sectors.
Her Excellency Huda Al Hashimi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs, said: “The second edition of Pitch@GOV, a key part of UAE Innovates 2023’s activities, is vital to support and enable innovative startups to accelerate the implementation of their projects and ideas.
H.E. added “It is an important addition to MBRCGI’s initiatives, which aim to strengthen partnerships between the government and private sectors as well as the community, in designing and implementing innovative solutions to major future challenges.
“This initiative is a call to innovators and entrepreneurs in the UAE to find creative solutions to certain sector-specific challenges. The best solutions will win financial support and join the Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund accelerator program.”
His Excellency Younis Haji Al Khoori, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said: “We are delighted to be launching Pitch@Gov as a collaboration between MBRIF and MBRCGI, which will now form an integral part of the UAE annual Innovation Month. Through this initiative we are aiming to support the overall innovation ecosystem, achieve synergies in the government’s approach to innovation and achieve stronger economic and social outcomes. This initiative exemplifies how we envision the future of innovation to be - collaborative, creative, and open to all. Further, MBRIF's commitment to mentor and nurture the winning submissions aims to support innovators on their journey to accelerated success towards the realization of the UAE's National Innovation Strategy.”
For his part, His Excellency Dr. Youssef Mohamed Al Serkal, Director General of the Emirates Health Services Corporation (EHS), stated that the corporation supports innovators and enhances the environment that promotes innovation in cooperation with various entities and institutions through its innovation strategy. Also, he stressed that the launch of the "Pitch @MBRCGI" initiative reflects the UAE government's tendencies to motivate innovators, spread and consolidate the culture of innovation in various fields, and supports ideas and projects that contribute to achieving a positive societal impact.
H.E. added that EHS provides an opportunity for innovators to present their innovations and ideas to be applied by entities and institutions to expand the scope of their projects and benefit from them in finding quick and practical solutions to challenges to enhance readiness for the future.
Hussain Al Banna, Acting CEO of the Strategy & Corporate Governance Sector at the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), said: “RTA is proud to participate in the Pitch@GOV initiative, which is organized in cooperation with MBRCGI. This partnership represents an exceptional opportunity to promote innovation in transport services. It will achieve this by attracting creative and new ideas as well as solutions that will support RTA’s work and benefit transport and road networks, in addition to enhancing sustainability.”
4 challenges
The challenges posed by the Pitch@GOV initiative reflect the contribution of UAE Innovates 2023 to achieving goals of the We the UAE 2031 vision, which aims to establish the UAE as one of the top 10 countries in the world for healthcare, and to position Emirati cities among the best in the world for wellbeing.
The challenges that the EHS has presented as part of Pitch@GOV include promoting healthy lifestyles, proactive and interactive monitoring of emergency cases, and enhancing integration between healthcare institutions.
RTA has presented the challenge of innovation in customer-centric services in the transportation sector, challenges represent a call for new innovations that focus on customer happiness, and solutions that have a positive impact on the environment by reducing carbon emissions in the transportation sector.
Innovators and entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas and solutions to a jury of experts and specialists from MBRCGI, MBRIF, the Emirates Health Services and RTA. Projects will be judged on novelty, replicability, impact, and communication.
Winners will receive initial financing of AED 30,000 and will be honored at the closing ceremony of UAE Innovates 2023.
UAE Innovates is the world's largest national event of its kind celebrating innovation and innovators. Its eighth edition builds on the success of Innovation Week and UAE Innovation Month. The month-long celebrations is part of the government's continuous efforts to spread the culture of innovation in the government sector by celebrating new achievements and solutions. It aims to enhance the UAE's position as a global center for innovation and knowledge and as an incubator for developing and implementing projects that improve quality of life.
