Dubai: Prototypes for Humanity summit returns to Dubai from 18 to 21 November 2026. Held under the patronage and leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the summit brings together one of the world’s largest and most diverse communities of academic innovators and provides a platform for turning research into real-world impact.
This year’s edition will take place on The Prototype Floor during Dubai Future Week, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation. The Week will run from 18 to 21 November 2026 at Emirates Towers and the Museum of the Future, under the theme ‘For the Human of the Future’.
Organised by Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Future Week is expected to bring together more than 10,000 participants from around the world, including experts, innovators, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs. The programme will feature talks, policy discussions, investment pitches, competitions and public experiences exploring how emerging technologies can shape the future.
Held as part of the summit, the Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity exhibition will feature 100 innovative projects selected from thousands of submissions by academics representing around 1,000 universities across more than 120 countries. Five outstanding projects, one in each of the initiative's five main categories, will be honoured during the event.
Organised annually by Art Dubai Group in partnership with Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai International Financial Centre and the Hussain Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation, the initiative brings together leading innovators, researchers, professors, students and graduates from universities worldwide. It provides a platform to exchange knowledge and expertise, showcase academic research and explore how innovative ideas can be transformed into practical solutions to some of humanity's most pressing social, economic and environmental challenges.
Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity aims to support university innovators from around the world in developing their ideas into practical applications. The exhibition also gives the public an opportunity to explore a wide range of research-driven solutions across healthcare, agriculture, water, energy, transport, the environment and civil society.
Prominent global participation
This year's cohort includes teams from more than 70 universities across 33 countries, representing some of the world's leading academic institutions. These include Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, ETH Zurich, Imperial College London, Cornell University, the National University of Singapore and Delft University of Technology.
The exhibition will also feature teams from universities in emerging economies, including Ghana, Peru, Morocco and Chile, alongside academic institutions from the UAE, including New York University Abu Dhabi, Khalifa University of Science and Technology and the American University of Sharjah.
Supporting creative minds
His Excellency Khalfan Juma Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, said: “Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity reflects Dubai's vision of supporting creative minds and empowering future generations to develop innovative solutions to global challenges.”
He added: “The initiative's objectives also align with Dubai Future Week and its theme, ‘For the Human of the Future’. It has become a global platform that brings together leading researchers and innovators from universities and academic institutions worldwide, enabling them to showcase their ideas and transform their research into practical projects that make a positive difference to communities.”
Hussain Sajwani, Founder of DAMAC Group, said: “Dubai embodies an extraordinary vision for the future, driven by the ambition of its wise leadership and its proactive approach to transforming bold visions into tangible achievements. This is achieved through investments in innovation and technology, and the adoption of solutions that place people at the heart of development, with the aim of building a more competitive and sustainable economy.”
He added: "Dubai Future Solutions - Prototypes for Humanity" reflects this vision, reaffirming that shaping the future is not about waiting for it to unfold, but about anticipating it and taking proactive steps to plan for it. At DAMAC, we believe our responsibility lies in translating this vision into transformative projects and strategic investments that contribute to urban development, enhance quality of life, and harness innovation for the benefit of humanity. Through these efforts, we aim to further strengthen Dubai’s position as a global hub for shaping the future, while creating a positive and lasting impact for generations to come.”
Innovations with Impact
This year's projects reflect a world adapting to rapid change, as innovators respond to rising temperatures, growing pressure on natural resources and the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in everyday life.
Beyond software, algorithms and data systems, teams are developing physical devices and robotic systems, biotechnology and bio-based solutions, advanced materials and chemical formulations. They are also redesigning industrial and environmental processes and exploring new ways to generate, store and convert energy.
In healthcare, innovators are developing solutions to enable earlier diagnosis, improve the delivery of care and make healthcare more accessible.
Among the featured projects, HEURIS helps emergency department clinicians consider the full range of possible diagnoses as test results become available. Age Resist uses a wearable device to analyse sweat composition and assess the body's ability to withstand and recover from physical stress associated with surgery. ChronoVasc, meanwhile, estimates the biological age of a person's arteries through a single blood test.
Projects focused on climate and natural resources are developing innovative ways to use energy and materials more efficiently while transforming waste into valuable resources.
SolarSkin enables solar panels to switch automatically between generating electricity and heating indoor spaces. MetCycle dissolves materials from spent batteries in less than 15 minutes at room temperature, while AlgaePalm produces an alternative to palm oil using UAE microalgae cultivated in saltwater.
Other projects demonstrate how data and artificial intelligence can support smarter cities and strengthen public trust.
Greenery Scanner monitors the health of street trees and maps their condition using cameras installed on vehicles travelling through city streets. Coco: Heat Minimizer helps people identify cooler walking routes during heatwaves, while Litmus independently assesses whether companies are fulfilling their commitments to protecting user privacy.
Supporting entrepreneurship
Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity also supports academic entrepreneurs through a dedicated venture-building programme that provides funding, business expertise and specialised support, alongside opportunities for direct collaboration with industry partners. The programme helps participating teams transform scientific research into practical solutions that address real industry needs.
The programme begins by testing the feasibility of selected technologies in real-world environments, before supporting participants in establishing companies, developing their businesses and expanding their operations.
Through a practical, commercially focused approach that prioritises reducing risk, the programme helps founders build strong foundations for collaboration with major companies, commercial partners and investors, both during the programme and beyond.
Several groundbreaking innovations from previous editions have already made significant progress through the programme, moving beyond academic research to real-world pilot projects developed in collaboration with regional partners.
Tadeu Baldani Caravieri, Managing Director of Prototypes for Humanity, said: “The exceptional quality of this year's projects reflects the strong relationships that Prototypes for Humanity has built with academic institutions around the world over more than a decade.”
“We are delighted to welcome such an outstanding selection of projects in fields that are critical to the future, from improved diagnostic methods to energy diversification, edge computing, food and water safety, and cybersecurity.”
He concluded: “We are also proud of the continued growth of our venture-building programme, which supports academic entrepreneurs in turning their research into practical solutions that meet market needs.”