From lab to market: ATRC entities turn breakthrough research into real-world technologies
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)Fuelling the UAE's push for innovation and a knowledge-based future are local labs and institutions that transform cutting-edge research into homegrown technologies.The Advanced Technology Research Council's (ATRC) key entities - TII, ASPIRE, and SteerAI - are translating advanced science into real-world solutions that serve communities and national priorities, from AI to robotics and automation.
"We are helping the UAE shift from adopting technologies to building them - delivering real economic and strategic value," said Dr. Najwa Aaraj, CEO of TII, in an interview with Aletihad . "Whether it is AI, quantum, robotics, or advanced materials, we are working on scalable, secure systems that support industrial resilience and self-reliance."Radar systems, edge AI tools, and impact-responsive body armour are some of the technologies that are moving "steadily from lab to market", supported by TII's commercialisation partner VentureOne, Dr. Aaraj said.Collaborative ProjectsTII has been working with major government entities to advance next-generation technologies across sectors, from aerial systems and quantum-secure space communications to AI-enabled healthcare."Our robotics centre worked with the GCAA on autonomous aerial corridors. In quantum, we are partnering with the UAE Space Agency on secure communications for space infrastructure," Dr. Aaraj said."In AI, we enable edge-based models for healthcare and government, while in autonomous robotics, we are advancing GPS-free navigation for logistics and inspections."TII also invests in local talent. "Programmes like NexTech embed top Emirati STEM students in international universities and bring them back to our research centres to build the next generation of UAE scientists," she said.Tech with Real-World ImpactATRC's ASPIRE also seeks to "bridge the gap between breakthrough research and tangible, real-world impact", turning lab ideas into deployable tech across key sectors.
Speaking to Aletihad , Stephane Timpano, CEO of ASPIRE and A2RL, said: "From tackling carbon storage monitoring to shaping air corridors for autonomous mobility, our work ensures that emerging technologies meet real industrial and societal needs." ASPIRE focuses on "dual-use, high-impact technologies", including AI, robotics, and advanced materials."We are proving high-performance systems can be designed and built in the UAE," Timpano said, highlighting projects like A2RL's EAV-24 autonomous racecar.ASPIRE's lab-to-market process starts by identifying real-world challenges in priority sectors, he said."Then, we invite global and local innovators to solve (these challenges) through competitive, milestone-driven programmes. Once a solution proves viable, we help de-risk and scale it."The goal, Timpano added, is to "forge new collaborations and show how the UAE is not just buying innovation but building it"."Everything we do is designed to grow the UAE's intellectual capital," he said.Autonomous SolutionsSteerAI, on the other hand, seeks to drive the UAE's shift from tech importer to innovator through sovereign autonomous mobility solutions.Furthermore, Michael Sonderby, Acting CEO of SteerAI, told Aletihad that the company is helping drive the UAE's shift from tech importer to innovator through sovereign autonomous mobility solutions."SteerAI is a direct product of the UAE's ambition to become a global leader in advanced manufacturing and AI innovation," said Michael Sonderby, Acting CEO of SteerAI.For an instance, its autonomous GPS-free system, CoreX, was developed at the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and is now being deployed with partners like A2RL and Milrem Robotics."CoreX allows our vehicles to navigate unmapped terrain in real time without relying on GPS or maps," Sonderby said. "It has huge implications for defence, ISR, search and rescue, and more."
SteerAI's CoreX system is designed to keep humans out of danger zones, he said. "It does not tire, get distracted, or miss signals. We detect and avoid obstacles faster than human drivers."
By supporting the country's autonomous tech ecosystem, SteerAI's "goal is to contribute to the UAE's vision of becoming a global tech hub", Sonderby said.
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