Expo City Dubai Foundation Launches Changemakers Academy to Foster Young Innovators
Expo City Dubai Foundation has unveiled the Changemakers Academy, a pioneering incubator designed to empower young innovators and entrepreneurs in the UAE.
The initiative aims to drive creative problem-solving and generate impactful solutions to pressing social and environmental challenges.
Open to final-year students and fresh graduates from UAE-based universities, the intensive multi-stage programme aligns with the UAE Year of Community. It seeks to channel youthful creativity into real-world applications, fostering a new generation of changemakers equipped with the skills and resources to make a difference.
The Changemakers Academy offers a structured incubation journey featuring expert training, mentorship, and financial support. Selected projects will receive grants of up to AED 50,000, investor introductions, business setup assistance, including a licence and visa, and a dedicated workspace at Expo City Dubai. This initiative presents a transformative opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their visionary ideas into viable businesses.
Yousuf Caires, Executive Director of Expo City Dubai Foundation, emphasized the programme's significance: 'Our innovation programmes throughout Expo 2020 Dubai and COP28 have highlighted the immense potential of UAE youth. Expo City is committed to nurturing this talent, fostering groundbreaking solutions, and driving tangible, positive change in our communities.'
The programme's priority areas, developed in consultation with Dubai's Community Development Authority (CDA), include traffic congestion, mental well-being, work-life balance, environmental responsibility, and enhanced inclusion for people of determination and the elderly.
Applications are open until the end of March, after which selected candidates will participate in a bootcamp to refine their concepts. Shortlisted teams will progress to the Accelerated Incubation Programme, featuring AI-driven design-thinking training and digital skills certification. The final pitching sessions and project selection will conclude in June 2025.
Building on the legacy of the Expo Live University Innovation Programme—which attracted over 1,000 applications from 40 universities and supported 58 student teams—the Changemakers Academy reinforces Expo City Dubai's role as a hub for future-focused innovation. With strategic initiatives like the ebdaa innovation hub and the Expo City Urban Lab, Expo City continues to support Dubai's Economic Agenda (D33) by fostering cutting-edge solutions for a better future.
News Source: Dubai Media Office
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