Dubai Future Solutions programme advances global university start-ups in UAE expansion
Innovative ventures from Switzerland, the US and Egypt are scaling AI healthcare, sustainable construction and agricultural biotech solutions in Dubai.
Dubai: The ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative, one of the world’s largest programmes for university innovation and entrepreneurship, is advancing three university ventures from Switzerland, the United States, and Egypt into pilot deployment and commercial expansion in the UAE.
Organised annually in Dubai, the initiative is held under the patronage and supervision of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture).
The programme brings together 100 start-ups selected from thousands of submissions from leading universities around the world. It is organised through a partnership between the Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai International Financial Centre, Art Dubai, and the Hussain Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation.
Operating from the UAE, Oxara, P-Vita, and Virufy are deploying advanced scientific innovations spanning AI-powered disease monitoring, agricultural biotechnology, and high-efficiency construction materials.
His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, said: “Through the ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative, we are building a structured pathway that takes breakthrough research from the lab to real world deployment and scalable ventures. Dubai offers something few places can, an integrated environment where government, industry, and capital align to test, refine, and scale solutions at speed. At the Dubai Future Foundation, our role is to support this journey end to end by connecting global talent with local partners and transforming scientific potential into tangible impact across sectors.”
His Excellency Arif Amiri, CEO of the DIFC Authority, said: “DIFC’s founding partnership in ‘Prototypes for Humanity’ reflects our conviction that the most durable economic ecosystems are built on the ability to attract, support and retain the world’s most capable innovators. The programme’s global pool of innovators is ready to be leveraged to build even more competitive advantage for the public and private sectors in Dubai, a city where a deep ecosystem of capital, institutions and government help them succeed.”
From research to pilot projects and commercialisation, the programme’s first cohort is translating breakthrough ideas into real-world solutions.
Oxara: Sustainable construction materials
Oxara transforms mineral and construction waste into low-CO₂ building materials using a fraction of the energy and capex required by conventional cement production.
Founded by Dr. Gnanli Landrou and Dr.Thibault Demoulin, the company is now moving into commercial-scale deployment following a successful pilot with one of Dubai’s leading concrete manufacturers. At the same time, Oxara is accelerating its international expansion through landmark projects and strategic partnerships across Europe and Africa.
At scale, Oxara’s technology offers one of the most commercially viable pathways to decarbonise the construction industry, while simultaneously reducing the financial and environmental burden of waste management for developers, municipalities, and governments worldwide.
P-Vita: Agricultural biotechnology
P-Vita uses proprietary biotechnology and AI-driven production to develop natural, cost-effective raw materials for the agriculture, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Founded by environmental engineer Mohamed Tarek Abdelzaher and Naglaa Mohamed, Chief Science Officer specialising in Biomedical Science and Molecular Biology, both graduates of Zewail City of Science and Technology, the company produces fertilisers designed to help address global shortages caused by international supply chain disruptions.
The company is now preparing to scale its tested joint venture model internationally. A growing number of trials, crop applications, and farming models are set to launch in the UAE this month, expanding a product portfolio that already supports more than 4,800 smallholder farmers while also engaging larger commercial farming operations, helping deliver higher yields at lower cost.
Virufy – AI-powered respiratory health screening
Leveraging proprietary datasets, advanced algorithms, and specialised expertise, Virufy is enhancing its smartphone app to detect multiple respiratory diseases through cough sound pattern analysis. Virufy was founded and is led by Amil Khanzada, Specially Appointed Assistant Professor at the Headquarters for Regional Revitalization at the University of Fukui, where he teaches in the Management of Technology (MOT) programme. He previously pursued graduate studies in Computer Science and Business at University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University.
Through the programme, Virufy is currently advancing a pilot clinical study with Dubai Health. With nearly 200 patients enrolled to date, the study is set to enter a specialised AI research and development phase focused on creating a screening tool designed to support respiratory health, with the potential to benefit up to one billion people across developing nations in the future.
New Ventures
For its upcoming cycle, the programme is working with a highly curated group of new ventures from leading global academic institutions, such as Harvard University, Imperial College London, Petronas Technology University and Duke University. Through the programme’s support, the ventures are in late-stage conversations with leading entities to advance their efforts in the UAE, starting from the second half of 2026.
‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ provides academic founders with funding, business expertise, dedicated team support, and industry collaborations to help translate scientific research into commercially viable, industry-aligned solutions. The programme supports ventures from real-world technology validation through to business set-up, commercial projects, and growth. Using a commercially minded, de-risking approach, it works closely with founders to build the foundations needed to engage larger commercial partners and investors during and beyond the programme.
The programme is part of ‘Prototypes for Humanity’s’ wider ecosystem of initiatives, which engages thousands of academics each year and is considered the largest and most comprehensive of its kind globally.
Tadeu Baldani Caravieri, Managing Director of ‘Prototypes for Humanity’, said: “The gap between a scientific breakthrough and a functioning commercial venture is rarely bridged without deliberate, bespoke support. The ventures we are advancing are proof that when the right methodology, partners and environment come together, that gap can be crossed, creating real value for organisations, society and markets.”
Applications are now open for the ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ annual summit, inviting graduates, students, and researchers from universities across all disciplines to apply to join the global showcase of innovations taking place this November in Dubai and enter the selection process for the 2027 ventures programme.