Dubai has unveiled a comprehensive Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Ecosystem aimed at accelerating innovation, strengthening international collaboration, and reinforcing the emirate’s position as a global hub for future-focused economies.
The initiative brings research, regulation, and advanced technology development together within a single, integrated framework overseen by the Dubai Future Foundation.
The establishment of the Dubai RDI Ecosystem was directed by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, to advance research, development and innovation across the emirate.
Overseen by the Dubai Future Foundation, the RDI Ecosystem is designed to accelerate Dubai’s innovation agenda and strengthen its role as a global centre for next-generation economic growth.
Sheikh Hamdan also approved the appointment of Khalifa Al Qama as Chief of Research, Development and Innovation at the Dubai Future Foundation, where he will lead the new mandate and oversee its implementation across priority sectors.
The Dubai RDI Ecosystem will function as a unified platform, connecting existing and future innovation initiatives across the emirate.
It will enable both government and private sector entities to develop breakthrough ideas supported by advanced technologies and future-ready applications.
The framework will guide the work of leading research institutions, including Dubai Future Labs and the MIT Senseable City Lab in Dubai, while also advancing national initiatives such as Dubai Research, Development and Innovation and the Dubai Robotics and Automation Program.
A central pillar of the Ecosystem is regulatory innovation, delivered through Sandbox Dubai in collaboration with government bodies, legislators and leading international companies.
