On the first day of the World Governments Summit (WGS) 2024, Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) made a groundbreaking announcement, introducing the ‘ATRC Global Tech R&D Platform.’ This initiative aims to provide worldwide access to cutting-edge technology solutions, allowing countries to leverage the UAE’s technological expertise to address their unique challenges.
As the driving force behind Abu Dhabi’s advanced research and development (R&D) ecosystem, ATRC demonstrates its commitment to fostering inclusive growth and global prosperity in an era of rapid technological transformation. The platform seeks to bridge technology gaps between developed and developing nations by offering tailored solutions to current pressing needs.
To initiate applications on the platform, ATRC is allocating a $200M fund to expedite innovation, with a focus on emerging and developing nations. This funding, encompassing resource and research expenses, supports the creation of advanced technological solutions, empowering nations to keep up with their changing social and economic requirements.
ATRC Global Tech R&D Platform Welcomes Global Applications
The ATRC Global Tech R&D Platform invites applications worldwide from governments, organizations, and eligible stakeholders, emphasizing collaboration and inclusivity. Following a rigorous evaluation process, initiatives aligned with the platform’s mission will receive support in six priority sectors: Aerospace and Space; Food and Agriculture; Healthcare; Safety and Security; Sustainability, Environment, and Energy; and Transport.
Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary General of ATRC, highlighted the initiative’s profound global impact, expressing readiness to collaborate with countries globally, leveraging technology expertise to address challenges and drive collective progress in the AI-driven era.
Over nearly four years, ATRC has cultivated a robust R&D ecosystem, boasting over 850 researchers from more than 70 countries. It has systematically developed an ecosystem supporting every crucial stage of a technology’s journey. ASPIRE, its entity, engages global talent through grand challenges and competitions, identifying technology gaps with clients. The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) focuses on applied research, housing leading researchers, while VentureOne commercializes solutions, taking R&D products from lab to market.
ATRC provides a range of capabilities encompassing quantum and AI, autonomous robotics, cryptography, advanced materials, propulsion, and space. It guides technology from ideation to innovation, addressing entities’ tech pain points and orchestrating the complete lifecycle of technology advancement for companies and countries that seek support. Positioned at the global crossroads, it extends its reach worldwide, facilitating innovation on a truly global scale.
Fostering Global Innovation and Collaboration: Insights from Key Players in the Tech Landscape
Al Bannai is slated to address a plenary session at the World Governments Summit, sharing his perspectives on AI’s evolution and emerging opportunities. Dr. Ray O. Johnson, CEO of TII, expressed optimism about the fund’s potential to catalyze innovation, stating that the platform will identify untapped innovation worldwide, unleashing transformative technologies and sparking economic growth, according to WAM.
ATRC urges nations to collaborate and contribute to the global technological landscape. For details on the ATRC Tech R&D Fund, applicants can contact the Council via ASPIRE at aspireuae.ae. Stephane Timpano, ASPIRE’s CEO, stated, “We’re here to identify technology gaps and facilitate sophisticated solutions for countries to explore a resilient future.”
In alignment with supporting the widespread adoption of advanced technologies, last year, TII, among the first, open-sourced its world-ranking large language model, Falcon 40B, under the Apache 2.0 license – royalty-free.
