• This 5-year partnership will see the setting up of Maker Labs, inclusive workshops and bootcamps across India to support children, youth and women with skill-based learning opportunities

Dubai, UAE – StuDIYo Lab, a Dubai-based design technology and woodworking hub for children, has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster Foundation (BCKIC), a flagship initiative of the Office Of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. The partnership aims to foster innovation-driven, inclusive, and skill-based learning opportunities for children and youth across India and the UAE.

The collaboration will focus on technology and knowledge exchange, program development, teacher capacity building, and inclusive outreach to ensure that underserved communities, tribal regions, and neurodiverse learners (People of Determination) have access to maker-based education and creative problem-solving platforms.

As part of the initial roadmap, the partnership will roll out School Innovation Labs (Maker Labs) in different states of India, launch vocational skill programs for youth and women, adapt inclusive workshops for special-needs learners, and introduce innovation and entrepreneurship bootcamps to nurture student startups. Within the first six months, the initiative aims to establish up to four pilot labs, engage over 500 students, and train 20 teachers.

“This partnership reflects our shared belief that hands-on, creative learning can transform young minds and communities. By combining StuDIYo Lab’s global pedagogy with BCKIC’s grassroots reach in India, we are creating opportunities for children of all backgrounds – including those in tribal areas and People of Determination – to explore design, innovation, and problem-solving. We are especially excited about the potential to empower girls, women, and youth with livelihood-oriented skills.” said Lina Sadek, Founder of StuDIYo Lab

“BCKIC’s mission is to accelerate sustainable development and entrepreneurship by fostering innovation ecosystems. This collaboration with StuDIYo Lab adds a unique dimension of creativity and design thinking to our initiatives. By piloting Maker Labs and inclusive programs in Odisha and Northeastern States, we aim to build scalable models that can be replicated across India, ensuring that innovation becomes accessible not just to urban learners, but also to rural, tribal, marginalised communities and to the specially abled thus paving a way towards inclusive development. Also this collaboration will fortify the Indo-UAE relations.” Dr.Mrutyunjay Suar, Chairman & Captain G.S. Rathee, Adviser to the BCKIC Foundation, added.

The MoU also opens avenues for CSR partnerships with Middle Eastern corporates and philanthropic institutions, enabling greater investment in India’s education and towards the innovation ecosystem with UAE.

This landmark partnership highlights the power of collaboration between India and the UAE, blending traditional skills with modern design tools to prepare the next generation of innovators and changemakers.

About StuDIYo Lab

Founded in 2016 by Lina Sadek, StuDIYo Lab is the UAE's premier woodworking design technology centre exclusively for children. With state-of-the-art facilities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, StuDIYo Lab offers unique experiential learning through woodworking, fostering a creative environment where young minds can hone skills and explore their curiosity while fostering creativity, problem-solving, and attention to detail.

StuDIYo Lab’s carefully curated programs prioritize safety, creating a secure and enjoyable environment for children aged 5 and above to explore their creative instincts. The impact extends beyond the workshop, laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning in real-world scenarios.

StuDIYo Lab has been awarded with the prestigious Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation by the IBCCES for both its locations across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The CAC designation is awarded to organizations that have committed to providing accessible and inclusive services to autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals.

For more details, please visit https://www.studiyolab.com/ and follow them on Instagram  @studiyolab.

About Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster Foundation (BCKIC)

Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster Foundation (BCKIC), is an initiative of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, established under the aegis of the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).

BCKIC plays a pivotal role in fostering innovation-led development across diverse communities, with a strong emphasis on creating sustainable livelihoods, enabling inclusive growth, and advancing affordable technological solutions that contribute to holistic societal progress.

For more details, please visit https://bckic.in/