• Projects tackle issues ranging from workplace safety to mental health and mobility 
  • Second edition of Academy received 200-plus submissions, up 39 per cent from 2025

DUBAI – A gamified system to correct posture, a sign-to-speech AI translation tool and a digital platform supporting Arab women through menopause are among the 10 purpose-driven solutions chosen for the second edition of Expo City Dubai Foundation’s Changemakers Academy – the city’s innovation programme for young entrepreneurs. 

The winning solutions represent a diverse array of community impact areas, including workplace safety, health and wellness, financial literacy and social inclusion, with a significant focus on breaking down barriers faced by people of determination. Each of the 10 winners will receive a grant of up to AED 25,000, alongside technical guidance and mentorship, with advanced projects also benefitting from licence and visa support.

More than 200 submissions were received from final-year students and recent graduates from across the UAE, with the Academy recording a 39 per cent increase in entries compared to 2025. The interest is testament to the appeal of the collaborative, dynamic selection journey designed to enhance skills, hone entrepreneurial intuition and finetune solutions to maximise impact – reflecting the Changemakers Academy’s aim of empowering aspiring entrepreneurs to drive social, environmental and economic change.

Yousuf Caries, Executive Director, Expo City Dubai Foundation, said: “The breadth of talent in this year’s Changemakers Academy highlights the vital role ambitious young minds play in transforming local communities and shaping a better world. At Expo City Dubai, we are committed to supporting innovators at every stage of their journey to translate vision into meaningful social change. We look forward to providing the tools and resources to help these young UAE-based social entrepreneurs scale their solutions and create a lasting, positive impact.”

The Changemakers Academy selection process comprised several stages, starting with a select group being invited to participate in an initial pitch event in April. A number of innovators then progressed to a structured, hands-on bootcamp that aimed to provide them with a foundational introduction to social entrepreneurship, focusing on their roles as founders, their target beneficiaries and the community impact of their solutions. At the final pitch event, 24 projects presented their solutions to a panel, which independently evaluated the submissions to select 10 winners. Comprising social enterprises, the panel included representatives from Goals UAE, a provider of inclusive sports programming for schools and communities; Neuropower World, a neuroscience-driven organisation focused on inclusion and cognitive wellbeing; and Ustad Mobile, a member of the Foundation community offering offline educational access.

The Changemakers Academy is an initiative under the Expo City Dubai Foundation, which aims to bridge the gap between people, ideas and resources by actively supporting social enterprises and problem-solvers to find, grow and scale innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

The winners are listed below:

Project name

Project description

Backtrix

A gamified posture correction system that tracks behaviour and encourages healthier habits

Freeflow

An innovative mobility solution to improve movement, accessibility and independence

Hayati Health

A digital platform offering menopause-focused education, support and resources to Arab women

ROOTED Futures 

An initiative to provide pathways for economic empowerment and inclusion among the afro-heritage community

Safeguard AI Pro

A predictive analytics and real-time monitoring safety system to predict risks early, reduce incidents and improve compliance in the workplace

SafeStep

An AI-enabled navigation system to provide step-by-step, accessible guidance to users in airport environments

SignPI

An AI-driven platform that enables real-time bidirectional translation between sign and spoken language

SignQuest

A gamified learning platform that teaches sign language through interactive modules, making it engaging and accessible for both deaf and hearing users

Suited

A programme focused on real-life skills training and financial literacy for the youth

VocaBuddy

A communication aid that converts inputs into speech and supports real-time interaction for those with speech impairments

For interview requests with any of the above projects, please reach out to press.office@expocitydubai.ae

About Expo City Dubai

Expo City Dubai, the legacy city of Expo 2020 Dubai, is an innovation-driven, people-centric community rooted in the belief that collaboration can propel sustainable progress. Its prime location and world-class connectivity place it at the centre of Dubai’s future – connecting Dubai Exhibition Centre, Al Maktoum International Airport and Jebel Ali Port – forming one of five hubs on the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and a key driver of Dubai’s Economic Agenda (D33)

  • A world-class free zone, it is home to a thriving business community that supports cross-sector collaboration and provides a springboard for businesses of all sizes to scale and grow, enhancing Dubai’s position as a global centre of trade and reinforcing the UAE’s development and diversification ambitions
  • Expo City Dubai is the UAE’s first Green Innovation District, a landmark initiative driving sustainable industrial growth, seamlessly uniting economic opportunity, environmental responsibility and social progress
  • Its residential communities redefine urban living, exemplifying best practice in innovative, environment-friendly design with a focus on wellbeing and happiness
  • An incubator for innovation, it serves as a testbed for sustainable solutions and a platform for groundbreaking ideas that benefit both people and the planet
  • Packed with educational, cultural and entertainment offerings, with more than 30 indoor and outdoor venues attracting globally significant events, it celebrates human creativity and ingenuity and inspires future generations
  • Designed as a blueprint for sustainable urban living, its roadmap to achieving net zero by 2050 and its broader decarbonisation targets raise the bar on responsible urban development

For media enquiries, please contact press.office@expocitydubai.ae

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