ATRC to launch a series of new tech ventures
Priorities for the next phase of the ATRC's work discussed in board meeting
#UAE #R&D - HH Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, chaired this week's board meeting of the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). Other than reviewing the council's progress, Sheikh Khaled endorsed plans for the next phase of the development of the ATRC's ecosystem. Key priorities disclosed in the government statement include expanding the emirate's R&D workforce, preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs and launching a series of new technology-driven ventures.
SO WHAT? - Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council's next phase of development will include the creation of multiple technology-driven ventures to strengthen the emirate’s position as a leading hub for advanced technology. Plans include delivering technological solutions in key areas such as water technology, renewable energy, diagnostics, therapeutics, and Generative AI. The ATRC launched the first, a new AI services and solutions company called AI71, in November.
H.H. Sheikh Khaled underscored that Abu Dhabi’s key strategic focus to be at the forefront of scientific research and breakthroughs as a means of driving growth and prosperity. The government sees advancing knowledge and innovation as the foundation of a long-term sustainable future.
Also attending the meeting were ATRC board members H.E. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology; H.E. Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment; H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority; H.E. Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi; H.E. Ahmed Tamim Al Kuttab, Chairman of the Department of Government Enablement - Abu Dhabi; and H.E. Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Secretary General of the Advanced Technology Research Council.
Since ATRC was established in 2020, 10 cutting-edge research centres have been created, which have attracted a talent pool of 851 researchers from more than 70 countries, including 193 UAE Nationals, to focus on priority areas such as autonomous robotics, quantum computing technology, and artificial intelligence.
The council has published 1,114 studies, filing 47 patents, and completing 93 advanced product prototypes, from which 22 solutions have been accepted by key clients. The ATRC also has more than 110 global R&D partnerships, including collaborative programmes with targeted R&D outputs.
The council also created ResearchHub.ae, a centralised portal that connects researchers, innovators, higher education institutes and research organisations, and provides them with information and resources for collaboration.
The ATRC's NextTech initiative has so far placed 100 Emirati students in over 25 leading technology universities around the world.
The council's 'STEM Youth Mentorship Program' connects promising young high school-to-graduate-level STEM talent with expert tech mentors from across academia and the tech industry. In the pilot phase, 50 mentees, including 43 from Abu Dhabi-based high schools were matched with expert mentors. The first official cohort of the programme in January 2024 will see more than 200 mentees from high schools and universities in the emirate teamed up with 150 mentors.
The applied research arm of ATRC, The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), was also recognised in the meeting for a long list of achievements including the Falcon large language model (LLM); the first post-quantum cryptography software library in the UAE; and the development of what will be the Arab world’s first Quantum Qubit; advancements in solar panel coating; GPS-less navigation systems to enable autonomous logistics; innovative methods to clear landmines for global humanitarian missions; and enabling quantum communication.
The ATRC launched AI71, a pioneering AI company that will commercialise Falcon and focus on multi-domain specialisations, in November.
ZOOM OUT - Last month, Abu Dhabi formed a new Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council (AIATC), to develop and implement policies and strategies related to research, infrastructure and investments in AI and advanced technology. For some, the creation of the AIATC, raised the question of how the new council's role would differ from the ARTC's role. According to the details shared from this week's board meeting it now seems clear that the ATRC's priority will be to continue building out its own ecosystem and forging strategic local and global partnerships, while the new AIATC will focus more on top-down policymaking for the emirate.
IMO - The importance of the next phase of ATRC plans, as announced after the board meeting, cannot be overestimated. Commercialising the product of Abu Dhabi’s R&D investment is where the economic benefit for the emirate will be realised.
The ATRC has so far capitalised on many of the short-comings of R&D ecosystems elsewhere: cutting red tape, better aligning goals with national priorities and creating an attractive environment for top global talent. Its new commercial ventures, beginning with the recently announced AI company AI71, will also need to compete with their counterparts, both at home and abroad. However, different rules apply.
Whilst drawing on the now considerable resources of the ATRC, it will be critical that such new ventures are allowed to develop their own cultures aligned closely with business outcomes. The commercial success of these new ventures, is going to be crucial for the development of the ATRC, the wider R&D ecosystem and, in fact, the success of Abu Dhabi's whole R&D strategy
Read more about Abu Dhabi’s technology policy:
Abu Dhabi forms AI and Advanced Technology Council (Middle East AI News)
R&D moves up Abu Dhabi's agenda (Middle East AI News)
Disrupt or be disrupted! (Middle East AI News)