In its ongoing efforts to enhance the innovation ecosystem in the emirate, the Competitiveness Office of Abu Dhabi (COAD), part of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), has partnered with Prototype Interactive, a UAE-based digital transformation firm, to support inventors in developing their ideas into innovative digital and technological applications that will contribute positively to a smart and sustainable economy.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed between COAD and Prototype Interactive, allows inventors to access facilities and workshops of the firm to gain knowledge and receive professional training and assistance in building, designing, and developing digital and technological applications.
Inventors, backed by ADDED’s Takamul programme, will utilise Prototype Interactive’s latest technologies and techniques to develop their ideas and benefit their experts’ consultations and methods adopted to measure digital strategies and implement impactful designs. They will also have access to workshops organised by Prototype on production of digital transformation’s prototypes.
This MoU reflects ADDED’s efforts to enhance the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem by enhancing capacity building of inventors.
Hala Al Ameri, Executive Director of the Competitiveness Office of Abu Dhabi (COAD), said, "Signing this MoU is in line with ‘Abu Dhabi Innovates’, the innovation ecosystem framework launched by ADDED back in May. The framework has identified talent, knowledge, and space among major drivers to enhance innovation ecosystem.
“We are on constant lookout for best-in-class partners to enhance capabilities of inventors and innovators and ensure they have suitable environment, including space and equipment required for discovery and development of their innovations and inventions.”
“This MoU accentuates the role played by Takamul programme in supporting inventors and promoting innovation culture. Since it was launched in 2011, Takamul has been witnessing increasing growth in number of inventors supported and patents registered annually,” Al Ameri added.
Since its inception until the end of October 2022, the Takamul programme has evaluated 1,013 patent applications, and supported 377 applications that meet the conditions for patent registration.
The programme also spreads awareness on key stages of innovation, including legal aspects to protect inventors’ rights such as intellectual property (IP) and ways to harness and boost commercial value of inventions.
Alexander Rauser, CEO of Prototype, said "Prototype is specifically excited about the partnership with ADDED as it will provide access to our DSX framework to the program participants and create a new way of ideation and creation. Our proprietary methodology has been used by hundreds of organisations and startups to launch digital transformation program’s and proven itself as effective, fast, and agile. We see this being in line with the vision of ADDED and their program participants."
"We look forward to bringing in our niche Digital Experience expertise supporting new ventures and converting ideas into profitable businesses," Rauser concluded.