emirates7 - The Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) has officially opened applications for the second cycle of its Dubai Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Grant Initiative. This program invites academic institutions and universities across Dubai to submit impactful proposals aimed at advancing innovation in technology, economy, and society.
Launched in collaboration with both local and global academic partners, the initiative aligns with Dubai’s national priorities and long-term strategic goals.
The current cycle focuses on two key domains: Cognitive Cities and Health & Life Sciences. Each domain includes four specialized research areas driven by cutting-edge technologies.
For Cognitive Cities, the targeted topics include:
Smart mobility solutions
Next-gen built environments and infrastructure
Climate-neutral and resilient urban systems
Urban health intelligence for proactive well-being
In the Health & Life Sciences domain, research areas include:
Biological discovery and systems science
Clinical and translational health
Health innovation and engineering
Biomanufacturing and synthetic biology
Proposals will be judged on their alignment with Dubai’s RDI priorities, potential for fostering future partnerships, ability to build research capacity, methodological innovation, expected impact, and budget feasibility.
Applications are open until June 13 via [www.dubairdi.ae](http://www.dubairdi.ae). Shortlisted submissions will be invited to provide full proposals, with selected projects receiving funding support for durations ranging from one to three years.
In its inaugural cycle, the initiative funded 24 projects from 13 institutions, chosen from 374 proposals submitted by 41 entities. A total of 219 researchers at various career levels benefited. The focus was primarily on Future Cities and Health & Life Sciences, with strong use of AI and robotics.
First introduced in September 2024 by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of DFF’s Board of Trustees, the initiative is part of the broader Dubai Research and Development Programme. Its goal is to back forward-thinking research and position Dubai as a global leader in innovation.
Khalifa Al Qama, Executive Director at Dubai Future Labs, emphasized that the initiative is crafted to empower researchers and innovators by offering technical guidance and financial backing to turn visionary ideas into reality. It also aims to an integrated research ecosystem that promotes foresight-driven and science-based innovation.
Recently, Sheikh Hamdan endorsed the objectives of Phase Two of the Dubai R&D Programme, allocating AED750 million to accelerate its implementation. This funding aims to drive a diverse and sustainable digital economy while enhancing Dubai’s global competitiveness in future-oriented sectors.
Managed by DFF, the Dubai RDI Programme is committed to delivering research-based solutions to both local and global challenges. It supports emerging industries, improves productivity, and strengthens Dubai’s economic resilience and preparedness for the future.
More information about the initiative can be found at [www.dubairdi.ae](http://www.dubairdi.ae).
Launched in collaboration with both local and global academic partners, the initiative aligns with Dubai’s national priorities and long-term strategic goals.
The current cycle focuses on two key domains: Cognitive Cities and Health & Life Sciences. Each domain includes four specialized research areas driven by cutting-edge technologies.
For Cognitive Cities, the targeted topics include:
Smart mobility solutions
Next-gen built environments and infrastructure
Climate-neutral and resilient urban systems
Urban health intelligence for proactive well-being
In the Health & Life Sciences domain, research areas include:
Biological discovery and systems science
Clinical and translational health
Health innovation and engineering
Biomanufacturing and synthetic biology
Proposals will be judged on their alignment with Dubai’s RDI priorities, potential for fostering future partnerships, ability to build research capacity, methodological innovation, expected impact, and budget feasibility.
Applications are open until June 13 via [www.dubairdi.ae](http://www.dubairdi.ae). Shortlisted submissions will be invited to provide full proposals, with selected projects receiving funding support for durations ranging from one to three years.
In its inaugural cycle, the initiative funded 24 projects from 13 institutions, chosen from 374 proposals submitted by 41 entities. A total of 219 researchers at various career levels benefited. The focus was primarily on Future Cities and Health & Life Sciences, with strong use of AI and robotics.
First introduced in September 2024 by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of DFF’s Board of Trustees, the initiative is part of the broader Dubai Research and Development Programme. Its goal is to back forward-thinking research and position Dubai as a global leader in innovation.
Khalifa Al Qama, Executive Director at Dubai Future Labs, emphasized that the initiative is crafted to empower researchers and innovators by offering technical guidance and financial backing to turn visionary ideas into reality. It also aims to an integrated research ecosystem that promotes foresight-driven and science-based innovation.
Recently, Sheikh Hamdan endorsed the objectives of Phase Two of the Dubai R&D Programme, allocating AED750 million to accelerate its implementation. This funding aims to drive a diverse and sustainable digital economy while enhancing Dubai’s global competitiveness in future-oriented sectors.
Managed by DFF, the Dubai RDI Programme is committed to delivering research-based solutions to both local and global challenges. It supports emerging industries, improves productivity, and strengthens Dubai’s economic resilience and preparedness for the future.
More information about the initiative can be found at [www.dubairdi.ae](http://www.dubairdi.ae).