Rima Al Mokarrab chairs the board of Tamkeen and is co-chair of the FoodTech Challenge
January 24, 2023
Situated at a global crossroads, the UAE has long been a hub for the flow of trade, people and ideas. The nation has acted as a natural incubator for innovation, thriving on diverse cultures and perspectives. Today, bolstered by modern, tech-friendly policies and regulations, the Emirates is ranked by the Global Innovation Index as the most innovative economy in the Arab world for the seventh consecutive year. We are a young, stable, future-focused nation that has become a prime testing ground for new technologies as we tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time.
Food security is one of those challenges. As a desert nation with significant water scarcity, food security has always been an issue of concern and government attention. Climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic and wider geopolitical pressures have accelerated our focus on this core issue.
The UAE National Food Security Strategy, launched by Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment and Minister of State for Food Security, in November 2018, responded to these challenges by prioritising a better balance between locally produced and imported food and by leveraging new technology to boost domestic yields and reduce food waste.
Three UAE start ups made it to the finals of the second edition of the Global FoodTech Challenge. Photo: Global Food Tech Challenge
One element of our food security strategy is to catalyse partnership and innovation, seeking out the world’s leading scientists, technologists and innovators, and directing their efforts to the difficult challenges at hand here in UAE. This has been the objective of the FoodTech Challenge (FTC), a global competition that is now in its second year.
This year’s FTC inspired 667 applications from 79 countries, all of which put forward proposals on how to enhance various aspects of the UAE’s food security, which will have relevance far beyond the country. An emphasis was placed on innovations related to two tracks that are critical locally and globally: “Food Production” to ensure the consistent and sustainable availability of food and to explore next-generation, nutrient-rich alternatives, and “Food Loss and Waste” to reduce burdens on the food supply chain more broadly. Entrants included students, scientists, farmers, university professors, computer programmers, imaging specialists and more, all applying their creativity and brainpower to generating solutions to our shared challenges.
We have now selected four winners whose ideas we believe have the potential to have the most impact in UAE and beyond. The four incredibly innovative startups are: Aquagrain from the UK, which has created a soil enhancer manufactured from food waste that retains 30 times more water, allowing food to grow with limited water and in sandy soil; Orbisk from the Netherlands, which helps restaurants and other commercial food outlets drastically reduce food waste by an average of 350 kilogrammes per month using AI imaging technology; Revoltech from the UAE, which, thanks to a novel ultra-freezing technology, makes food storage possible for up to 50 years without losing nutrition or taste; and Sustainable Planet, also from the UK, which grows lentils and other popular plant-based proteins on non-arable land with salt water, in a world of increasingly wide-scale desertification. Aquagrain and Sustainable Planet both address the food production demands of a growing global population, while Orbisk and Revoltech are working to cut food waste by leveraging technology to help change consumer and commercial behaviour.
The FTC legacy extends well beyond the shared $2 million prize. This is an all-of-society effort to address an all-of-society challenge. Through its deep partnership network that spans the public and private sectors, the competition ensures the winning teams will be supported with everything they need to take their ideas to market. From licensing, visas and market mapping, to business model development, R&D support and access to investors, each team will have the very best resources on hand to help realise their ambitions.
Harvesting potatoes at the Al Ain Wheat Farm. The National
FTC’s Lead Partner is Aspire, an Abu Dhabi entity that shapes technology R&D across the emirate, including for food and agriculture. Our track partners also provide key support: Silal and ADQ guide the “Food Production” track with industry knowledge from across the supply chain. Emirates Foundation guides the “Food Loss and Waste” track, particularly with their experience through Ne’ma, a national initiative that promotes positive consumer behaviour to halve UAE’s food waste by 2030. FTC’s wider enablement partners play a role in this multi-sector journey as well, and include Abu Dhabi Global Market, Abu Dhabi Residents Office, Hub 71, The Catalyst, the Authority of Social Contribution - Ma’an, Competitiveness Office of Abu Dhabi, and Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development.
A competition standing alone may or may not drive significant progress for the Emirates and the world. But we believe that one with the buy-in and engagement of such substantial public and private sector expertise can be truly catalytic.
The FTC and the deep partnership that it is built upon is emblematic of UAE’s approach to anticipating and overcoming challenges. If we can go from the manual irrigation systems of my childhood to waterless and soilless farming in one generation, then there is no limit to what the future holds.
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
GroupA: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Company Profile
Name: Thndr Started: 2019 Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr Sector: FinTech Headquarters: Egypt UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi Current number of staff: More than 150 Funds raised: $22 million
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
About Tenderd
Started: May 2018
Founder: Arjun Mohan
Based: Dubai
Size: 23 employees
Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
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