Emiratis work to turn bright ideas into successful businesses

An augmented reality book that teaches children about UAE culture, a robotic arm that helps patients suffering from strokes and a bluetooth belt to help the blind get around were some of the ideas shortlisted for a programme designed to encourage Emirati entrepreneurship.

Hebah Al Dhanhani won first prize for her concept Bluetooth Belt for Blind. Ms Al Dhanhani said she came up with the proposal after corrective laser eye surgery had left her bedridden for three days. Show more

ABU DHABI // An augmented reality book that teaches children about UAE culture and a bluetooth belt to help the blind get around were some of the ideas shortlisted for a programme designed to encourage Emirati entrepreneurship.

As part of its Kafa’at programme, the Emirates Foundation hosted a social enterprise festival last weekend where 20 finalists presented their projects for the chance to be one of three to receive a year of training and mentorship.

One of the three judges sitting on the deciding panel was Clare Woodcraft, chief executive of Emirates Foundation, who said she was particularly impressed with the applicants’ understanding of social enterprise.

“When you’re creating a social enterprise you also need to understand how to create social value and what the social problem you need to resolve is,” she said. “It’s one thing to ask people about good ideas but another to translate those ideas into a viable enterprise and I was surprised at their comprehension of this.”

First place was awarded to a concept to develop a belt that would help to guide the blind with the use of haptic technology, receiving messages received by bluetooth via a smartphone.

Hebah Al Dhanhani, 26, said she came up with her Belt for Blind proposal after corrective laser eye surgery had left her bedridden for three days.

Frustrated by needing to rely on others because of extremely blurred vision, Ms Al Dhanhani said she spent most of her recovery in bed.

“I hated having to depend on others, and it was only for a few days. I started thinking of those with permanent blindness having to live their lives like that and decided I wanted to do something for them.”

Ms Al Dhanhani, who is studying electrical engineering at the American University in Dubai, said she hoped the belt would help to provide the blind with enough independence to navigate around cities.

“I think more needs to be done for those with special needs in our society and what better way to help them than to harness the energy and ideas of the Emirati youth,” she said.

Another entrant whose project will be incubated for the next year after placing third was Zahra Al Darwish.

Already the owner of a small business that organises children’s events, Ms Al Darwish, 38, came up with an innovative idea to increase awareness about Emirati culture.

“When I tried to explain our culture’s norms and values to my eight-year-old daughter I found it challenging because she is surrounded by a multicultural environment in her private school,” she said.

Ms Al Darwish decided to bring Emirati culture to life through the use of augmented reality colouring books.

The technology, which projects colouring book characters in 3-D while they are still being coloured, could better motivate local and expat children to learn about the country they lived in.

“I want to add voice and text to the animations, such as a women wearing a shaila, which explains what they are seeing and how it fits into the culture,” Ms Al Darwish said.

The Dubai native said encouraging enterprise among Emiratis, especially women, was important because as the cost of living had gone up it was important for families to have another source of income.

Ms Woodcraft said similar programmes were needed because young Emiratis were continually being told to be entrepreneurial, to think about business, and to work in the private sector.

“That’s all very well but if we don’t provide youth with the support on how to be and think entrepreneurial, how to set up their own business, which provides value, it’s a bit of misnomer.

Other judges included Saeed Al Marri, deputy chief executive of Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprise Development, and Ramzy Ismail, programme manager of Flat6labs Abu Dhabi.