Abu Dhabi Digital Authority (ADDA) announced its lead partnership with INNOVATE4GOOD (I4G), for-purpose multifaceted community platform that connects startups, business ideas and youth with resources (such as investors, partners, mentors, supporters) to accelerate social innovation and entrepreneurship for the well-being of all and improving the quality of life.
Founded by Stratecis and powered by Catalyst (a Masdar-BP Initiative), I4G will kickstart its annual Forum at Abu Dhabi Youth Hub from 30-31 March 2020, in collaboration with APCO Worldwide, Younoodle together with over 40 regional and international incubators, accelerators and academia from the UAE, the USA, Scotland, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Armenia, Lebanon, Palestine, Georgia and Egypt.
The multifaceted platform seeks to connect seed and early stage startups, entrepreneurs and young innovators with impact investors and potential partners offering collaboration opportunities and practical ways of addressing key pressing issues affecting the world. It will include digital inclusion solutions as well as addressing pressing issues such as mental health, access to education, refugees well-being, circular economy and resource scarcity related to food and water.
Her Excellency Dr Rawda Al Saadi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, said: “The Abu Dhabi Digital Authority is committed to promoting initiatives that support the emirate’s digital transformation agenda, which is in line with the UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We constantly work to establish key partnerships that support our mission to ensure Abu Dhabi provides citizen-centric government services, delivered in a seamless and efficient manner using advanced technologies. We are confident that supporting the I4G Forum will enable many key stakeholders to benefit from this event, consistent with the Abu Dhabi Government’s commitment to tapping into digital technology to provide integrated services and enhance people’s lives at the local, regional and global level.”
Cinar Kurra, CEO at Catalyst, said: “As an effective tool to attain sustainable development, social entrepreneurship initiatives like I4G, support our efforts to implement innovative ideas and projects that prioritize sustainable development and lasting social impact. This will go a long way in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 through improving the socio-economic conditions, creating inclusive societies and helping people to transform their lives.”
For his part, Ara Fernezian, CEO Stratecis, said: “INNOVATE4GOOD creates a powerful platform to foster innovation, entrepreneurship and youth engagement in addressing the society’s urgent needs. The initiative also offers sizeable opportunities for young innovators to develop their creative thinking and social entrepreneurial capacity to achieve well-being and social inclusion. In providing youth with targeted support and access to resources, we aim to enable our startup ecosystem to drive transformative change in the society.”
To be eligible to participate in the initiative, the project founders or co-founders should be below the age of 35, and their startups should be at early seed – or early-stage created within the last five years.
To nurture young talents and promote youth leadership in social innovation, I4G will offer mentorship programmes and workshops on innovation & entrepreneurship and facilitate meetings between startups and investors to explore partnership opportunities.
Themed ‘Transforming Lives Through Social Innovation’, the initiative will work towards accelerating social innovation, enabling startups to scale their social enterprise and allowing youth from the Arab world and beyond to harness the power of technology for the greater good of society, the planet and the economy.
