The Expo Live Global Innovator Programme is calling on social entrepreneurs from around the world to submit their ideas for innovative solutions that will help improve the lives of communities and/or have a positive impact on the environment.

The seventh cycle of the programme welcomes pioneering ideas and tangible solutions from anywhere in the world that can be shared and scaled for enhanced global impact. It builds on Expo City’s successful hosting of the COP28 climate summit and epitomises its dedication to protecting the environment and propelling human progress through collaboration and meaningful partnerships.

Creatives, start-ups and entrepreneurs from the UAE and beyond are urged to submit their ideas at www.expocitydubai.com/en/expo-live before applications close on 11 February.

Expo Live has been helping innovators from around the world develop their solutions to our greatest challenges since it launched in 2013, and this latest cycle joins a raft of initiatives that position Expo City as a hub for sustainable solutions. These include the announcement earlier this week that renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall will establish an office for her Roots & Shoots environmental, animal welfare and humanitarian youth outreach programme, helping young people across the region better understand and address environmental challenges.

Yousuf Caires, Executive Director, Expo Live Innovation Programme, said: “Expo City Dubai is a unique, powerful destination that unites all those who seek a better, more sustainable future for everyone, and is committed to nurturing initiatives that address global challenges.

“We recognise that communities around the world are bursting with ideas that have enormous potential to benefit people and planet, and by seeking out, highlighting and supporting these grassroots innovations through the Expo Live programme, we are actively driving knowledge-sharing, innovation and collaboration, bringing these ideas to the wider global community where they can be replicated, adapted and improved for even wider impact. We are excited to see what new ideas the world has to offer.”

Successful projects will each receive an innovation grant, as well as mentorship, technical guidance, support and partnership opportunities, with Expo Live providing an invaluable platform for accelerating entrepreneurial spirit. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a live pitching event in Dubai at the end of April and the winners announced shortly afterwards.

The first programme of its kind as part of a World Expo, Expo Live is a core part of Expo City Dubai’s purpose to bring people and organisations together to create a better, cleaner, healthier, more equitable future. The first six cycles of the Expo Live programme received more than 12,200 applications from 186 countries, with 175 grantees from 90 countries securing funding, guidance and exposure to date, demonstrating that innovation can come from anywhere.