The event was held in collaboration with the National Program of Coders, and supported by sponsors such as Emirates NBD, EDGE Group, Hale Education Group and the University of Birmingham, Dubai.

The three-day event culminated with a grand finale on 16 March 2025 at the University of Birmingham and was attended by students, teachers, parents and partners. The event’s theme for this year, ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing’ aligned with the Nation’s strategic vision to harness artificial intelligence for societal advancement.

The winning team, ‘Machine Mindset’, presented an AI-powered emotion detection system that analyses students’ emotions in real-time using DeepFace and face recognition. Runner-up teams at the event included ‘Data Minors’ and ‘ModernAItes’, both from GEMS Modern Academy. ‘STEMPALS’ from Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills were adjudged the Best Female-majority team, and ‘Desert Innovators’ from the American Academy for Girls were declared Best Emirati-majority team.

A resounding success, the event showcased the incredible talent and innovative spirit of 289 young AI enthusiasts across 34 Nationalities and 44 registered schools, with participants working tirelessly to develop creative solutions addressing critical aspects of mental and financial wellbeing.

Dr. Abdulrahman Al Mahmoud, Director at the Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications Office, said: “Strategic partnerships within the UAE’s AI ecosystem reflect the UAE’s vision and commitment to leveraging AI for the benefit of humanity. These collaborations bring together diverse sectors to create innovative solutions that address global challenges. By uniting key players, the UAE is driving transformative change that empowers both industries and communities.”

Dr. Al Mahmoud further added, “Partnerships have the power to fuel impactful AI innovations, shaping a resilient, sustainable future for all. Through this unified approach, the UAE is paving the way for a future where AI drives progress and serves humanity at its core.”

Miguel Rio-Tinto, Group Chief Digital and Information Officer at Emirates NBD, said: “We are incredibly impressed by the ingenuity and dedication displayed by the students at InnovAIte 2025. The solutions they developed demonstrated the transformative potential of AI in addressing critical real-world and societal challenges, and the winning teams showcased exceptional talent in leveraging AI to create tangible, life-enhancing solutions.”

He added: “Emirates NBD is proud to have supported this initiative and to play a role in nurturing the next generation of AI leaders. The event served as a platform to connect and engage with top digital talent, presenting us early access to AI experts who have the potential to drive and contribute to the bank’s long-term success.”

Student presentations, workshops, and speaking sessions were held at the grand finale, where a panel of 25 esteemed judges, including experts from Emirates NBD, the University of Birmingham, EDGE Group, and Hale Education Group, as well as subject experts in various sectors evaluated the projects based on innovation, feasibility, impact and presentation.

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Dr Ruchi Gupta at the University of Birmingham has been awarded £350,000 over the next three years by Cancer Research UK and EPSRC to make a prototype flavoured ‘lollipop’ from a material called a smart hydrogel.

Smart hydrogels work a bit like a fishing net – they absorb large quantities of water whilst “catching” larger molecules, such as proteins. The “net” can then be cut open to release the larger molecules for analysis in the lab.

The ‘lollipop’ will be created from a smart hydrogel previously developed by Dr Gupta and her team. The idea is that patients suck on the lollipop, transferring a saliva sample into the hydrogel. Scientists can then release the ‘caught’ proteins by blasting the hydrogel with UV light and then analyse the liquid for saliva proteins which indicate the early stages of mouth cancer.

Around 12,400 people are diagnosed with cancers of the head and neck in the UK every year*. Currently, diagnosing mouth cancer can involve putting a flexible camera on the end of a tube through the nose or mouth and taking a biopsy for testing. This procedure is invasive, time-consuming and requires an endoscopist.

Mum of five, Rachel Parsons, needed a biopsy after being referred to Coventry University Hospital with a lump on her cheek in 2008. She admits she was unprepared for the procedure which, in her case, turned out to be painful.

“I had no idea what a biopsy really was,” said Rachel, from Coventry. “I had the kind of injection you get at the dentists and, when it wore off, it was really sore because I’d needed stitches.”

That was just the beginning of a 12-month nightmare for Rachel who ended up needing a nine-and-a-half-hour operation to remove a cancerous tumour from her cheek and replace the skin with tissue and veins from her forearm.

“The thought of putting a lollipop round your mouth instead of having a biopsy in the first instance is amazing,” said Rachel who has spent years as a patient ambassador, campaigning for more awareness of mouth cancer. “I wish something like that had existed when I was diagnosed.”

Dr Ruchi Gupta, Associate Professor of Biosensors at the University of Birmingham, said she was thrilled to receive funding to begin the next phase of the project.

“Smart hydrogels have really exciting potential for diagnosing mouth cancer,” she said. “They can be easily moulded into shapes as a solid to ‘catch’ proteins in saliva.

“We’re really excited to start the next phase of this project. We’re hoping that we can be the first to make a device which is much kinder for diagnosing mouth cancer for patients and easier for GPs to use.”

Rachel, who still has numbness around her face and can’t open her mouth wide enough to eat a burger, added: “I’m so grateful for the research and treatment that saved my life. Things have improved immensely since then but what’s happening now could be absolutely brilliant for people diagnosed in future.”

Executive Director of Research and Innovation at Cancer Research UK, Dr Iain Foulkes, said: “Biopsies and nasoendoscopy are the gold standard for diagnosing mouth cancer, but it requires great skill to carry out and can feel unpleasant for patients. We want an accurate, faster and kinder alternative test which can help us diagnose cases of mouth cancer sooner.

“This project is an exciting first step towards an entirely new way to identify mouth cancers earlier. Research like this is guiding us towards a future where people can live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.”

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