Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity will showcase 100 academic research projects from more than 120 countries at its annual summit from 18 to 21 November, as the UAE programme seeks to strengthen links between universities, industry and investors.

The projects were selected from thousands of applications submitted by researchers at more than 1,000 universities. They span areas including healthcare, biotechnology, materials science, energy and agriculture, with contributors from institutions including Harvard, MIT, Oxford, Cambridge and ETH Zürich, as well as universities in emerging economies.

Among the selected projects are SynapSpeech, an AI system analysing voice recordings for potential early signs of cognitive decline; Solarstill Box, a solar-powered device designed to produce drinking water from salty or contaminated sources; and MenoPatch, a biodegradable patch intended to deliver tailored doses of three hormones for menopause treatment.

The programme aims to take promising research beyond academic settings through its Venture Building track, which provides founders with business support, funding and industry partnerships to develop and test technologies in real-world environments.

Examples include ETH Zürich spinout Oxara, which has piloted low-carbon construction materials made from waste with a Dubai concrete manufacturer, and Virufy, from Japan’s University of Fukui, which is working with Dubai Health on a pilot of AI-based respiratory disease screening using cough sounds. The latter has enrolled nearly 200 patients in its clinical study, according to the organisers.

The summit will culminate in five awards, with winning teams sharing a US$100,000 prize. The programme is supported by an international network of academic, industry and government partners, with the stated aim of turning research into commercially viable solutions.