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From 11 Bright Ideas to Investor-Ready Startups

Each year a selection of university graduates from around the world take part in the Prototypes for Humanity Accelerator Programme, a 3-month journey equipping them with business tools to take social impact ideas and innovations forward into the market.

To commemorate the culmination of this year’s coursework, the 11 participating teams presented their early-stage startups at the Demo Day 2022 sessions in front of investors in May. Founders pitched their ideas and answered audience questions, discussing details pertaining to product roadmaps, revenue models, marketing, team, and funding requirements.

While many graduates spend years on research and develop scientifically-sound ideas, most do not have all the necessary tools to successfully take them into the real world as businesses. Research is certainly vital, but in order for it to have true impact it needs to be validated and implemented.

This accelerator teaches them how to do just that, with proprietary content specifically tailored for founders with academic backgrounds who want to develop high-potential ideas. Led by INSEAD Professor Adrian Johnson, this year’s programme featured a diverse roster of mentors and keynote speakers, among them serial entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The teams in this year’s programme are working on impressive innovations, ranging from tech solutions for healthcare and social challenges, newly-created materials and products, and re-designed processes. Following Demo Day, as these startups continue their product development and go-to-market efforts, Prototypes for Humanity supports them by connecting founders with the right investors, industry partners, as well as private and public interested parties.

Prototypes for Humanity is part of the Art Dubai Group, held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in partnership with Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and A.R.M. Holding.

To learn more about how to engage with the bright entrepreneurs from the programme please email info@prototypesforhumanity.com.

 

Watch teaser videos from each startup here

More about the projects:

  • After years of research, the Stimully team developed hardware technology to modulate brain activity for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that avoids the use of medication.

  • DemiCare is an app made for the caretakers of patients with dementia, a health crisis on the rise globally.

  • Kinix is encouraging physical activity through what they term Play2Move, connecting fitness machines to e-gaming to make exercise more enjoyable.

  • The grads behind Farmelody conceived of a data-based software to manage the wellbeing of farm animals.

  • In a completely different effort to aid farms, Parametrika is designing an insurance model to protect farmers from climate-related losses.

  • Addressing various challenges in the footwear industry, Reality, is creating biodegradable self-healing shoes with AR overlay that are manufactured through 3D printing.

  • Vorkoster’s product is a smart lid for food storage monitoring freshness in order to avoid waste at home.

  • Trax, a UK-based platform, is designed to increase and improve how citizens engage with taxes.

  • The team behind Algrow is finding ways to locally produce the superfood spirulina, a type of algae, so that more people can consume it and reap its benefits.

  • Finding a different use for an altogether different type of algae, AlgoBio has developed an improved, non-toxic flame-retardant coating material.

  • Ramel, on the other hand, has developed a new material that can be used in place of traditional concrete in an aim to reduce environmental damage.