The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has announced the 28 finalists picked out of 76 semi-finalists for the final round of Challenge 22, after an extensive review process for the regional innovation award.
Challenge 22 was launched by the SC to promote a culture of innovation within the Arab world, helping innovators and entrepreneurs to nurture ideas that could potentially serve as innovative solutions for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
Winning teams or individuals will receive $15,000 in cash prizes and will then be given the opportunity to work with scientists and researchers in the region to begin turning their ideas into reality.
Of the submissions which were selected for the final round, eight came from Qatar, five from Jordan, four from Saudi Arabia, three from Egypt, two each from Oman, Tunisia and the UAE, while one concept was selected from Kuwait and Morocco, respectively.
In its second cycle, Challenge 22 reached out to innovators and entrepreneurs in 10 Arab countries to submit their ideas in four categories: Tourism Experience, which received 308 submissions; the Internet of Things, with 269 submissions; Sustainability, with 217 submissions; and the Health and Safety Challenge, which received 143 submissions in Round 1.
Of the total submissions, 12 from Internet of Things, seven from Sustainability, six from Tourism Experience, and three from Health & Safety, have been selected for the final round.
Fatma Al Nuaimi, Communications Director at the SC, said: “We are delighted to announce the finalists for Cycle 2 of Challenge 22, and wish them all the best on their journey to the final round in Doha in May. The final event is designed to be a simulation for the real entrepreneurial world, where they will have to work in a very competitive environment to finalise their proposals before presenting it to the judging panel.”
Finalists will travel to Doha to take part in the final event from May 20 to May 22. During their stay, they will be given access to interactive training, as well as a series of workshops in preparation for their final presentation.
