Hamed: That’s truly impressive, Fatima.

Fatima Al Kaabi: I am thankful to God, who gave me the power to put those inventions at the service of my beloved country, and to be part of its development and progress.

Hamed: The UAE is sparing no effort in supporting the drive towards innovation. Would you tell us how you personally benefited from that?

Fatima Al Kaabi: I consider myself fortunate to be from a country that values innovation and extends considerable support to innovators. This has been a top priority for the UAE for many years now. I remember just a few years ago how people were surprised at hearing my comments about the innovations and inventions I saw in other countries, such as China and the United States, or watched on TV channels or online platforms (YouTube). Today, thanks to our Government’s efforts, innovation has become very much part of our life. As you remember, 2015 was marked as the year of innovation in the UAE. And every year one or two months are dedicated for recognizing national talent in schools, universities, and various sectors.

Hamed: The UAE is undergoing a strong momentum towards technology and AI. Today we have a new ministry and a new university both dedicated to AI, as well as innovative clean energy technologies. These have helped in embedding innovation and technology concepts. To what extent do you see the Emirati youth are attracted to these areas?

Fatima Al Kaabi: I can see an unprecedented drive towards new disciplines such as space science, AI, big data, and other areas. The huge focus accorded to these sectors by the Government has encouraged the Emirati youth to enroll in these disciplines to be part of many huge initiatives and projects, such as the Hope Probe to Mars, and others. We are living in an environment that fosters innovation in all spheres, and it is only natural that the youth seek new disciplines in line with these developments.

Hamed: Many people tend to believe that to become an innovator or inventor one needs to specialize in AI, IT, or renewable energy technologies. What do you think? Is innovation restricted to these areas?

Fatima Al Kaabi: Innovation is a broad realm that covers these areas you mentioned as well as many others. It is true that the areas you cited are witnessing a huge momentum in innovation. But since innovation is about improving something already existing, there is huge room for innovation in areas as diverse as medicine, education, music, and others. We need to remember that innovation can mean a simple addition or improvement and does not necessarily mean developing a complex technology.

Hamed: Let’s now turn to Mubadala’s documentary: “Investing in Innovation”. Tell us about the film and your experience.

Fatima Al Kaabi: The main idea behind this documentary is to highlight the UAE’s innovation drive. The film enabled me to meet and interview over several weeks some of the leading UAE figures who have contributed significantly to the development of the UAE. I also had the chance to visit many entities involved in investment and innovation. The film highlights the UAE’s pioneering role in the area of innovation and Mubadala’s significant contributions to investment in innovation and technology.

Hamed: With this, we come to the end of today’s episode of Mubadala Trends. Please join me in thanking Fatima for sharing her invaluable insights. We are truly proud of her and of the new UAE generation. And let me take this opportunity to invite everyone to listen to the episode featuring Badr Al Olama, which focused on the 4th Industrial Revolution and future prospects.

Fatima Al Kaabi: Thanks Hamed for having me. I hope I have shared useful thoughts. And good luck with your next episodes. By the way, I did listen to Badr’s episode. It was very informative.

Hamed: Thanks Fatima. Thanks to all those who listened to this episode. Hope you enjoyed it. May I invite everyone to watch Mubadala’s documentary “Investing in Innovation” in which our guest Fatima Al Kaabi took part. Please join us in our subsequent episodes. Follow us on social media platforms and share your feedback. Please also subscribe to our bulletin so you can be the first to listen to new episodes. Please see the links below.