Dubai: H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, officially inaugurated the third edition of ForsaTEK, an innovation platform and annual event organized by the Emirates Group. This year’s event was attended by Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, alongside several senior executives from the Emirates Group.
According to Emirates News Agency, the annual event, held at the Emirates Group Headquarters, serves as a showcase for advanced technology partnerships, promising startups, thought-provoking discussions, and emerging talent focused on developing innovative concepts. These efforts aim to drive transformative change within the industry. The forum’s themes this year highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Internet of Things on the aviation sector, while also emphasizing the role of human engagement in enhancing technology’s effectiveness.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed stated, “Building on the success of the first two editions, ForsaTEK 2025 underpins the Emirates Group’s continued commitment to anchoring the next wave of innovations within our business, scaling up existing innovations, supporting startups, and creating a powerful testbed of partnerships that introduce fresh solutions and propel our digital future forward.” He added that the high-impact showcases at ForsaTEK 2025 demonstrate how the Emirates Group is fostering an ecosystem to push new boundaries in AI, technology, research, and digital adoption.
This year’s ForsaTEK featured over 40 in-house and partner showcases. These were strategically organized across the innovation pipeline spectrum, ranging from early-stage research and prototyping, to proof-of-concept trials, and fully launched initiatives. Notable fully launched initiatives included Transguard and Emirates Group Security’s advanced autonomous robotics for enhancing urban safety, dnata Cargo’s autonomous drone system for inventory validation, and dnata’s 3D prototyping for custom manufacturing of spare parts.
The Trial Zone featured several accessibility initiatives, including Glidance’s self-guided mobility aid for the visually impaired and the JeffCAN immersive media chair, designed to support neurodiverse passengers. Other innovations included the Airbus Accessible and Inclusive cabin with a PRM lavatory and personal wheelchair onboard, and maintenance trials like an AI and computer vision platform for engine part detection.
A pitch zone presented 13 start-ups showcasing their ideas to a panel of VIPs, investors, and tech industry representatives. Additionally, the Experience Zone activated people and youth engagement areas to showcase innovation journeys and enhance visitor engagement.
Sarah Al Amiri delivered the opening keynote at ForsaTEK 2025, focusing on the ‘disruption of technology on public education.’ The UAE recently announced the integration of AI into school curricula to prepare youth for a tech-driven world and to position the nation as a global leader in artificial intelligence.
The event’s program included tech experts and academics such as Dr. Mark Esposito and Younes Bensouda Mourri, who discussed topics like technology strategies and AI’s impact on human intelligence. The Emirates Group also launched the Afkar app, a digital platform for employees to generate new ideas. The event unveiled a winning concept for automating visa validation, aimed at reducing travel friction for passengers.
