5:45 am - February 14, 2026
**Dubai**: In a major move for sustainable urban development, Expo City Dubai collaborates with the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators to enhance climate tech innovations, aiming to support startups and evaluate solutions through its Urban Lab, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.
In a notable advancement for sustainable urban development, Expo City Dubai has partnered with the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA) to bolster climate technology innovations. This cooperation agreement aims to leverage their combined expertise in identifying, testing, and scaling sustainable solutions, thereby reinforcing their dedication to the UAE’s burgeoning climate tech sector and its overarching sustainability objectives.
The agreement outlines a pathway for UICCA to utilise its network of initiatives to identify innovations that are either market-ready or nearing maturity. Promising projects will gain access to Expo City’s Urban Lab, which serves as an extensive city-wide testbed where these innovations can be evaluated in a real-world urban context. The Urban Lab is designed to provide startups and technology developers with the opportunity to integrate their solutions within Expo City’s existing infrastructure and assess their performance in daily urban life.
Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of UICCA, underscored the significance of fostering new technologies and enhancing collaboration between public and private sectors to help ensure the UAE achieves its ambitious target of net zero emissions by 2050. “Through UICCA’s Launchpad, we are accelerating the growth of green startups and SMEs by providing tailored mentorship, regulatory guidance, and direct access to investors,” she highlighted. “This ensures that these innovators have the necessary resources to scale their solutions within the UAE.”
Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and CEO of Expo City Dubai Authority, reiterated the city’s commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation for a sustainable future. “Our agreement with UICCA helps us find and implement solutions to address real-world climate and urban development challenges,” Al Hashimy stated. “We’re ensuring these solutions are thoroughly evaluated and supported, demonstrating how a human-centric approach to technological development can bring about meaningful, long-lasting change.”
Expo City’s Urban Lab stands as a pivotal facility dedicated to testing solutions that enhance urban living and promote sustainability. It offers a secure environment for businesses, entrepreneurs, and innovators to trial their solutions, featuring 200,000 live data points from sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) systems that provide real-time insights for validating testing outcomes. Innovators also have access to expansive datasets, which can illuminate urban challenges and facilitate the commercialization of their innovations.
Additionally, Expo City’s collaboration with UICCA extends to the Launchpad program, which aims to support green startups by organising virtual workshops, mentorship opportunities, and facilitating the progression of projects into testing phases. This initiative connects climate-focused startups with key stakeholders in the private and public sectors, fostering a dedicated pathway for growth and scalability.
Strategically located near the Dubai Exhibition Centre and Al Maktoum International Airport, Expo City is positioned as a key player in the future economic landscape of Dubai. It is one of five hubs outlined in the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, underscoring its role in advancing Dubai’s Economic Agenda while serving as a benchmark for sustainable urban development.
Expo City hosts various local and international organizations dedicated to sustainability and innovation. The recent launch of the Changemakers Academy further enhances its reputation as a center for creativity by encouraging young innovators to address pressing social and environmental challenges within the UAE and rewarding innovative solutions with impactful potential.
This collaboration between Expo City Dubai and UICCA exemplifies how strategic partnerships can foster significant advancements in sustainability, positioning these efforts as central to the UAE’s climate targets and the evolution of urban development and the climate tech industry.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://uicca.ae/news-and-media/recent-news/uicca-launchpad-programme-start-ups-and-smes-present-carbon-reduction-technologies-ahead-cop29 – This article supports UICCA’s focus on accelerating climate tech innovation through its Launchpad Programme, particularly in supporting green startups and SMEs with mentorship and access to investors.
- https://uicca.ae – This source details UICCA’s mission to drive climate action and transition the UAE to a green economy, aligning with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.
- https://www.expocitydubai.com/en/media-centre/identifying-testing-and-scaling-sustainable-urban-development-solutions-expo – This news piece explains how Expo City Dubai collaborates with UICCA to identify and scale sustainable urban solutions through their combined initiatives and infrastructure.
- https://www.expocitydubai.com/en/urban-lab – While the specific URL for the Urban Lab is not provided directly, Expo City Dubai’s website would typically contain information about the Urban Lab’s role in testing and validating sustainable innovations.
- https://www.expocitydubai.com/en/media-centre/delivering-a-sustainable-mega-event-latest-gri-report-highlights-expo-2020s-green-credentials-as-expo-city-dubai-continues-to-raise-the-bar – This report highlights Expo City Dubai’s commitment to sustainability, demonstrating its role as a key player in advancing green initiatives in Dubai.
- https://uicca.ae/news-and-media/recent-news/unDP-and-uicca-join-hands-to-harness-the-power-of-artificial-intelligence-to-advance-progress-towards-achieving-the-sustainable-development-goals – This news piece further illustrates UICCA’s partnerships and initiatives aimed at leveraging technology for sustainable development and climate action.
- https://www.sme10x.com/10x-industry/is-expo-city-dubai-the-new-hub-for-climate-tech-innovation – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative does not contain explicit indicators of being outdated. However, without specific dates or mentions of recent events, it’s difficult to confirm absolute freshness. Expo City Dubai and UICCA’s partnership suggests a contemporary initiative.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
Quotes from Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan and Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy are present but lack specific online references to earlier publications. This could indicate originality, but confirmation requires further investigation.
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The narrative originates from SME10X, which may not be as well-established or recognized as major news outlets like the BBC or Reuters. Without additional context, its reliability is somewhat uncertain.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The partnership between Expo City Dubai and UICCA aligns with the UAE’s announced climate goals and the strategic positioning of Expo City. The involvement of prominent figures and the collaborative approach to sustainability make the claims highly plausible.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative appears to report a current or recent development, with plausible claims aligned with known UAE initiatives. However, the source’s reliability and quote verification are areas for further investigation to fully confirm its accuracy.
