Moscow, January 10, 2019 - The Skolkovo Foundation and the Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity (MBR Initiative), an initiative of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS), have agreed to cooperate to enable and inspire a worldwide community of makers and innovators to create transformative solutions to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
With prizes worth up to USD 1 Million, including mentorship and access to global organizations, the Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity brings together a community of ‘makers’ inspired to solve some of the world’s toughest societal challenges that affect over 1 billion people globally. Aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the initiative aims to empower entrepreneurs, innovators and technologists to drive social innovation and advance global prosperity and consists of two programs: the Global Maker Challenge, an online open-innovation platform designed to promote and accelerate global prosperity through product innovation; and the Global Prosperity Award, a prestigious global accolade that recognizes and rewards corporate social responsibility that advances resilience, community, harmony and dignity across the world.
According to the memorandum of understanding, Skolkovo and the MBR Initiative will work together to strengthen collaboration efforts amongst Russian accelerators and international start-ups, and jointly work towards the realization of the Global Maker Challenge. The agreement foresees the participation of Skolkovo startups in the four Global Maker Challenges which fall under the themes of Sustainable Energy; Digital Divide and Digital Literacy; Rural Transformation and Zero Hunger; Sustainable Cities.
Yury Saprykin, Vice President for Regional and International Development at the Skolkovo Foundation, said: "In our pursuit to ensure interaction and cooperation with different international entities, the Skolkovo Foundation has signed this MOU with the Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity to ensure the maximum integration of Russian innovative startups in the Global Maker Challenge. As the main and central Innovation Hub in Russia and the CIS, we continue to pioneer and support constructive initiatives aiming for fostering smart and innovative solutions that are to be reflected in the global markets and new generations’ lives.”
Badr Al-Olama, Head of the Organising Committee Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) said: “Through the Mohammed bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity, we can tackle key issues such as poverty, hunger, education and environmental sustainability. This is the beginning of a new movement, one where we align the aspirations of millennials with global good, channeling their energy and creativity to bring about opportunities for those that are in need, and in the communities that need it most.”
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The Skolkovo Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in September 2010 by the Russian government with the objective of accelerating Russia’s transformation from a resource-intensive to an innovation-based economy. To achieve this objective, the Foundation is overseeing the creation of the Skolkovo Innovation Center, composed of more than 1,800 high-tech startups, Skolkovo Technopark, the Skolkovo Institute of Technology (Skoltech) - a new graduate research University established in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - and Skolkovo city, located near Moscow. Together, these entities establish a vibrant ecosystem of technology innovation and entrepreneurship. The cumulative revenue of Skolkovo’s startups reached $2,5 billion. They brought in more than $186 million in investment, creating 27,000 jobs and filing over 1,100 patent applications along the way. By 2020 over 2 million square meters of residential and office space will be built in Skolkovo with 35,000 people working daily in the Innovation Center. For more information: http://www.sk.ru/en
The Mohammed bin Rashid (MBR) Initiative for Global Prosperity
A gift from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and Ruler of Dubai, to the world – The Mohammed bin Rashid (MBR) Initiative for Global Prosperity is an ambitious and impactful worldwide extension of the UAE’s own transformational vision, built on four core values: resilience, community, harmony, and dignity. It combines the MBR Global Maker Challenge – an online open-innovation platform for ‘makers’ and innovators to solve specific real-world challenges, and the MBR Global Prosperity Award – a prestigious global accolade that recognizes and rewards social innovation brought by manufacturing for the betterment of humanity. The initiative brings together companies, startups and entrepreneurs, governments and NGOs to create an ecosystem designed to enable new businesses to be built, new jobs to be created, and new solutions to be unlocked in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. For more information: https://www.makingprosperity.com/
Press contact
Lyubov Korotetskaya
Skolkovo Foundation
Tel: +7 495 956 00 33, ext. 2587
Mobile: +7 915 132 83 69
E-mail: lkorotetskaya@sk.ru