Abu Dhabi launches 29 partnerships for autonomous mobility in e-commerce, healthcare, and drones; Dubai awards $680K for health-focused apps.

Abu Dhabi has launched 29 strategic partnerships to accelerate autonomous mobility, focusing on e-commerce, healthcare logistics, and drone delivery through companies like DiDi Autonomous Driving, Sinaha, and Talabat. The initiatives, led by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office and Smart and Autonomous Systems Council, aim to create an integrated testing and deployment environment for AI-driven vehicles, Robosweepers, and intelligent warehouses, supporting the emirate’s goal to become a global smart transportation hub. Meanwhile, Dubai unveiled the third Create Apps Championship, offering $680,000 in funding and introducing a “Longevity App of the Year” award to promote health-focused innovation, with winners receiving up to $272,000 and access to an alumni accelerator program to launch 50 new apps, reinforcing Dubai’s digital economy ambitions under the D33 agenda.