General Motors Gives $150,000 to Support 11 Arab Innovators Through the Arab Youth Center
The Arab Youth Center has announced support for 11 Arab innovators from seven countries, with a total grant of US$150,000 provided by General Motors, to help them develop their projects and research in artificial intelligence, electric mobility, education, healthcare and medical technology. The initiative coincides with GM celebrating 100 years in Africa and the Middle East.
An MoU expanding a partnership that began in 2021
The announcement came alongside the signing of a new memorandum of understanding between the Arab Youth Center and General Motors, aimed at expanding their partnership, in place since 2021, and exploring further areas of cooperation including youth capability building, support for innovation and new career pathways in future sectors.
Over the past five years, the partnership has included seminars and interactive sessions in technology and manufacturing, plus mentoring, training and networking with regional and international experts, strengthening participants’ knowledge of AI, digitalisation, mobility and advanced manufacturing.
Key figures
| Grant value | US$150,000 (about AED 551,000) |
| Beneficiaries | 11 male and female innovators |
| Countries | UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Algeria, Syria |
| Fields | AI, quantum computing, electric mobility, digital twins, education, entrepreneurship, creative industries, medical technology |
| Partnership began | 2021 |
From electric mobility to quantum computing
The beneficiaries include innovators in advanced technology, among them Emirati Rashed Ahmed Al Salmi, who is developing electric mobility technologies; Akram Amir, founder of AR Engineering, specialising in digital twins and augmented reality for immersive training; Karim Ayad, behind ai.Uktob, an Arabic generative AI platform with more than 400,000 users and companies; and Algerian researcher Yousra Farhani in quantum computing.
In education and entrepreneurship, the list includes Mohammed Saud Al Otaibi, founder of Wathba, supporting young Saudis’ career paths through peer mentoring; Ahmed Bayram, who helps young Syrians turn ideas into start-ups through Blackbox and Bridges for Entrepreneurship; Mohamed Gawish, founder of iSchool, teaching children coding, AI and data science; Egyptian entrepreneur Hadeer Shalaby, who has trained around 350,000 women and young people; and Sharifa Al Hinai, who supports Gulf creative talent through Sikka and the Gulf Art Museum.
In medical technology, biomedical engineers Nisreen Al Madi and Hikma Jabouli are developing prosthetic limbs and robotic exoskeletons that help people with mobility impairments move more independently.
What both sides said
Eng. Fatima Al Halami, Executive Director of the Arab Youth Center, said the value of partnerships lies in “shortening the distance between talent and opportunity”, stressing that young Arabs are developing ideas and technologies with growth potential, and that what they need is access to expertise, resources and professional networks, with the private sector playing a complementary role.
Jorge Plata, President and Managing Director of GM Africa and Middle East, said the partnership extends the company’s commitment to supporting a new generation of Arab innovators, adding that GM chose to link its centenary in the region with supporting young people making a real impact in their communities in technology, mobility, education and healthcare.
The grant reflects major carmakers’ growing investment in local talent in the region, especially in sectors linked to the future of mobility such as EVs and AI. In the region, GM represents Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac through a network of 17 dealers in 29 countries, with its regional headquarters in Dubai.
Source: press release from General Motors Africa and Middle East and the Arab Youth Center.
