Abu Dhabi, UAE, 12 January 2018: The Climate Innovations Exchange (CLIX) on January 10 announced the 27 semi-finalists that will showcase their innovations to potential investors at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2018, the organisers of the Summit said.

The 11^th edition of WFES will take place from January 15 to 18 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW).

CLIX, an Abu Dhabi-based global marketplace that connects capital with innovative climate change concepts and solutions, aspires to unlock investor funding ranging from USD 300,000 (AED 1.1 million) to USD 2.5 million (AED 9 million). Hosted under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), in collaboration with Masdar and the Zayed Future Energy Prize, and sponsored by Krypto Labs, a Masdar City-based innovation incubator, the inaugural edition of the programme received a total of 364 entries from 65 countries.

Seven of the semi-finalists come from the UAE, including Taka Solutions, a technology and engineering company that provides retrofitting solutions to drive energy efficiencies in buildings to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by at least 20%. Among other ideas that originated in the UAE are FreshFridge, a smart personal micro herb farm that can grow microgreens from seed to full plant in 10 days and encourages urban farming, which was empowered by Emirates Foundation’s Think Science Programme, and Alga Life, a transformative project that produces algae-based ink toners for all printing needs.

His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: “Addressing climate change and protecting the environment are among our country’s highest priorities, and CLIX provides an unparalleled platform for empowering sustainable solutions through knowledge, innovation and funding.”

He added: “CLIX received a significant number of high-calibre entries from across the globe, and we are extremely proud that a large number of those entrants came from the UAE. The strong participation aligns with the country’s landmark efforts to create an environment conducive to achieving its sustainability goals and clearly indicates that we have the potential to lead the field. Furthermore, it highlights the rise of homegrown entrepreneurs and start-ups seeking funding in this niche, yet rapidly growing space.”

Connecting investors to solutions in agriculture, clean mobility and air quality CLIX invited entrants to demonstrate innovative thinking and leverage technology to develop solutions in one of three key areas: Agriculture, clean mobility and air quality. A panel of judges selected the semi-finalists over three rounds of assessment based on the challenges, solutions, innovations, technology and business models outlined in the submissions.

The 27 semi-finalists will pitch to prospective investors at CLIX during WFES 2018, before being narrowed down to three finalists per category during the fourth round of assessment. At the event, investors will focus on five main elements of the pitches: concept and product, feasibility, target market, financials and the team.

The clean mobility category includes entries from FlyNano (Finland), a luxury one-person electric aircraft for easy flying, and Flyability (Switzerland), the world’s first collision-tolerant unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), designed for industrial inspection professionals.

Among the semi-finalists in the air pollution category are Brizi (UK), a fan filter that cleans the air in a child’s breathing area while attached to a pram or stroller, and LIFEHAUS (Lebanon), a project that reclaims materials that have reached their conventional end-of-life stage and uses them in innovative ways to build new homes.

The agriculture sector also saw significant interest in innovation from the likes of Desert Control (Norway), a breakthrough solution that aims to turn desert sand into fertile soil, and Telofarm (South Korea), a next-generation smart farm based on plant in-vivo sensing.

Ara Fernezian, Group Managing Director for the Middle East at Reed Exhibitions, the organiser of WFES, said: “With its very first edition, CLIX has attracted participation on a global scale, showcasing the depth of innovation happening today. These entrepreneurs are creating solutions that will have a positive and long-term impact on our lives, and we look forward to welcoming them to Abu Dhabi. WFES 2018 will provide them with an opportunity to not just demonstrate their innovations to an international audience, but also engage with other entrepreneurs and secure funding.”