Sheikh Khaled Highlights Industrial Transformation at Make in the UAE Platform
Make in the UAE platform draws leaders and innovators to ADNEC; Sheikh Khaled underscores public‑private partnerships and industry’s role in economic diversification.
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited the fifth edition of the Make in the UAE platform at ADNEC, which runs until May 7, 2026, to review advanced manufacturing solutions and national industrial initiatives. The Make in the UAE platform formed the focus of his tour, with the crown prince inspecting national and international pavilions showcasing technologies intended to accelerate the UAE’s industrial transition. His visit emphasized the sector’s strategic role in economic diversification and in positioning the country as a regional industrial hub.
Senior leaders accompany tour and meet exhibitors
Sheikh Khaled was accompanied by senior officials including Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber and other Abu Dhabi executive leaders during the ADNEC visit. Delegation members included the head of the Crown Prince’s Court, financial and municipal chiefs, and senior government enablers who engaged with exhibitors and investors. The presence of these officials underscored government alignment behind industrial policy and the event’s importance to Abu Dhabi’s economic agenda.
Exhibits focus on advanced manufacturing and digital technologies
The exhibition floor presented a wide range of next‑generation technologies spanning robotics, AI‑driven manufacturing systems, autonomous platforms and industrial cybersecurity. Companies displayed solutions for energy transition, precision engineering, aviation and defense manufacturing, pharmaceutical production and smart mobility. Exhibitors emphasized how integrated digital systems and automation can shorten production cycles, raise quality standards and support local value chains.
Startups competition spotlights AI, robotics and smart mobility
During his tour Sheikh Khaled met innovators taking part in the Make in the UAE Startups Competition 2026, exchanging ideas on projects that apply artificial intelligence across industrial use cases. Participants showcased prototypes and concepts in industrial robotics, autonomous vehicles and drones, cyber resilience for factories and electric mobility technologies. The competition highlights the role of entrepreneurs in translating advanced research into commercially viable industrial solutions.
Scale of participation and sectoral mix
This year’s platform hosts 1,245 exhibiting organisations, more than 2,000 skilled artisans and the display of over 5,000 products, alongside more than 50 panels, workshops and roundtables. Small and medium enterprises and start‑ups make up roughly 61 percent of participants, reflecting the event’s emphasis on nurturing domestic industry and supply‑chain resilience. The sectoral mix spans advanced manufacturing, energy, aerospace and defence, pharmaceuticals and smart transport systems, aligned with national economic priorities.
Public‑private partnership seen as strategic enabler
Sheikh Khaled reiterated that a strong industrial sector is a pillar of sustainable development and called for deepened collaboration between government and private industry. He highlighted public‑private partnerships as a strategic driver for investment, innovation and the scaling of industrial projects that meet national priorities. The message conveyed during the visit frames partnership and regulatory support as critical to turning industrial ambitions into operational factories and exportable products.
This edition of Make in the UAE is hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Abu Dhabi Investment Office, ADNOC and Al Emad Holding, and is organised by ADNEC. The platform serves as a focal point for investors, policymakers, manufacturers and financiers to assess opportunities for local production, inward investment and technology transfer. Organisers aim to use the convening power of the event to accelerate projects that increase local content and boost the industrial sector’s contribution to GDP.
The crown prince’s engagement with innovators and industry leaders at ADNEC emphasized practical steps to advance the nation’s industrial capabilities. By spotlighting startup solutions and established firms alike, the Make in the UAE platform seeks to convert ideas into factories, and prototypes into production lines that support the UAE’s economic diversification. The event through May 7, 2026, is expected to catalyse partnerships and investments that underpin the country’s industrial roadmap.
The visit closed with a reaffirmation of long‑term commitments to foster an innovative industrial ecosystem, scale competitive manufacturing and strengthen the UAE’s role as a regional industrial centre.