Make in the UAE: Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohammed tours ADNEC showcase of advanced industry
Crown Prince Khaled bin Mohammed visited the Make in the UAE platform at ADNEC, underscoring industry as a pillar of sustainable development and economic diversification.
Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, inspected the fifth edition of the Make in the UAE platform at ADNEC on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. The visit highlighted the UAE’s accelerating push into advanced manufacturing and cutting-edge industrial technologies, with the event running through May 7. The Crown Prince saw national and international pavilions showcasing technologies intended to speed the country’s industrial transformation and strengthen its position as a regional manufacturing hub.
Crown Prince inspects national and international pavilions
During his tour, Sheikh Khaled stopped at multiple exhibitor stands to observe demonstrations of robotics, autonomous systems and industrial cyber-security. Exhibitors included a mix of UAE-based companies and global firms presenting next-generation solutions aimed at smart factories and energy-efficient production. The Crown Prince’s walkthrough placed particular emphasis on technologies that can be scaled across priority sectors to accelerate local value creation.
Scale of the Make in the UAE platform this year
The fifth Make in the UAE drew a broad industrial audience, with organisers reporting 1,245 exhibiting organisations and more than 2,000 specialised craftsmen on site. The event showcased over 5,000 distinct products and hosted in excess of 50 sessions, workshops and panel discussions. Small and medium enterprises and start-ups accounted for about 61 percent of participants, reflecting a deliberate push to elevate local suppliers and innovators.
Start-up competition spotlights industrial AI and robotics
Sheikh Khaled met with finalists in the Make in the UAE startup competition 2026, exchanging views on projects that harness artificial intelligence for industrial applications. Many entries focus on areas such as industrial robotics, autonomous platforms, drone technologies and electric mobility systems. Judges and mentors at the competition are prioritising solutions that demonstrate commercial viability alongside contributions to industrial efficiency and sustainability.
Government message: industry as a foundation for sustainable growth
In comments delivered during the visit, the Crown Prince underscored the role of the industrial sector as a core component of sustainable national development and economic resilience. He stressed that an adaptable industrial base is essential to meet the demands of future technologies and to support long-term diversification away from hydrocarbon dependence. Officials reiterated commitments to policies that strengthen research and development, local manufacturing capacity and workforce upskilling.
Public-private partnerships and investment focus
Event organisers and officials used the platform to underline the importance of public-private collaboration in translating national industrial priorities into operational projects. Representatives from the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, the Ministry of Culture, Abu Dhabi Investment Office and ADNOC were among those coordinating initiatives to attract investment and scale manufacturing ecosystems. Delegates emphasised investment incentives, streamlined regulations and targeted procurement as levers to accelerate private-sector participation.
Priority sectors and strategic objectives on display
Exhibits and panel discussions concentrated on several strategic sectors, including advanced manufacturing, energy, aviation and defence, pharmaceutical production and smart mobility systems. Sessions also explored financing instruments and supply-chain resilience to support expanded domestic production capacity. Organisers framed the platform as a marketplace for partnerships that can convert innovation into exportable industry capabilities.
Accompanying the Crown Prince on the visit were senior Emirati officials, including Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber. Senior members of Abu Dhabi’s government and agencies responsible for finance, municipalities, transport and government enablement joined the delegation to review exhibits and meet participating companies.
The Make in the UAE platform continues through May 7 at ADNEC, with the remaining programme scheduled to include additional technical demonstrations, investor briefings and thematic roundtables aimed at matching innovators with industrial partners and capital. The organisers say the event will remain a focal point for shaping the UAE’s industrial roadmap in the coming years.
Looking ahead, the UAE plans sustained investment in technologies that support low-carbon manufacturing and digitalised industrial operations, with the Make in the UAE platform positioned as an annual forum to accelerate that transition and to attract talent, investment and strategic partnerships.