Expo Live, the global innovation and partnership grant programme initiated under Expo 2020 Dubai, will expand as part of Expo City Dubai, and is calling on social entrepreneurs from around the world to submit their ideas for climate-related interventions that can be shared and replicated for wider impact.

In line with the UAE’s ‘Year of Sustainability’ in 2023 and a reflection of Expo 2020 Dubai’s – and now Expo City Dubai’s – long-term commitment to deliver positive social, economic and environmental change, the search officially launches on 1 February. It marks the sixth edition of Expo Live since the programme was announced in 2013 as part of the UAE’s bid to host the World Expo.

Yousuf Caires, Executive Director, Expo Live Innovation Programme, said: “Expo Live has already had an incredibly powerful and tangible impact on people and planet and, in the year that Expo City Dubai – a blueprint for sustainable urban development – will host the COP28 climate conference and continue its own journey towards carbon neutrality, we are pushing forward on our commitment to foster creativity and innovation to address the urgent issue of climate change.

“This new round of Expo Live exemplifies the collective responsibility and innovative spirit essential to achieving our climate goals and we welcome new environmental, sustainability and conservation solutions from around the world. With a pressing need to reset our relationship with the planet, it is clear that, 10 years on, Expo Live remains as timely and relevant as ever.”

Selected projects will receive access to funding plus technical guidance, support and partnership opportunities, providing an invaluable platform for accelerating entrepreneurial spirit and bringing to life Expo City Dubai’s belief in the power of collaboration and innovation to propel human progress.

Applications can be submitted at www.expocitydubai.com/expolive from 1 February until 1 March, with shortlisted candidates invited to a live pitching event in Dubai in May, and the winners announced shortly afterwards.

To date, Expo Live has supported 140 Global Innovators from 76 countries, with around one third related to sustainability issues. The programme has positively impacted 5.8 million people worldwide, restoring 36 million hectares of land, offsetting 190,000 tonnes of CO2, and saving 6.3 million litres of water.

Expo Live actively pursues innovative partnerships with international and local leaders across the corporate, impact investment and social enterprise spheres, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Acumen Fund and the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa).

The Expo Live community will play an important role in Expo City Dubai’s wider schedule of events, programmes and activations taking place in 2023 as the city prepares to host the COP28 climate conference, inspiring a chain reaction of individual and collective climate action, from the UAE to the world.