RTA Tops Global Best Innovation Hub Award At GIMI Innovation Awards 2025

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has secured first place worldwide in the ‘Best Innovation Hub’ category at the Global Innovation Management Institute Innovation Awards 2025, underscoring RTA’s role in mobility innovation and strengthening Dubai’s position as a global centre for emerging transport technologies and start-up collaboration within the United Arab Emirates and the wider international market.

The recognition highlights RTA as a key government platform for innovation, which supports investor confidence and start-up interest in Dubai’s mobility sector. It also improves the city’s international media visibility, reinforces global competitiveness, and supports Dubai’s ambition to remain a leading destination for technology-driven urban transport solutions.

The Global Innovation Management Institute announced the award at the GIMI Innovation Awards ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with participation from innovation specialists, senior decision-makers, and representatives of public and private organisations worldwide. The ‘Best Innovation Hub’ category honours institutions that create measurable impact across innovation ecosystems at both local and global levels.

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Shaikha Ahmed Almeheiri, Director of Innovation and Pioneering at RTA’s Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, said, "RTA’s Innovation Accelerator programme aims to maximise the value of start-up innovations in mobility in line with RTA’s strategy and UAE’s national directions. The programme identifies start-ups, evaluates their capabilities, and supports them in developing and implementing innovative solutions within RTA and in collaboration with strategic partners.This approach activates partnerships between the public and private sectors and helps raise RTA’s innovation maturity index. The programme has proven effective as an integrated operational model that enables innovation and accelerates the adoption of advanced technological solutions."

Almeheiri added, "This global recognition affirms the strength and integration of the innovation ecosystem at RTA. The ‘ScaleUp Mobility’ programme, launched by the Innovation and Pioneering Department at RTA’s Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, has established an effective corporate model for enabling innovation and linking it directly to operational results." The programme connects pilots with operational units to achieve measurable outcomes.

Almeheiri stated, "This success has also strengthened the role of RTA’s Transportation Research and Innovation Pavilion (TRIP) as the programme’s innovation and applied arm, by providing the supporting infrastructure and transforming research and innovation outcomes into practical, implementable solutions. This ensures that innovation initiatives remain aligned with the future directions of the mobility sector and RTA’s long-term strategies." TRIP therefore acts as a bridge between research concepts and field deployment.

Almeheiri continued, "This achievement represents global recognition of Dubai’s leadership in government innovation and reinforces our commitment to developing a smart and sustainable mobility ecosystem in partnership with start-ups. The ScaleUp Mobility programme serves as a successful model for linking innovation to tangible operational outcomes." The initiative supports RTA’s long-term mobility plans and aligns with UAE national priorities.

The award adds to RTA’s record of international recognition in transport innovation and confirms the effectiveness of its integrated model that combines start-up engagement, research platforms, and operational departments. For business stakeholders in the Middle East, the result signals a supportive policy environment in Dubai for mobility technology investment, partnerships, and expansion across regional urban transport markets.

With inputs from WAM