DUBAI // The UAE needs more entrepreneurs who are prepared to take risks, according to a student who recently returned from a trip to Germany designed to introduce local students to countries excelling in innovation and ideas. Ayesha Bin Lootah was one of five classmates from Zayed University to visit the country, which logs the highest number of patent registrations in Europe and is one of the world's leaders in innovation and technology.
The Innovation Culture Project trip included visits to the Innovation Centre at the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Fraunhofer Institute in Berlin, the Senate Chancellery and the Hamburg Media School. "We discovered that innovation is not only about technology," said Ayesha bin Lootah, "but it is also a vision for a better society in every field of this life: economy, technology, politics, social values.
"The issue with the UAE is not funding. We have the institutions and the Government that can help with that. What we need is to have more entrepreneurs who are willing to take risks without necessarily knowing the outcome." Ms bin Lootah said the trip had inspired her. "Every person in the UAE needs to implement their ideas," she said, "even the small ones". nsamaha@thenational.ae
