Dubai: DP World Foundation and Expo City Dubai Foundation have announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the growth of innovative social enterprises tackling some of the world's most pressing development challenges, with initiatives that have already positively impacted more than 100,000 children and young people.
According to Emirates News Agency, the partnership combines DP World Foundation's commitment to creating sustainable community impact with Expo City Dubai Foundation's Global Innovators Programme, supporting entrepreneurs whose solutions drive measurable social, economic, and environmental progress. The collaboration launched with support for two Africa-based ventures - Le Lionceau in Senegal and Smartcore in Tanzania - selected from the seventh cohort of the programme in recognition of their transformative work in education, skills development, and youth empowerment.
In Senegal, the partnership has supported more than 55,000 children to date through the distribution of Le Lionceau's nutritious baby food, made from underutilised African crops sourced from smallholder farmers across the Sahel region. A targeted initiative within this collaboration saw DP World Foundation facilitate the distribution of 10,000 sachets of fortified infant flour - providing the equivalent of approximately 40,000 nutrient-dense meals - specifically to children across highly vulnerable communities, including those in hospitals and orphanages.
In Tanzania, edtech firm Smartcore is expanding access to quality education through its digital platform, Kisomo. With the Foundations' support, the platform has reached more than 59,000 children to date across both in-school learners and out-of-school children - 60 percent of whom are female. Over 130 schools have been onboarded and 42 marginalised schools equipped with offline platform access to ensure equitable education access in regions with limited internet connectivity.
Building on this success, DP World Foundation will also support another two entrepreneurs from the latest cohort of Expo City Dubai Foundation's Global Innovators Programme, which is designed to scale solutions tackling extreme heat. Fuselage Innovations, an Indian enterprise harnessing advanced agricultural drone solutions for precise heat-stress detection and protection of crops, and Moon Innovations from Nigeria, producers of modular solar-energy systems to secure food, health, and livelihoods in climate-vulnerable regions, will receive funding of up to US$100,000, alongside technical guidance, visibility, and access to networking opportunities.
Latifa Al Qemzi, Director-General, DP World Foundation, commented on the partnership's significance, emphasizing the role of purposeful collaboration in unlocking scalable solutions to global challenges. By supporting such initiatives, the foundation aims to create tangible, long-term impacts, from strengthening food security to expanding access to quality education.
Yousuf Caires, Executive Director, Expo City Dubai Foundation, expressed excitement over the partnership, highlighting the importance of collaboration and innovation in driving progress. The ongoing partnership aims to support even more initiatives addressing critical issues through the Global Innovator Programme cohort, contributing to a sustainable future for all.
The partnership builds on the long-standing collaboration between the two organisations forged during Expo 2020 Dubai and reflects a shared focus on scaling innovation-led development. Both organisations will continue exploring similar initiatives in new markets, further amplifying their impact.