The fifth and largest edition of the Make it in the Emirates industrial forum opened on Monday at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) in Abu Dhabi, drawing an anticipated 120,000 visitors over four days. The event, held under the theme “Advanced Industry. Emerging Stronger,” features approximately 1,200 exhibitors spread across 88,000 square meters, showcasing developments in 12 priority sectors including advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defence, pharmaceuticals, energy, mobility, and sustainable materials.

This year’s expanded forum underscores the UAE’s ongoing commitment to advancing its industrial sector, which has seen significant growth in recent years. Industrial GDP has risen by 70% since 2021, while exports have more than doubled to Dh262 billion, highlighting the country’s vision of an economy focused on sustained industrial expansion.

Organised by the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), ADNOC, and L’IMAD, and managed by ADNCEC Group, the event functions as a national platform to align industrial priorities, capabilities, and opportunities.

Alongside the traditional exhibitions, this year’s forum introduced four dedicated experiential hubs designed to enhance hands-on industrial capability development. These include the Intelligence Hub, a 1,400-square-metre technology showcase structured around AI, robotics, drones, electric vehicles, batteries, industrial cybersecurity, and smart manufacturing, featuring locally developed technologies, international innovations, and UAE-global partnerships.

The Industry NextGen Hub supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-ups, and entrepreneurs—who make up 61% of exhibitors—by providing direct access to national procurement opportunities. This hub offers pitch competitions, investor matchmaking, business-to-business meetings with anchor buyers, and workshops focused on accessing national financing programs and integrating into supply chains.

The Quality Hub aims to guide companies on certification and accreditation standards crucial for enabling UAE-manufactured products to compete in global markets. Meanwhile, the House of Industry is the UAE’s first immersive industrial heritage exhibition, presenting the country’s industrial evolution through film, timelines, and interactive displays, connecting modern progress with the nation’s historical roots.

During the forum, major deals are expected to be announced involving government bodies, national enterprises, global corporations, and local businesses, reflecting a broad collaborative approach to industrial growth. MoIAT is also set to unveil new initiatives to enhance the UAE’s industrial resilience amid a volatile global environment, including the next phase of the In-Country Value (ICV) Program. This program has already redirected more than Dh473 billion into the national economy, supporting local employment and strengthening supply chains.

Make it in the Emirates continues to serve as a cornerstone in the UAE’s strategy to build a robust, innovation-driven industrial economy by fostering collaboration, technological advancement, and sustainable development.