Dubai-based entrepreneur to represent the UAE at global innovation event in Tokyo

National winner Karim Albehiri will be among 39 elite global teams presenting their ideas to renowned judges at the R d Bull Basement World Final on 2 – 5 December, 2024.

When the Red Bull Basement programme invited innovators and entrepreneurs from across the UAE to submit their next-generation ideas and solutions, more than 700 teams responded. And now, after reviewing the top 8, the national judging panel have selected the best of the best, right in front of the iconic DIFC Gate building: Team Motion – 23-year-old Karim of Manchester University – who will go on to December’s World Final in Tokyo, Japan, an immersive and supportive event where the overall winner for 2024 will be decided.

The ideas that were submitted for this year’s edition in the UAE addressed areas ranging from waste management to applications for mental health, and the national judges – who included Steve Gotz – Head of Business at DIFC Innovation Hub,  Tatiana Plastinina – Regional Marketing Manager at AMD, Julien Plouzeau – Senior Partner at Oraseya Capital  and Alex Scott – Leader at Superteam UAE – found that Team Motion’s idea for a mobile app that leverages sensors of smart watches and machine learning to analyze and improve sports techniques and movement was the standout. 

• XpIAR – Immersive AR-enabled learning pods allowing students to visualize complex concepts in real-time
• Includo – A device that translates sign language into text and speech using smart wristbands and rings
• Veehive – An open-source LLM-powered tech that creates short-form videos from extracting key insights from books
• Neura’s Speech AGI – an AI-powered solution for businesses’ customer interactions
• Hydronaut – a solar-powered autonomous water quality monitoring and feed-dispensing robot for small-medium sized water bodies
• E8 Robot – a waste collection system using AI
• Help Yourself – A mobile app that analyzes mental health content online and recommends content based on your diagnosis

Karim, who embarked on this entrepreneurial journey with his brother Hamdi at the start of 2024, was ecstatic about his unexpected win. Karim said: “Red Bull Basement has been an exciting experience, providing incredible exposure and allowing me to meet like-minded individuals. I initially discovered the opportunity at the Expand North Star event in Dubai, and we’re now in the prototype phase of our project.”

He continued, “The support and resources I’ll be getting from DIFC Innovation Hub and DAFZ, alongside the exposure to the world of startups, will definitely be invaluable. As I prepare for the global finals, I plan to refine my pitch and continue demos and testing to ensure I’m offering the best version of ‘Motion’.”

Next: The Development Phase
Up next is a crucial period for all the national winners worldwide: the Development Phase. From now until they leave for Tokyo, they’ll be unlocking resources, including work with mentors and AI technology, to detail their business plan and evolve their ideas toward readiness as a business start-up. Here in the UAE, Karim was awarded with a membership at ‘Scality’, DAFZ’s unique and innovative startups programme which enables him to establish and grow his business.

Also, Karim’s win has secured him a spot at ‘Sandbox’, DIEZ’s accelerator programme dedicated to fostering tech startups as part of Oraseya Capital, the venture capital investment arm of the authority.

“The UAE is a hotbed for innovation and investment in AI, so the Red Bull Basement initiative provides a great platform for budding technologists and entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and learn vital business skills”, said Zaid Ghattas, META Senior Commercial Lead, AMD. He also added: “Participants will gain invaluable experience and inspiration to pursue careers in one of the world’s most exciting and fastest-growing technology markets.”

Mohammad Alblooshi, CEO at DIFC Innovation Hub said: “Karim’s innovative concept, ‘Motion’, truly stood out among the exceptional ideas presented. His entrepreneurial spirit and fresh approach to leveraging technology in sports is a testament to the dynamic and creative talent emerging from the UAE. The DIFC Innovation Hub looks forward to working with Karim to develop his ideas and eagerly anticipates his presentation at the global finals in Tokyo.”

Coming in December: The World Final
It all culminates in the World Final from 2 to 5 December, an inspiring and collaborative gathering where the teams from around the world will bring their ideas to life for a panel of renowned global judges, with the top team for 2024 winning a three-week, all-expenses-paid experience in Silicon Valley in 2025, including personalized mentorship from Plug and Play Venture Capitalist and opportunities to connect with top industry leaders

“We’re very excited to partner with Red Bull Basement on this global initiative, empowering students to push the boundaries of innovation. We can’t wait to see the groundbreaking technologies and ideas from Red Bull Basement and to support the global winner in connecting with international stakeholders for investment and growth opportunities,” said Jamie Lipman, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Plug & Play Venture Capitalist.

The global judging panel that will determine the winning idea for 2024 include Hans Yang, Head of Microsoft For Startups, Letizia Royo–Villanova, early stage investor of Plug and Play and digital creator and mentorship program leader Jun Yuh. 

“Competing through several rounds with the UAE’s best and taking runner-up at Red Bull Basement was a proud moment for us. It’s more than a ranking—it’s proof that bold, fresh ideas can resonate and create impact. The feedback we got validated our vision and underscored the importance of ideas built to drive change. This recognition isn’t just a win; it fuels our drive to keep building something relevant, real, and ready for the future,” said  Sathish Jeyakumar, Founder and CEO, Veehive.

Red Bull Basement is collaborating with Microsoft and AMD for this 2024 edition, focusing strongly on AI technologies to deliver the best possible experience. The Red Bull Basement Chatbot, powered by Microsoft, uses Azure OpenAI Service which includes AMD Instinct Accelerators and AMD EPYC Processors as part of its hardware infrastructure, to assist teams in developing ideas and creating business plans. These components are integral to the service’s ability to handle complex AI workloads efficiently. In addition, the national winners will receive an AI-enabled laptop with the latest AMD Ryzen AI processor technology to utilise Microsoft’s AI technologies during the critical Development Phase as they prepare for December’s World Final in Tokyo, Japan.