“Made in the Emirates” launches today with the participation of 1,245 exhibitors and 120,000 expected visitors

Today, the activities of the fifth edition of the “Make in the Emirates 2026” platform will be launched at the “ADNEC Center in Abu Dhabi”, under the slogan “Advanced Industry…We Emerge Stronger”, in an edition that is considered the largest of this leading industrial platform in the Emirates, with the participation of 1,245 exhibitors, while this year’s edition will be marked by the announcement of a purchasing opportunities initiative targeting the localization of 5,000 products in the Emirates.

The event is expected to attract about 120,000 visitors over the course of its four days, from the fourth to the seventh of May, with the participation of ministers, business leaders, investors, industrialists, innovators, and youth, on an exhibition area of ​​88,000 square metres, showcasing manufacturing opportunities, products, technologies, and many others from 1,245 exhibitors. This unprecedented size of this year’s edition reflects the long-term industrial orientation of the UAE and its commitment to building an economy based on continued construction and production.

The platform is expected to witness the announcement of major deals between government agencies, national companies, international institutions and local companies, while the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, for its part, unveils a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing the flexibility of the industrial sector in the UAE and supporting companies in light of the current volatile economic environment.

The platform covers 12 priority industrial sectors, including: advanced manufacturing, energy, aviation and defense, pharmaceuticals, mobility, and sustainable materials, while this year’s edition focuses largely on industrial flexibility, localization, empowerment, advanced manufacturing and technology, supply chains, quality infrastructure, and competency development.

For the first time in the 2026 edition, visitors will be able to explore interactive areas and experiences, including the Museum of Industry, the Innovation Center, the Start-up Center, and the Quality Center, which showcase the most prominent industrial achievements, innovation, technology adoption, and the next generation of national talent.

For its part, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, as part of a national trend to enhance the competitiveness of the industrial sector and consolidate the UAE’s position as a global destination for industrial investment, is launching four new platforms during the “Make in the UAE 2026” platform.

The platforms include: the startups platform, the quality infrastructure platform, the smart industries forum, and the House of Industry. This system includes manufacturers, investors, startups, technology providers, enablers, and financing solutions within an integrated framework.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Hassan Jassim Al Nowais, confirmed that the “Make in the Emirates” platform represents a national movement that translates industrial ambitions into tangible results, while the new platforms embody this trend in a practical and clear way, by linking manufacturers with real purchasing opportunities through the National Content Program, and reducing the gap between production and demand, between emerging companies and obtaining their first strategic contracts, and between global technology and production lines in the country, which contributes to transforming opportunities into partnerships, and ideas into projects. With a sustainable economic impact.

He explained that the platform brings together more than 1,245 exhibiting companies, with a growth of 73%, compared to the year 2025, representing 12 vital industrial sectors. This year is also distinguished by the announcement of a purchasing opportunities initiative targeting the localization of 5,000 products in the UAE, with a growth of 4%, compared to the year 2025, while small and medium companies, startups, and entrepreneurs constitute 61% of the total participants, which reflects a state of confidence and momentum of available opportunities.