Crescent Enterprises, a UAE-headquartered diversified business group, has launched a new prize in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Solve initiative, recognising start-ups applying artificial intelligence (AI) to pressing global challenges.
Announced on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week in New York, the Crescent Enterprises AI for Social Innovation Prize will provide $100,000 in equity-free funding, alongside mentorship and access to global networks through MIT Solve’s nine-month support programme.
Four pioneering teams were named as inaugural recipients:
- I Read Arabic – a digital platform advancing Arabic literacy at scale through engaging, high-quality learning resources.
- Smart Scope® CX – a low-cost, AI-assisted cervical cancer screening tool designed for use at the point of care.
- Littoral – a data-driven solution turning coastal information into early warning and planning tools for climate-resilient shorelines.
- Visilant – a platform expanding affordable eye screening, enabling earlier interventions to improve vision outcomes.
Speaking at the launch, Crescent Enterprises CEO Badr Jafar said the prize was designed to highlight how technology can achieve meaningful outcomes.
“Technology is only as powerful as the impact it creates,” he said. “With these AI-enabled solutions we have a tangible opportunity to tackle challenges once thought intractable – from literacy and healthcare to climate resilience. Our partnership with MIT Solve connects visionary entrepreneurs to the resources they need to turn breakthrough ideas into scalable solutions. At Crescent Enterprises, innovation must be inclusive, sustainable, and anchored in real-world progress.”
MIT Solve’s Executive Director, Hala Hanna, welcomed the partnership and underlined its global significance.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Crescent Enterprises on the 2025 Crescent Enterprises AI for Social Innovation Prize,” she said. “This funding will have ripple effects in communities around the world.”
The announcement follows Crescent Enterprises’ co-hosting of the first MIT Challenge Clinic in Arabic, an initiative designed to broaden access to Solve’s networks for Arab entrepreneurs and strengthen their capacity to scale AI-driven innovations.
This year, MIT Solve’s 2025 Global Challenges awarded more than $1.5m in prize funding to 31 Solver teams, selected from a record 2,900 applicants across 130 countries.
For Crescent Enterprises, the collaboration reinforces its long-standing focus on sustainability and innovation across diverse sectors including ports and logistics, energy, healthcare, and technology. The company has increasingly positioned itself as a regional leader in advancing social impact through business and investment.
By leveraging the combined reach of Crescent Enterprises and MIT Solve, the initiative aims to accelerate AI solutions that address systemic problems – from education gaps to healthcare access and climate change.
As the winners begin their nine-month mentorship journey, both organisations expressed optimism that their innovations will scale globally, offering pathways to more inclusive growth and resilience in vulnerable communities.
