ForsaTEK showcased the future: What is ForsaTEK

 


The first edition of ForsaTEK made its debut last week in the EGHQ atrium. The event was packed with partners and start-ups from the aviation and travel industry, who brought their latest innovations and ideas to life – quite literally.

 

Our Chairman and CEO, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, accompanied by Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, and other senior leaders, cut the innovative virtual ribbon on the large screen to mark the start of what promises to be an exciting annual event.

 

The name ForsaTEK drives home the vision and purpose of the event. Forsa, derived from Arabic means ‘your opportunity’, while TEK has dual symbolism – it’s a short form for technology and a nod to our airline code (EK).

 


The aim of ForsaTEK is to showcase the scale and diversity of technology innovation across the Emirates Group and how we collaborate with the wider ecosystem to not just design it, but deliver it. Central to this are our two start-up programs, Intelak and Aviation X Lab, both of which we deliver in partnership with high-profile industry and tech partners, providing an opportunity to network with key players in the aviation, travel, and tourism technology space.

 

Our partners, heavyweight industry players in their own right, included Accenture, Airbus, Amadeus, Amazon Web Services, Collins Aerospace, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, GE Aerospace, Microsoft, Thales, and Vision-Box.

 

Attendees had the 'first' to experience unique demos: the industry’s first-ever robotic check-in experience from the Emirates Group, an Emirates Group IT and ChatGPT integration by Microsoft, digital solutions focused on efficiency and safety by GE Aerospace, computer vision by AWS and eSIM by Thales.

 

Some of the industry’s leading tech innovations, subject matter experts, start-up founders, and our very own Sara the check-in robot, wowed the crowd. What’s more, curious, excited colleagues queued up to experience a robot serving delicious ice cream and coffee.



 

Over the two days of ForsaTEK, some of the forums included:

 

  • Fireside chats with Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, and Steve Allen, Executive Vice President, dnata
  • Deep dives on 'Building your own brand' by Maha Gaber, Founder of Digital and Savvy, 'Re-defining Success' by Khaled Al Attar from GADHA Institute, and 'Understanding Dubai Future Foundation' by Ghaith Rahman, Senior Projects Director at Dubai Future Foundation
  • Expert panel discussions on topics such as 'Women in Travel and Tech', 'Generative AI', 'Tech in Sustainability', and 'Youth in Tech'
  • Pitches from over 20 Start-ups from our Intelak and Aviation X Lab cohorts as well as some promising university graduates, showcasing their transformative ideas