in5, an enabling platform for design, tech, and media start-ups, has announced its appearance at Dubai Design Week, both as an exhibitor and as a host of workshops.
Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of Dubai Media City, said: “in5 aims to be an incubator ecosystem that provides entrepreneurs and start-ups the optimal conditions for growth. We have come to Dubai Design Week to showcase some fascinating projects and concepts that are being worked on in the design space.”
Between November 8 and 13, the incubator will present a multidisciplinary exhibition displaying its evolving design practises, which will comprise a variety of thought processes highlighting new inventive practises, products with technology-driven design, and user-centric design paradigms.
The exhibition looks at how technology plays a part in many of the techniques taken by design start-ups, such as leveraging 3D printing or aeronautical technology to develop more efficient, smarter, and inventive products and designs.
These projects will look at a wide range of topics, including culture, craft, sustainability, spirituality, and wellness.
Gateway To Heaven, a stainless steel canopy with columns and a water curtain that creates the illusion of a waterfall pouring from heaven to earth, and Boostpod, an urban device that aims to redefine the balance of work and life by providing an app-accessible private, soundproofed environment, will be on display at KDSV.
Another idea by NYXO Visionary Design, an in5 start-up, is Urban Fossils, an urban cooling system that uses a porous, fossil-inspired structure and a combination of algorithm-driven design and sand 3D printing to lower technologies.
CODE, Neo Architecture, Shatha Essa, Seen Meem Interior Design, Uche by Amber, and Stelyx are among the other exhibitors. At the exhibition, the latter will demonstrate novel folding processes adopted from the aerospace sector. The T-Bench from Stelyx, for example, adjusts its length automatically to maintain social distance, while the Gravity Tree Rack uses a design inspired by tree branches to dry clothing while conserving space and time.
During Dubai Design Week, in5 Design will organize a series of workshops in partnership with its partners.
“These workshops not only provide participants with valuable insights into a range of design technology subjects but also offer a platform for our partners to showcase their solutions to a wider audience,” said Al Suwaidi.
“Participants will also have a chance to explore our state-of-the-art facilities and see for themselves how the prototyping and fashion labs can help entrepreneurs and start-ups.”
The subjects covered in the workshops are diverse. Some will be more practical, such as Pantone’s talk on the role of colour in brand recognition and foundation of colour psychology by colour theorist Fatima Al Shirawi, while others will be more theoretical, such as the uses of CNC for laser cutting and robotic milling – the newest addition to in5’s prototyping lab – while others will be more theory-based, such as Pantone’s talk on the role of colour in brand recognition and foundation of colour psychology by colour theorist Fatima
Sustainability is also addressed in the workshops, particularly in the fashion industry, with sessions on zero-waste garment design, sustainable fabric sourcing, and an introduction to sustainable design.
in5 is a start-up and entrepreneur-friendly platform that fosters innovation and helps innovative ideas reach the market. It provides a solid business start-up framework, training and mentorship, networking, investment options, and cutting-edge prototyping labs, studios, and creative workspaces, among other things.
In October 2021, in5 announced a new milestone when one of its start-ups received a total investment of AED 1.4 billion, underlining Dubai’s leadership position as a desirable location for talent and entrepreneurship. Venture capitalists and angel investors made direct investments.
