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In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, honoured the winners of the GovTech Prize and the Global Best M-Gov Award at the World Governments Summit 2025.
The Summit, taking place in Dubai from 11 to 13 February, convenes heads of state and government, decision-makers, visionaries and industry leaders from across the world to shape the future of governance.
The ceremony was attended by Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence; His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah; and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah
His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasised that technological innovation is a key driver for building a better future, empowering societies, and enabling governments to implement transformative solutions that enhance quality of life.
His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan stated: "The World Governments Summit serves as a global platform that nurtures and accelerates innovation. Through its specialised awards, it recognises outstanding achievements in leveraging technology to empower societies and enhance governments' readiness for the future."
Global Best M-Gov Award
His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan awarded the Gold Prize to ExoHeal from Constructor University, Germany, for its AI-driven rehabilitation system that assists stroke survivors and individuals with paralysis. The solution combines a robotic glove and machine learning algorithms to accelerate therapy by 50% while providing personalised treatment plans and gamified exercises to engage patients. The platform also allows doctors to monitor progress remotely and adjust treatment in real time, marking a revolutionary advancement in neurorehabilitation.
The Silver Prize was awarded to TERA from Ecole Polytechnique de Thies, Senegal, which tackles agricultural losses caused by inefficient storage and distribution. The platform connects farmers, consumers, and warehouse managers, offering solar-powered storage solutions and a digital marketplace for efficient produce distribution.
The Bronze Prize was awarded to AccessWay from Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology, India, which leverages AI-powered navigation, AR-enhanced guidance, and accessibility mapping to assist over 1 billion people with mobility challenges. The app features a 3D avatar companion for step-by-step assistance and promotes economic inclusion by encouraging businesses to adopt accessibility-friendly infrastructure, potentially contributing $50 billion annually to local economies.
GovTech Prize
His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan also recognised the winners of the GovTech Prize, which celebrates excellence and innovation in government services worldwide.
Best Use of Generative AI in Government Services: VICA 2.0 from GovTech Singapore, an AI-powered virtual assistant adopted by over 60 government agencies. VICA 2.0 integrates natural language processing (NLP) and generative AI, enabling multilingual, real-time interactions with citizens. In 2024 alone, it processed over one million citizen queries, setting a global benchmark for AI-driven public service.
Best Human-Centric Government Service: Citizen Service Counter Program from Brazil, launched in March 2024 to enhance digital inclusion. The initiative provides in-person government assistance, free internet access, and digital skills training to underserved populations, benefiting over 80,000 citizens and achieving a 95% problem resolution rate.
Best Government Service in the World: Suomi.fi from Finland, a nationwide digital public services portal used by 95% of Finnish adults. In 2024, it facilitated over 200 million e-identifications and sent nearly 20 million digital messages, demonstrating a transformative approach to secure, unified digital governance.
Fostering Innovation for a Better Future
The GovTech Prize is overseen by the Emirates Government Service Excellence Program (EGSEP) in the UAE Prime Minister’s Office under the UAE’s Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, aiming to accelerate innovation in government services by engaging students, researchers, startups, private sector leaders, and government institutions in developing breakthrough solutions for societal challenges.
Marking its 10th edition, the Prize expanded to recognize both government-led initiatives and student-led innovations through the GovTech Prize and the Global Best M-Gov Award respectively fostering a future-ready GovTech ecosystem.
This year’s GovTech Prize recognized government service excellence in three key categories, Best Use of Generative AI in Government Services, Best Human-Centric Government Service, and Best Government Service in the World.
Meanwhile, the Global Best M-Gov Award spotlighted university-led projects that leverage technology to enhance quality of life, with scalability for global impact.
All nominations underwent rigorous evaluation by an independent judging panel, assessing innovation, scalability, sustainability, impact, and alignment with societal needs. The awards celebrate solutions that deliver tangible benefits, enhance public service efficiency, and set new global standards in digital governance.
A Global Platform for Government Innovation
As a leading international platform, the World Governments Summit fosters forward-thinking governance, innovation, and public sector excellence through its diverse array of global awards.
In addition to the GovTech Prize, the Summit hosts awards including Best Minister in the World Award, Innovative Government Solutions Award, Global Government Excellence Award and Best Teacher in the World Award.
The 2025 World Governments Summit brings together over 30 heads of state and government, 80 international and regional organisations, 140 government delegations, and 6,000+ global attendees. Its agenda features 21 global forums, 200+ interactive sessions, 30+ strategic reports, and high-level ministerial meetings—making it the premier gathering for shaping the future of governance.
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