An 18-year-old Indian expatriate and environmental science student has claimed the grand prize in the inaugural KT+ 150 List Makers Elevator Pitch competition. Dhana Abdul Fathah, a second-year student at the American University of Sharjah, secured Dh250,000 worth of media coverage in Khaleej Times and 250,000 Skywards Miles from Emirates for her innovative self-charging power bank concept.
The winning invention utilizes micro-energy chips that harness ambient energy from movement and light, eliminating the need for external charging sources. The Abu Dhabi-born student developed her submission under significant time constraints, creating and submitting her pitch video within just four hours before the competition deadline while simultaneously managing her university examinations.
Dhana’s inspiration emerged from her academic focus on environmental science and sustainability, with several months of preliminary research preceding her competition entry. She anticipates requiring approximately one year to advance from research and development to creating a functional prototype, with ambitions to establish a formal startup venture by her graduation.
The competition, organized by Khaleej Times, attracted over 20 entries according to Chief Content Officer Ted Kemp. Judges selected three finalists including Dhana’s power bank concept. Other shortlisted proposals included a zero-waste circular economy farm café that would convert restaurant scraps into compost for growing produce, and a proposed magic academy in Dubai aimed at fostering cognitive transformation through magical education.
Despite her achievement, Dhana acknowledges forthcoming challenges in securing investors and scaling her technology. She maintains an additional role as remote ambassador for the Abu Dhabi-based Middle East Business Alliance for Sustainability while pursuing her studies.