About Mada Innovation Award

Accelerating inclusive innovation in digital accessibility & assistive technology.

Accessibility First Responsible AI

Mada Innovation Award (MIA)

The Mada Innovation Award is a flagship initiative by Mada – Qatar Assistive Technology Center, created to accelerate innovation in digital accessibility and inclusive technology for persons with disabilities.

Through a competitive process that includes application screening, expert jury evaluation, mentorship, and funding, MIA equips innovators, startups, and researchers with the tools and guidance needed to bring ideas to life. Winning solutions gain financial support and integration into Mada’s innovation ecosystem for growth, market readiness, and long-term impact.

Digital Accessibility Assistive Tech Inclusive Design Mentorship Funding Impact at Scale
2
Successful Editions
15+
Pioneering AT Solutions
Public • Private • Academia Collaboration
Program Pillars

Innovation • Inclusion • Impact

Innovation

Support breakthrough ideas leveraging AI and emerging tech to solve real accessibility challenges.

Inclusion

Center people with disabilities through co-design, testing, and culturally relevant solutions.

Impact

Build sustainable pathways to market readiness, policy alignment, and long-term adoption.

How it Works

From Application to Impact

Apply

Submit your proposal during the open call window with problem, solution, users, and evidence of need.

Expert Jury Evaluation

Independent jury scores on relevance, feasibility, inclusivity, innovation, and impact potential.

Mentorship Sprint

Selected teams receive targeted mentorship to strengthen product, research, and go-to-market plans.

Funding & Ecosystem

Grants plus integration into Mada’s ecosystem for pilots, partnerships, and visibility.

Funding & Support

Seed grants, expert clinics, and product/design reviews.

Community & Partners

Connections with public, private, and academic stakeholders.

Standards & Ethics

WCAG, safety, privacy-by-design, and Responsible AI guidance.

Visibility

Showcase at Mada events, publications, and media channels.

Eligibility & Categories

Who Can Apply

Eligibility

  • Startups, SMEs, researchers, NGOs, and student teams.
  • Solutions focused on accessibility, assistive tech, or inclusive digital services.
  • Prototype or working proof of concept preferred; clear user impact required.
  • Commitment to ethical, inclusive, and culturally appropriate design.

Award Categories

Rising Innovations

Advanced, AI-powered solutions demonstrating strong scalability.

Promising Innovations

High-potential projects ready for focused mentorship and pilots.

Emerging Innovations

Early-stage ideas addressing clear accessibility needs.

Accessibility Commitment

MIA champions inclusive design across the entire lifecycle. Solutions are encouraged to align with international accessibility standards and to involve people with disabilities through participatory design, testing, and feedback loops.

Co-design WCAG Usability Testing Localization

Responsible AI

Projects leveraging AI should demonstrate transparency, data protection, informed consent, safety-by-design, and fairness for diverse users—including robust evaluation with assistive tech users.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Hardware, software, content, or services that advance digital accessibility or assistive technology for people with disabilities—including AI-enabled solutions—are welcome.

A prototype or proof-of-concept strengthens your application. Early concepts are considered when the problem, user need, and feasibility are clearly articulated.

Independent jury evaluation considers relevance, inclusivity, innovation, feasibility, scalability, and impact potential, followed by mentorship for shortlisted teams.

Funding, mentorship, technical and design reviews, and integration into Mada’s ecosystem for pilots, partnerships, visibility, and long-term adoption.

Applications are now open and the last application for this year will be accepted on September 27, 2025. After this time, the application will be considered for next year.