Science and Technology into Sovereign Capability
A nation either shapes the shifts in science and technology or is shaped by them
Artificial intelligence, quantum, autonomy and advanced materials are redefining what nations can do and faster than the institutions built to govern them can adapt. In this landscape, capability is sovereignty.
The Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) is Abu Dhabi’s answer. Established by the Government of Abu Dhabi, ATRC sets the emirate’s advanced technology priorities and connects research, talent, investment, industry and market adoption into a single system built to deliver real-world impact.
We operate across the full R&D lifecycle, advancing sovereign capability, strengthening national resilience, and moving breakthrough technologies out of the lab and into the market. Through ASPIRE, the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and VentureOne, we bring together challenge-led innovation, applied research and venture building to solve strategic priorities for the UAE and contribute to global progress.
One system from discovery to deployment
Breakthroughs
Since 2020, ATRC has built the ecosystem and delivered milestones to prove it:
- Released the Falcon large language model series, including Falcon 180B and Falcon Arabic, establishing open, sovereign AI at global scale
- Built the UAE’s first post-quantum cryptography capability, now anchoring national readiness with the UAE Cyber Security Council and QuantumGate.
- Pushed the frontier of autonomous systems through A2RL, where in 2025 an AI-piloted drone outpaced a human world champion
- Test-fired the UAE’s first liquid rocket engine and launched its first hybrid rocket, establishing homegrown space propulsion
- Opened the Middle East’s first joint AI and robotics research lab with NVIDIA in Abu Dhabi.
- Launched ai71, QuantumGate, SteerAI and Nabat through VentureOne, moving sovereign technologies from research into the market
- Advanced TII-developed confidential AI through OPAQUE, strengthening trust in how AI handles sensitive data
- Convened the inaugural Governance of Emerging Technologies Summit, putting responsible innovation at the center of the agenda
Shaping the future
ATRC is building the foundations for Abu Dhabi’s leadership in advanced technology, connecting deep science, real-world deployment and global partnership to help navigate the tectonic shifts reshaping science, technology and society.
Learn more about ATRC:
https://www.atrc.gov.ae/