In March 2021, the Khaleej Times reported on Manhat, a start-up from Abu Dhabi set up in November 2019 by Dr Saeed Alhassan, a chemical engineer at Khalifa University. Manhat had devised a way to obtain water through natural distillation on open surfaces. Unlike electrically powered desalination, its water production was meant to work without electricity. The company relied on its own funds and sought seed capital for a pilot project. Its patents were partly backed by the Takamul programme of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.
The report showed how a start-up from the Emirates used its own patents to look for an alternative to power-driven desalination, while it still had to fund a first pilot project.
Source: Khaleej Times