A Brazilian is among the winners of one of the world’s most important awards in social innovation. Ronaldo Cohin won the Zayed Sustainability Prize in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with the startup Jade Autism. The startup uses artificial intelligence, games, and data analysis to support early detection and monitoring of the development of children with autism spectrum disorder. The international recognition highlights the global impact of a solution created from Cohin’s personal experience and technically structured during the MBA in Data Science at the Center for Mathematical Sciences Applied to Industry (CeMEAI) and the Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science (ICMC) of USP.
Before reaching the United Arab Emirates, Cohin’s trajectory had already gained prominence after winning the pitch competition at Web Summit Rio in 2023. Now, by ranking among the winners of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, he consolidates Brazil’s presence on one of the most relevant stages of global innovation, bringing to the international arena a technology developed based on data, scientific evidence, and social commitment. The result also indicates the consolidation of USP’s MBA in Data Science, based in São Carlos, as a breeding ground for the training of innovative leaders.
The origin of Jade is deeply linked to the personal trajectory of its founder. “Jade’s story was born in Brazil, validated at USP, but it has always had a global vocation”, Cohin said. “It emerged from my experience as the father of Lucas, my autistic son, when I realized, in practice, the limitations of traditional models for evaluating and monitoring child development”.
Currently, Jade operates both in Brazil and in the Emirates, especially in Abu Dhabi, in projects with public schools and institutional partnerships. The entrepreneur’s family is expected to move permanently to the country in 2026. “The move to the United Arab Emirates was strategic and symbolic,” Cohin said. “We found here an ecosystem that values purpose-driven innovation, social impact, and a long-term vision”.
For him, the moment of the award was particularly significant. “Taking the stage alongside my son, who is the reason all of this exists, and an Emirati student who represents Jade’s local impact, was something that goes far beyond a business award”, he said. “Receiving this recognition from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed is understanding that the initial pain was transformed into something that now impacts thousands of families. It is a moment of profound gratitude and also of responsibility”.
From USP to the world
The Zayed Sustainability Prize is an international initiative that highlights innovative solutions in six categories – Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global Schools – with a focus on expanding positive impact worldwide, awarding projects that promote substantial social and technological transformations. In its most recent edition, 33 finalists competed for the awards, selected from thousands of applicants from more than 170 countries.
In the Health category, Jade Autism was recognized for combining gamified activities and data analysis to offer personalized support to children with autism and other developmental conditions, contributing to more effective educational and therapeutic practices.
According to Cohin, it was during the MBA in Data Science at CeMEAI and ICMC that this concern took concrete form. “There, I found the technical and human environment necessary to structure this idea, transform it into a data-driven solution based on artificial intelligence and scientific evidence, and scale it with real impact”, he said.
Looking ahead, the vision is clear. “The award allows us to expand our global operations, strengthen clinical and educational research, expand partnerships with governments and public systems, and accelerate the technological development of the platform”, Cohin said. “We want Jade to be a global reference in evidence-based solutions for the development of neurodivergent children, always keeping the human side at the center of technology”.
Written by Raquel Vieira, Office of Major Projects and Cepix, ICMC
English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco
