New fleet of 76 public transport buses starts operation in Jeddah on Tuesday Environmentally friendly electric buses introduced for first time    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    EU preparing 'further countermeasures' to protect its interest, von der Leyen says    Saudi Arabia urges stronger global action to protect children in cyberspace at UN    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Saudi Arabia posts SR49.8 billion travel surplus in 2024 as visitor spending hits SR153.6 billion    911 emergency centers handle over 2.8 million calls in March    Israel announces expansion of military operation in Gaza to seize 'large areas' of land    US cancels visa of Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias    Danish prime minister refutes US claim on Greenland on visit to the Arctic territory    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Cristiano Ronaldo joins Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves    Saudi Arabia welcomes trilateral border treaty between Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan    Swedish table tennis legend Jörgen Persson appointed head coach of Saudi national team    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Saudi creatives shine at Jeddah's Fawanees Nights with art, fashion, and storytelling    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



KAUST launches first ever SME Innovation Program
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 28 - 10 - 2020


Saudi Gazette
THUWAL — King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced on Wednesday the launch of Saudi Arabia's first university engagement program intended specifically to foster the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Kingdom.
The university's newest department helps SMEs gain access to deep technological resources and capabilities, with optimum utilization of the latest technologies in tackling new challenges.
Addressing a virtual press conference, senior officials of KAUST SME Innovation Services said that the new services would help SMEs increase their customer base and reach new markets while diversifying and strengthening the Kingdom's economic landscape.
They said that KAUST, in its capacity as a hub for deep tech research and innovation, designed this to provide access to KAUST's innovation ecosystem.
Those who attended the press conference included Eng. Sami Sarhan, program manager, KAUST SME Program Development; Omar Kutbi, manager of KAUST SME Engagement and SME Innovation Services; Abdulmajeed Alomrani, director of the Innovation Department at Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha'at); Naif Alduraywish, senior business development officer at Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON) and Dina Alnahdy, member of the Board of Directors of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Lulwa Shalhoub, senior media specialist at KAUST, hosted the Zoom event.
Replying to queries from Saudi Gazette, Omar Kutbi said that KAUST has accelerated efforts in finding solutions based on new technologies to keep up with the fast-paced changes in the post COVID-19 scenario. "Our priority was more on digitization even before the pandemic. However, there has been a huge increase in the number of companies and enterprises that provide digital services through online platforms and apps during the last six months after the outbreak of coronavirus," he said.
Kutbi noted that people want KAUST to play a much bigger role in lending a helping hand to the local market, in reshaping it and giving new directions to tackle the pandemic situation. "Around 65 percent of Saudi population is under the age of 25 and KAUST is proud to help them adapt to the new technologies and creating more job opportunities," he said.
On her part, Dina Alnahdy explained the enhanced cooperation and collaboration with KAUST in supporting SMEs, which account for more than 99 percent of the private sector establishments in the Kingdom.
"Initially, our focus in joint work with KAUST would be in three major sectors of health, education and industry and we will expand this to more sectors later. We will tap the vast expertise and research of KAUST in the development of these vital sectors," she said while pinning great hope on scoring mutual success stories.
"Innovation is growing rapidly and sustainably through an ecosystem," said Abdulmajeed Alomran. "This is reflected in the distinguished survey report and there is a desire for SMEs to adopt innovation in their products to enhance business growth and a desire to cooperate with a pioneering university such as KAUST."
The KAUST officials explained that its innovation services for SMEs aim to support the SME community by making use of the university's resources and capabilities. The university recently carried out a massive and comprehensive survey covering more than 500 SMEs across the Kingdom in order to achieve a better understanding of how small and medium enterprises can interact with universities.
Conducted in partnership with Monsha'at; the Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam Chambers of Commerce; Ministry of Investment; the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu; and the Council of Saudi Chambers, the survey is the first to collect SME-university specific data.
The questionnaire elucidated the ways in which the university can support the SMEs sector by developing programs and initiatives that affect the SME system and the survey produced a set of recommendations and programs that can serve this sector in the best manner.
Based on the survey results, KAUST launched SME Innovation Services to engage SMEs through KAUST's innovation ecosystem. Through the program, SMEs will gain access to state-of-the-art facilities, including preferred access to KAUST's Core Labs.
In addition, they will have access to a talent pool of students and engineers, as well as research and scientific expertise in the form of consultancy. Specialized technical training will accelerate this knowledge transfer and help SMEs develop new products and funding opportunities. Participating SMEs will also have easy access to KAUST intellectual property.
KAUST SME Innovation Services has already completed workshops in artificial intelligence and rapid prototyping, with an ambitious aim to engage 1,000 SMEs in the next three years.


Clic here to read the story from its source.