The National Technology Development Program (NTDP) Sunday launched the Tech Research Challenge Initiative, as the second pivotal initiative of the program that aims at supporting technological companies to develop their products. It also would build up their capabilities and enhance their ties with universities and research centers through stimulating research, development and technological innovation, building up capabilities, and localizing knowledge in the information technology sector in line with the Saudi Vision 2030. King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) is considered the strategic partner and supporter for the initiative, based on its specialized expertise in research, development and innovation. The initiative brings together technological companies, universities and research centers through offering technical challenges facing companies to specialists in the fields of computer sciences, IT and emerging technologies of university students, researchers and faculty members, allowing them to participate in suggesting, planning and achieving scientific projects or innovations with accredited outcomes that can be utilized and applied as innovative scientific solutions. The initiative also aims at developing the capabilities of research, development and innovation in the IT sector in Saudi Arabia, directing the efforts of universities and research centers to research projects that can meet the needs of the private sector in the IT field, encouraging more cooperation between the private sector, universities and research centers in research, development and innovation projects in the IT field. The challenge is scheduled to be launched at the beginning of every semester with a total of three challenges annually, targeting technological companies, universities, research center, students and researchers, where companies are required to present achievable challenges as a research project within one or two semester. In addition, it is important for the challenge to have the element of innovation, applicability and ability for marketing, where universities and research centers can choose adopted challenges and designate teams of students or researchers to work on these challenges as research projects. Exceptionally this year, research teams will work on challenges offered by NTDP in cooperation with some companies, universities and research centers. The jury is composed of members of universities, research centers and business centers (accelerators, incubators, project developers, innovation centers, and specialists in technological investment) who work on reviewing and assessing projects to determine winners. The winner company will be granted the award of the best technological challenge, while the winner university or research center is granted the award for the best support for a technological research, in addition to awards for wining students. Registration of researchers starts after universities nominate participating teams on the initiative's website: https://ntdp.gov.sa/trc. NTDP seeks to launch several initiatives throughout this year to achieve its goal of developing the ICT sector to make Saudi Arabia an international entrepreneur in manufacturing and adopting technology in several courses. This is to be realized mainly: localizing technology in the information field to contribute to establishing a comprehensive national technological system, creating competitive opportunities and encouraging investment in the field, developing the digital information technology sector through supporting all targeted enterprises and sectors, and contributing to developing the ICT system to become an effective contributor to the digital national economy. — SPA
