RIYADH: The Badir Program for Technology Incubators and Accelerators at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) has signed a bilateral cooperation agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon Global.
The objective behind the accord is to help the Kingdom’s emerging technology companies improve their performance using innovative cloud technologies and solutions provided by AWS’ on-demand computing platform.
AWS provides low-cost cloud infrastructure to businesses, government organizations and owners of emerging business in 190 countries across the world.
AWS will allow companies to take advantage of Amazon’s expertise and economies of scale to receive the needed resources and achieve desired results at a faster pace.
Nawaf A. Al-Sahhaf, CEO of the Badir Program, described the agreement as an effective model and a culmination of the program’s efforts to support entrepreneurs by adopting world-class solutions aimed at enhancing Saudi youth entrepreneurship capabilities and establishing small businesses.
“We, at Badir, aim to cooperate with value-added global companies to help emerging technology companies facilitate their businesses and deliver high added value to consumers,” he said.
The partnership with Amazon Global will add a new dimension to cloud computing services and other related business applications in the field of technology businesses, he said.
“It will help companies that use them save time, effort and money, and achieve positive results in terms of improving performance and customer service or reducing costs, aside from completing works safely.”
According to Al-Sahhaf, cloud computing enables startups to obtain greater operational flexibility by removing the need to create a traditional infrastructure which leads to reduced costs, in addition to enhancing operational integration and providing the highest levels of security for internal office tasks.
“This creates a balance between companies, regardless of their size, and enables them to obtain the flexibility and technology of large companies to increase or reduce their operations quickly without the need for large capital expenditures.”
The CEO confirmed that many organizations in the region have already started witnessing the results of using cloud technologies, after having seen improvements in growth and customer service.
He said incubated companies at Badir can now benefit from these advanced services which provide new and emerging companies a chance to expand their businesses in target markets.
Under the agreement, incubated companies at Badir will receive free Amazon cloud services. The companies will be eligible for a promotional credit of $5,000 valid for two years and free use of AWS basics and professional technical accreditation courses.
Additionally, they will be provided with around 80 unique references for the use of electronic laboratory services, outstanding works support services from Amazon for a full year, as well as free access to virtual working hours face-to-face with the company’s engineers.
A package of resources for emerging companies, including AWS modules, training and providing developers with support and a forum for the technical community, will also be provided.
KACST signs deal to help emerging technology companies
KACST signs deal to help emerging technology companies
Minzal brings Saudi traditions to life in Diriyah
- From leather crafts and archery to Saudi coffee, Minzal offers a lesson in ‘Sloum Al-Arab’
RIYADH: This season of Minzal places social norms and traditional etiquette at its center, with tents set up to teach what is locally known as “Sloum Al-Arab” alongside gatherings for coffee, dinner and stargazing around campfires.
“Sloum Al-Arab” refers to the unwritten customers and values that have shaped Arab and Bedouin society for centuries, including generosity, coffee preparation, courage and archery.
In Saudi Arabia, these traditions are closely ties to cultural identity and religious belief.
Leather products and the making of leather goods is one of the crafts featured at Minzal this year and is one of the oldest crafts still practiced in the kingdom.
“The most difficult thing I faced to work on was camel leather because it is a little tough,” Nada Samman, a leather trainer and craftsman at Minzal, told Arab News.
“The work on leather is wonderful whether it is goat leather, cow leather, Sawakni sheep, and of course, camel leather. At Minzal, we are offering multiple handicraft workshops, most specifically the leather handicrafts. We want visitors to spend time at something useful and fun."
Samman explained the workshops allowed participants to preserve heritage while engaging in meaning, hands on activities.
Faisal Al-Khaled, a visual artist and craftsman specializing in Saudi designs at Minzal, shared a similar goal: “I want people to have, by the end of this experience, a unique and traditional art piece created by them, and that I know I helped them to preserve this craft.”
Minzal, which has been organized for several years now, continues to evolve with each season, offering activities that highlight Bedouin values, traditional skills and sports. Archery is a key feature, reflecting its deep roots in Arab and Islamic history.
Mohammed Al-Sharif, a certified archery player and coach with the Saudi Archery Federation since 2028, said the sport was closely connected to Saudi culture. It was encouraged by the Prophet Muhammad, which led people to learn and teach it through generations.
“Our traditional bow is considered one of the most important and widely used bows in Arab culture,” Al-Sharif said. “We have several styles, and professional archers specializing in traditional bow shooting … There are various types of archery, such as horseback archery and standing archery, where bow sizes vary according to specific needs, such as types used for hunting and others used during warfare.”
He explained that archery was historically part of daily life, used for protection and hunting.
Saudi coffee also plays a significant role in the Minzal experience, with live demonstrations. One of the most frequently consumed beverages in the Kingdom, it is a symbol of hospitality and generosity.
Ahmed Al-Shuaibi explained how it was prepared at the Sloum tent, first by roasting the beans and then allowing them to cool. The beans are ground with spices in a Nigr.
“Coffee is passed from our grandparents,” he added. “In significant majlis, you see them offering our local coffee and not other types of coffee. We organized this corner so that young generations can visit and learn this.”
