JEDDAH: Startups from the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) have taken top prizes in the Kingdom’s recent entrepreneurship competitions.
Leading the way was KAUST startup Sadeem, a wireless sensor system for flood monitoring. After winning Best Global Startup award and clinching $100,000 in prize money at GITEX Future Stars, the startup has won first prize at the ArabNet Riyadh and most recently, the Best Entrepreneur Award from Oqal.
“These wins reflect six years of hard work. The cash prizes have allowed us to enhance each department of the company and deliver our first pilot projects,” said Sadeem co-founder Esteban Canepa.
Startups from both of the KAUST accelerator programs are also showing promise.
Quantum Solutions, a nanotech developer of quantum dots for LCD displays, LEDs and solar cells, won first place at the MIT Enterprise Forum’s Startup Smart event in Riyadh. Another KAUST startup, Al Maha Systems, a livestock tracking system for farmers, recently won the first prize in the innovation competition from the Small and Medium Enterprise Authority (Monshaat) at the Asbar Forum.
Empowering entrepreneurs is part of the university’s commitment to developing a culture of innovation and fueling the growth of the SME (small and medium enterprises) sector in Saudi Arabia.
“KAUST supports early-stage startups in the Kingdom to explore, test and build their business ideas,” said Kevin Cullen, vice president for KAUST Innovation and Economic Development. “In addition, the KAUST Research & Technology Park hosts a growing number of early-stage startups and SMEs. We support entrepreneurs throughout their entire lifecycle, from idea to market.”
Saudi Arabia’s KAUST startups win top prizes
Saudi Arabia’s KAUST startups win top prizes
Saudi Scouts Association unveils environmental protection program
- Public service and education program to encourage responsible behavior among young people, says SASA leader
RIYADH: The Saudi Arabian Scouts Association has launched a new environmental protection program at King Salman Wildlife Park in Banban, north of Riyadh, marking a renewed commitment to conservation and youth engagement in sustainability efforts.
The SASA initiative, unveiled in the presence of role players from various scouting sectors, brought together partners from government agencies and private-sector organizations, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
The program reflects growing collaboration between civic groups and national institutions to advance environmental protection goals across the Kingdom.
Abdulrahman Al-Mudaris, the SASA’s secretary-general, said the initiative underscores the scouts’ active role in supporting national strategies to preserve natural resources and promote sustainable development.
He said environmental scouting was a public service activity and educational approach designed to instill environmental awareness and encourage responsible behavior among young people.
The launch event featured the sowing of seeds and planting of seedlings throughout the park to support vegetation growth and enhance biodiversity, the SPA reported.
Founded in 1961, the SASA is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and operates under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education.
Over the decades, Saudi scouts have played a visible role in community service, disaster response, and public event organization, including supporting pilgrim services during Hajj and Umrah seasons.
