Bank helps Jazan’s budding entrepreneurs with $67 million funding

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Funding value ranges from SR300,000 to SR400,000, depending on the project. (SPA)
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Funding value ranges from SR300,000 to SR400,000, depending on the project. (SPA)
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Funding value ranges from SR300,000 to SR400,000, depending on the project. (SPA)
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Funding value ranges from SR300,000 to SR400,000, depending on the project. (SPA)
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Photo/SPA
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Photo/SPA
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Updated 17 February 2020
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Bank helps Jazan’s budding entrepreneurs with $67 million funding

  • A water bottle production plant in Abu Arish’s industrial city is another example of youth fulfilling their ambition and taking advantage of investment opportunities in Jazan

JAZAN: Young Saudi entrepreneurs in Jazan benefited from government plans and programs to help develop promising ideas and fund future projects in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
The projects extended all over Jazan’s governorates, with Social Development Bank funding in the area as part of its leading role in funding micro, small and medium projects.
Since the launch of its funding programs, the bank has funded around 1,600 productive projects in the area, with a value exceeding SR200 million ($53 million), as well as 3,520 microprojects worth SR52 million.
The diverse investment activities funded by the bank include specialized factories, car parts and heavy equipment stores, mechanics’ shops, restaurants, gift shops, coffee shops and photo studios.
Modon, a factory specializing in colors, stands out among the factories in the industrial city in Jazan as a qualitative project in entrepreneurship funded by the Social Development Bank.
The project went into production at the beginning of 2017, delivering 10 tons of paint colorant, sponge and liquid plastic each month. The factory’s owner, engineer Mohammed Nour’s plans have paid off in production growth, marketing success and contracts with specialized companies. Currently, the factory produces 25 tons of the three colorants.
The factory has signed export contracts to the UAE, Kuwait and Yemen.
A water bottle production plant in Abu Arish’s industrial city is another example of youth fulfilling their ambition and taking advantage of investment opportunities in Jazan.
Engineer Ahmed Al-Thayhi set up one production line in 2015 with a production capacity of 2,700 bottles a day. Now the plant has a production capacity of 6,000 bottles, as well as 35,000 bottle caps daily, through three production lines.

HIGHLIGHT

Since the launch of its funding programs, the bank has funded around 1,600 productive projects in the area, with a value exceeding SR200 million ($53 million), as well as 3,520 micro-projects worth SR52 million.

The plant also started producing around 1.5 tons of plastic bags daily in 2018 and has now reached a capacity of four tons of bags, which are used locally all over Jazan’s governorates, as well as Khamis Mushayt and Makkah.
Al-Thayhi’s experience in the last five years has added to his knowledge and skill, and given him the ambition to look for an outstanding product by investing in one of Jazan’s natural resources, and manufacturing and exporting it.
The Social Development Bank empowers small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through a range of projects funding products, including Emerging Project Product, Graduates Product, Excellence Projects Product and Invention Projects Product, to create a generation of entrepreneurs.

 


Saudi Justice Ministry to host training conference

Updated 03 May 2024
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Saudi Justice Ministry to host training conference

RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Justice is to hold the International Conference of Judicial Training in Riyadh from May 6-7.

The Judicial Training Center hosts the event which will see the participation of several international training institutes, centers, and experts in the field of judicial and legal training. The objective is to facilitate the exchange of experiences and deliberations on contemporary trends in the era of digital transformation.

Called “The Future of Judicial Training in the Era of Digital Transformation,” the event will delve into the prospects of training in the future. It will explore paths for enhancing training content; strategies for harnessing modern technology; artificial intelligence in judicial training; and effective methodologies for measuring the training’s impact.


Saudi energy minister attends Tashkent International Investment Forum

Updated 03 May 2024
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Saudi energy minister attends Tashkent International Investment Forum

TASHKENT: Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman on Thursday participated in the primary dialogue session at the third Tashkent International Investment Forum.

In the presence of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the energy minister highlighted the distinguished relations between the two nations, emphasizing the leadership’s strong commitment to enhancing and expanding cooperation across all sectors, particularly energy.

The partnership aims to benefit both countries and their citizens.


Who’s Who: Ali Alhasan, CEO and founder of NanoPalm

Updated 03 May 2024
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Who’s Who: Ali Alhasan, CEO and founder of NanoPalm

  • Alhasan co-developed deep tech to leverage large language models for biotech discovery
  • He was granted the Outstanding Researcher Award from the International Institute for Nanotechnology in 2012

Ali Alhasan is CEO and founder of the company NanoPalm. He holds a Ph.D. in nanomedicine, with expertise in nano-drug delivery and gene therapy and five years of experience in executive management.

In his role as CEO, Alhasan formulates the strategic and business plans for accelerating therapy translation globally and trains talents in deep tech, nanotech, and gene editing tech.

Alhasan co-developed deep tech to leverage large language models for biotech discovery. He also co-invented Nanopalm’s biorobots for the delivery of gene editing primers and helped discover four nanomedicines for four different genetic diseases.

He is also an associate professor at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology and an adjunct professor at Alfaisal University, establishing collaboration agreements between the two.

As associate professor, he is the principal researcher for development and innovation in nanomedicine and the fourth industrial revolution.

In his role as adjunct professor, Alhasan teaches nanomedicine and mentors postgraduate and undergraduate students. He also co-established the Cancer Nanoscience Program.

Previously, Alhasan served in executive leadership roles at KACST as deputy at the Joint Centers of Excellence Program (2021), deputy of the Life Science and Environment Research Institute (2020), director of the Center of Excellence for Biomedicine (2020), and director of Strategic Initiatives (2016). 

Alhasan was a post-doctoral scholar at the University of California in 2015 and received his Ph.D. in the Interdepartmental Biological Sciences Program from Northwestern University in 2013. 

In 2008, he received a master’s degree in biotechnology also from Northwestern University, while in 2001, he received his bachelor’s degree in medical technology from King Abdulaziz University. 

Alhasan was granted the Leader of the Year award from the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in 2024. In 2018, he received the Outstanding Investigator Award from KACST.

He was granted the Outstanding Researcher Award from the International Institute for Nanotechnology in 2012. 


Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks with Swiss foreign minister

Updated 02 May 2024
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Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks with Swiss foreign minister

  • two ministers discussed developments of common interest and efforts made by both countries in those areas

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan spoke on the phone with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis on Thursday.

During the call, the two ministers discussed developments of common interest and efforts made by both countries in those areas, Saudi Press Agency reported.

Cassis was in the Kingdom last month to attend the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum held in Riyadh on April 28 and 29, during which he met with Prince Faisal.

Prince Faisal and Cassis also met earlier in the year in February during UN meetings in Geneva.


Saudi FM discusses preparations for Expo 2030 with BIE chief

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives the Secretary-General of the BIE Dimitri Kerkentzes in Riyadh.
Updated 02 May 2024
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Saudi FM discusses preparations for Expo 2030 with BIE chief

  • During the meeting, the two officials discussed the Kingdom’s preparations to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh
  • “We underlined the importance of careful planning to deliver a transformational World Expo in 2030,” Kerkentzes said

RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received the Secretary-General of the Bureau International des Expositions Dimitri Kerkentzes in Riyadh on Thursday.

During the meeting, the two officials discussed the Kingdom’s preparations to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh and coordination to ensure that the exhibition would be “exceptional,” Saudi Press Agency reported.

Writing on social media platform X, Kerkentzes said: “We underlined the importance of careful planning to deliver a transformational World Expo in 2030.”

The BIE chief met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday.

World Expo 2030 will be hosted in Riyadh after the Kingdom defeated challenges from South Korea and Italy to host the prestigious event in November 2023.