Dr. Nabeel Koshak, CEO and board member of the Saudi Venture Capital Co.

Dr. Nabeel Koshak
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Updated 30 June 2020
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Dr. Nabeel Koshak, CEO and board member of the Saudi Venture Capital Co.

  • Koshak is a prominent Saudi academic and entrepreneur

Dr. Nabeel Koshak is the CEO and board member of the Saudi Venture Capital Co. (SVC).
SVC is a government venture capital firm established in 2018. It aims to develop the venture capital ecosystem in Saudi Arabia to support startups by co-investing along with angel investors, venture capitalists, and sophisticated investors in startups as well as investing in funds.
It recently signed an investment deal with a venture capital fund licensed by the Capital Market Authority and founded by Osool & Bakheet Investment Co. (OBIC) and iMENA Group. The signing ceremony took place virtually between Koshak and OBIC’s CEO Mazin Al-Dawood, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Koshak is a prominent Saudi academic and entrepreneur. He was the founder and CEO of five tech startups.
He was also the founder and angel investor at Athaal (Angel Investors Group), which invests in early-stage startups across the MENA region.
He is chairman of Saudi Arabia’s Global Entrepreneurship Network and a member of the investment committees at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology’s Innovation Fund.
He was the founding dean of the Prince Mohammad bin Salman College (MBSC) between 2017 and 2019. It is Saudi Arabia’s first institute of higher learning specializing in leadership and entrepreneurial development.
Established in 2016, the MBSC is located at the King Abdullah Economic City near Jeddah. Koshak is a member of MBSC’s board of trustees.
Koshak is the former president of Al-Baha University and the former vice president for business and innovation at Umm Al-Qura University (UQU).
He was an associate professor conducting research at the Hajj and Umrah Research Institute while teaching courses at UQU’s College of Engineering and Architecture.
Koshak is the former director of the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology GIS Technology Innovation Center at UQU, and the former chairman of the board of directors at the Transportation and Crowd Management Innovation Center.
He is the co-founder and former general supervisor of UQU’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute, and the co-founder and vice-chairman of the board of directors of Wadi Makkah Co., a platform for launching startup companies in various sectors in the Kingdom.
Koshak received his bachelor’s degree in architecture from UQU in Makkah in 1993, and his master’s degree from Colorado University in 1997. He received a doctorate in computational design from Carnegie Mellon University in 2002. He later joined Harvard’s executive education programs.
He is a member of various boards including the Middle East Venture Capital Association, the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity and the executive committee of the King Faisal International Prize.


Saudi Arabia calls for unified Arab efforts to confront environmental challenges

Updated 48 min 1 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia calls for unified Arab efforts to confront environmental challenges

  • Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadli spoke of biodiversity and the Arab region’s natural resources
  • Al-Fadli said that the region was capable of utilizing technology and innovation

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadli has stressed the importance of regional action to combat environmental challenges facing the Middle East and North Africa region and the world, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.

Speaking during the 38th meeting of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development in Riyadh, the minister spoke of biodiversity, the area’s natural resources and the range of agricultural environments, while stressing the challenges facing the region. He called for a united effort to reduce the impact on the region’s peoples.

Al-Fadli said that the Arab region was capable of utilizing technology and innovation, as well as seizing opportunities to invest in agriculture and improve practices to become more productive, efficient and sustainable in the use of water and natural resources.

He said enhancing trade, regional and international cooperation, and the benefits of international organizations were sources of optimism.

The minister said that the Arab region could take advantage of opportunities in technology, innovation and investment in agriculture by improving practices to make the utilization of water and natural resources more productive, efficient and sustainable.

Ibrahim Al Dukhairi, the director general of the organization, pledged his support for sustainability and agricultural development in the region, along with the development of the Arab landscape and food security.

He pointed out the significance of strategies to launch the necessary initiatives and partnerships to achieve the region’s goals.


Tourism Ministry signs job-creation deal

Updated 02 May 2024
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Tourism Ministry signs job-creation deal

  • Agreement was inked by Hind Al-Zahed, in charge of human-capacity development at the MoT, and Sabbar’s founder and CEO Mohammed Taha Ibrahim
  • Agreement is aimed at ensuring the sector employs citizens in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has signed an agreement in Riyadh with Sabbar, a hiring company, to ensure job creation for the sector.

The agreement was inked by Hind Al-Zahed, in charge of human-capacity development at the ministry, and Sabbar’s founder and CEO Mohammed Taha Ibrahim.

Sabbar is a digital platform connecting employers with those seeking jobs.

The agreement is aimed at ensuring the sector employs citizens in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan, and to boost the development of the nation’s tourism companies.

The ministry wants to ensure that quality jobs are created in the private sector; and establish a database of those seeking employment.


Specialist hospital is top healthcare institution

Updated 02 May 2024
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Specialist hospital is top healthcare institution

  • Report highlighted a 31 percent increase in the brand value of the institution, surpassing SR5.6 billion
  • Increase is attributed to its commitment to integrate the latest medical technologies and treatments

RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC) has led its sector for the second successive year, ranking as the top healthcare institution in the Kingdom and the Middle East.

It stands out as the only hospital globally to be among the top 10 valuable brands in its country, according to two reports by Brand Finance about the top 50 most valuable brands in Saudi Arabia, and the top 150 most valuable brands in the Middle East for 2024.

The report highlighted a 31 percent increase in the brand value of the institution, surpassing SR5.6 billion ($1.49 billion). This increase is attributed to its commitment to integrate the latest medical technologies and treatments, provide specialized medical care according to the latest international standards, and continuously develop research and patient care.

Muhannad Abdullah Kadi, chief corporate communications and marketing officer at KFSH&RC, said: “This achievement reflects the hospital’s commitment to achieving the highest quality standards and providing exceptional healthcare, as well as the value it provides to beneficiaries.”

He stressed that being among the top 10 most valuable brands in the Kingdom was evidence of the success of the transformations taking place in the healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia.


Digital Cooperation Organization to attend Islamic Summit in Gambia

Updated 02 May 2024
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Digital Cooperation Organization to attend Islamic Summit in Gambia

  • 15th annual event will be held this weekend in Banjul

RIYADH: The Digital Cooperation Organization, which works to shape the global digital economy, will take part in the upcoming 15th annual Islamic Summit Conference in the Gambian capital Banjul.

DCO Secretary-General Deemah Al-Yahya will head a delegation at the event, which runs from Saturday to Sunday alongside a series of summits organized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to enhance cooperation and understanding between Islamic countries.

“The DCO’s participation in the conference embodies our firm commitment to strengthen multilateral action to reduce the digital gap and accelerate digital transformation and prosperity in cooperation with all concerned parties in the public and private sectors and civil institutions, as well as international and regional organizations concerned with development,” Al-Yahya said.

“It is consistent with the goal of the organization, digital cooperation aimed at promoting comprehensive and sustainable development in the global digital economy within a cooperative framework.”

Al-Yahya said she would hold talks with several heads of state as well as the leaders of other delegations during the event.

The agenda of the conference, which is being held under the slogan “Promoting Unity and Solidarity Through Dialogue for Sustainable Development,” covers areas of political, economic, social, cultural and technological interest as well as issues related to the media, law, social affairs, administration and finance.

The DCO has signed a memorandum of understanding with the OIC to provide a framework for cooperation to develop a sustainable digital economy and collaborate in the field of digitization of human resources to help enhance internet connectivity in remote and rural areas.


Saudi king, crown prince offer condolences to UAE president on key official’s death

Updated 02 May 2024
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Saudi king, crown prince offer condolences to UAE president on key official’s death

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Thursday offered condolences to the ruler of the United Arab Emirates on the death of a key official and a member of the royal family, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

In a cable to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE president, King Salman expressed "our deepest and sincere condolences" on the death of Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi’s ruler representative in Al Ain, who died on May 1, 2024.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed "my warmest and most sincere condolences" in a separate cable to the UAE leader, the SPA said.