KAUST's Entrepreneurship Center was named a High Impact Program at the UBI Global Benchmarking Conference held in Saudi Arabia. The award recognizes university-affiliated incubators with a high impact on their ecosystem. The KAUST center is nominated for a summit in Sweden as one of the top 100 university business incubators. Why it matters: The recognition highlights KAUST's role in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in the Saudi ecosystem, contributing to economic development and attracting investment.
The KAUST Entrepreneurship Center received a Top Challenger award from UBI Global at the World Incubation Summit in Toronto. KAUST was selected from 259 finalists out of 1,370 submissions across 53 countries. The award recognizes the caliber of KAUST's accelerator programs and its focus on collaboration and innovation within Saudi Arabia. Why it matters: This award highlights KAUST's growing role in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation within the Kingdom, particularly through partnerships between academia and industry.
KAUST's 2015 highlights included recognition as a catalyst for innovation, with its Entrepreneurship Center named a High Impact Program. Six KAUST-related companies were listed among the top 100 innovative startups by Forbes Middle East. KAUST also signed an agreement with Dow Chemical Company to expand facilities and collaborated with ICD on a Saudi-focused venture capital fund. Why it matters: This reflects KAUST's ongoing efforts to strengthen its role in Saudi Arabia's knowledge-based economy through entrepreneurship and industry partnerships.
KAUST's first Arabic MOOC, Entrepreneurship Adventures, on edX.org saw 17,000 learners attend the 10-week course, with 81% from Saudi Arabia. The free online course, developed by KAUST's Entrepreneurship Center, aims to provide fundamentals of entrepreneurship in Arabic. A survey showed that 74% of participants felt confident to join a startup and 60% would pursue entrepreneurship. Why it matters: This initiative helps break down barriers to entry for young Saudi entrepreneurs, fostering local talent and contributing to the Kingdom's economic diversification goals.
KAUST startups, including Sadeem (a wireless sensor system for flood monitoring), have won top prizes in entrepreneurship competitions such as GITEX Future Stars, ArabNet Riyadh, and the Oqal Best Entrepreneur Award. Sadeem won Best Global Startup at GITEX and took home $100,000. KAUST supports early-stage startups through accelerator programs like TAQADAM and 9/10ths, as well as the KAUST Research & Technology Park. Why it matters: This success highlights KAUST's role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia, contributing to the Kingdom's growing startup ecosystem and economic diversification efforts.