KAUST startup Saee, a last-mile delivery company, was recently acquired by Estimkan Holding. Co-founded by KAUST alumnus Dr. Tariq Alturkestani, Saee benefited from KAUST's support through programs like the KGSP and the TAQADAM Startup Accelerator. Saee evolved from a carpooling app for women into a logistics solution for parcel delivery, adapting to the changing Saudi market. Why it matters: The success of Saee demonstrates KAUST's increasing role in fostering entrepreneurship and contributing to Saudi Vision 2030 by developing innovative ventures.
KAUST recently hosted the European Embedded Control Institute's International Graduate School on Control (IGSC). As part of the event, KAUST Professor Jeff Shamma gave a one-week course on "Game Theory and Distributed Control". The course had over 30 registered attendees, including participants from KAUST, KACST, King Saud University, and nine European universities. Why it matters: Hosting international events like IGSC enhances KAUST's global reputation, fosters collaboration opportunities, and exposes visiting researchers to KAUST's research environment.
Estelle Metayer, a public speaker and professor at McGill University, spoke at KAUST as part of the University’s 2017 Winter Enrichment Program. Her talk focused on the future of technology and science. The event took place in the University's Auditorium on January 18. Why it matters: Such events at KAUST contribute to knowledge dissemination and engagement with global experts on emerging technologies.
Dr. Abdelrahman AlMahmoud from TII's Secure Systems Research Center (SSRC) will participate in a WGISTA webinar on adopting a digital mindset in auditing and fighting corruption. The webinar, organized by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), will discuss the impact of emerging technologies on public sector auditing. Dr. AlMahmoud will share insights on how AI and Big Data can enable auditors to process data at a new scale. Why it matters: This highlights the UAE's growing role in applying advanced technologies like AI and big data to improve governance and accountability in the public sector.