KAUST and the Al-Madinah Region Development Authority (MDA) signed an MoU to enhance efficiency, resiliency, and safety in Al-Madinah. KAUST will share high-resolution climate change projections and assess soil loss dynamics. The collaboration aims to tackle challenges in the environmental and water sectors through research, development, and training. Why it matters: This partnership showcases KAUST's role in translating research into practical smart city solutions for regional development, addressing critical environmental concerns.
A proposed recognition system aims to identify missing persons, deceased individuals, and lost objects during the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia. The system intends to leverage facial recognition and object identification to manage the large crowds expected in the coming decade, estimated to reach 20 million pilgrims. It will be integrated into the CrowdSensing system for crowd estimation, management, and safety.
The Symposium on Data Mining and Applications (SDMA 2014) was organized by MEGDAM to foster collaboration among data mining and machine learning researchers in Saudi Arabia, GCC countries, and the Middle East. The symposium covered areas such as statistics, computational intelligence, pattern recognition, databases, Big Data Mining and visualization. Acceptance was based on originality, significance and quality of contribution.
KAUST startup Sadeem, which provides solar-powered smart city solutions for flood, traffic and environmental monitoring, won the Best Global Startup award in Dubai in 2017. Since then, Sadeem has focused on building its business model and infrastructure to accommodate expansion. Sadeem recently installed its smart city sensors, including the Aura air quality monitor, in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Why it matters: This expansion demonstrates the potential for Saudi-based startups to provide innovative solutions to local challenges and scale their impact internationally.
KAUST has launched the KAUST Challenge: Ideas and Solutions for Hajj & Umrah 2020, in partnership with The Makkah Cultural Forum. The challenge aims to catalyze research, innovation, and economic development in Saudi Arabia. The KAUST Challenge will award 1 million SAR in cash and other prizes for ideas to improve the Hajj and Umrah experience and advance efforts to make Makkah a smart city. Why it matters: This initiative connects AI innovation directly to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the specific needs of religious tourism, a unique application area.
Twelve Saudi startups pitched at the 9/10ths Startup Accelerator showcase in Riyadh, presenting diverse business concepts. Half of the finalist teams were led by Saudi female entrepreneurs. Fixtag, Innoras, Dhad, and Magadeer received grant funding from a panel of judges representing various investment firms. Why it matters: The 9/10ths program demonstrates growing investment and support for entrepreneurship and innovation across Saudi Arabia, with a focus on female leadership and high-potential startups.
KAUST and the SFDA co-hosted the "Trends in Microbiome and Digital One Health" conference from October 30 to November 1, 2023, featuring 35 speakers from five continents. Discussions centered on microbiome science, digital tools for tracking microbial epidemiology, and their roles in the One Health concept. The conference facilitated the formation of a consortium for microbiome and Digital One Health research. Why it matters: This event highlights Saudi Arabia's growing focus on leveraging microbiome research and digital technologies to address public health challenges and promote international collaboration in the field.