Interview: Munir Eldesouki, CEO, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
What role do research and development (R&D) initiatives play in enhancing Saudi Arabia’s competitive edge in the global technology landscape?
MUNIR ELDESOUKI: R&D initiatives are a key factor in strengthening the Kingdom’s competitive advantage across multiple vertical markets. If you analyse a value chain of any product in the market, it would either be the curiosity of a scientist that might lead to a new invention, or an innovative solution to an existing demand. R&D is the cornerstone for invention and innovation. In Saudi Arabia we combine both invention and innovation within common strategic themes under the purview of the Supreme Committee for Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) to ensure these subsectors are advancing to diversify the economy, create economies of scale and enhance the Kingdom’s reputation as a hub for technological advancement and innovation. To support this endeavour, KACST is investing in advanced research facilities, attracting renowned scientists and fostering a culture of innovation across various fields such as energy, water, biotechnology and IT. Additionally, KACST has established seven centres of excellence in collaboration with global institutions, which focus on diverse areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and advanced materials.
How are public awareness initiatives shaping the next generation of scientists and innovators?
ELDESOUKI: Investing in educational programmes and public awareness initiatives is essential for nurturing the next generation of scientists and innovators. KACST works closely with universities, schools and non-profit organisations such as King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity to develop engaging curricula, summer programmes and research opportunities for students. Moreover, KACST has launched the Saudi Semiconductor Programme, an initiative aimed at uplifting talent development in the semiconductor subsector. Elsewhere, the national King Salman Science Oasis, is a science exhibition designed to inspire and engage the public, particularly young minds, in the wonders of science and technology. Through its diverse range of programmes and activities, the King Salman Science Oasis plays a crucial role in sparking interest in science, technology, engineering and maths. By collaborating with national programmes, fostering scientific literacy and creating an environment that celebrates scientific achievement, Saudi stakeholders are laying the foundation for a knowledge-based society that will drive the Kingdom’s progress and competitiveness in the global arena.
To what extent does alignment of national innovation efforts with Vision 2030 impact the Kingdom’s overall development and economic growth?
ELDESOUKI: In order to ensure a healthy alignment of national innovation progression with Vision 2030, the Supreme Committee for RDI chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has established a new authority to be responsible for implementing the strategic RDI direction from the Supreme Committee, including creating a long-term plan and ensuring sufficient and efficient government funding. Therefore, in order to achieve Vision 2030’s strategic objectives that include economic diversification, job creation, private sector contribution and sustainable development, the national RDI priorities were set and announced by the crown prince in June 2022 to ensure full alignment with the country’s growth and positioning as a global player across these priorities. Those national priorities are health and wellness, energy and industry, environment and essential needs, and the economies of future.
The national RDI strategy was developed to be a playbook for RDI players to follow and confirm alignment with other existing national strategies. In brief, the strategy was designed based on a set of guiding principles and five main pillars with which to capitalise. Examples of these guiding principles are that RDI projects require long-term investments compared to other sectors. For example, a typical timeline to develop new pharmaceuticals and launch to market is more than 10 years. Another guiding principle is that innovation is not country-specific and instead, relies on multinational collaboration. Therefore, RDI efforts are focused on leveraging global achievements and talent to generate momentum for innovation. The cornerstone of the national RDI strategy is human capital. RDI funding, regulations, linkages between RDI players and private-sector participation are also key. The government, for example, will provide enough funding to unlock new subsectors and reduce investment risk to a certain extent, with the private sector eventually taking the lead to drive the sector forwards.
In which areas do you identify key opportunities to promote technology transfer and the commercialisation of research findings?
ELDESOUKI: In terms of challenges, there are several factors that are hindering technology transfer and commercialisation, including regulatory barriers, scientists’ understanding of the business environment, the private sector’s trust in research outcomes and the required time to commercialise findings. Efforts are being made to remove pre-existing regulatory barriers in order to promote and induce public and private innovation. The right for government researchers to establish start-ups, entrepreneurial leave for researchers to focus on company establishment and growth, and an open-access policy to allow the research community to benefit from research infrastructure are among the most recent and positive developments. These policies will enhance the potential to commercialise research outcomes and make it less likely that the commercialisation process will result in early-stage financial losses.
Scientists seeking to commercialise ideas can benefit from The Garage, the largest incubator and accelerator in the Kingdom and one of the largest in the region. The Garage provides a comprehensive support system for start-ups and entrepreneurs, offering access to funding, mentorship, training and advanced facilities. Since The Garage was launched in September 2023, more than 230 start-ups have graduated. By nurturing a thriving start-up ecosystem, Saudi Arabia can unlock the potential of innovative minds and create new avenues for economic growth and job creation.
Different public entities are providing support to entrepreneurs at different stages of start-ups’ maturity and across multiple sectors. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is establishing accelerator programmes in universities across the Kingdom, as the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources also launches similar programmes to incubate and accelerate start-ups to support the growth of their sectors. KACST has established science and technology parks to engage entrepreneurs and companies at different scales of growth with the research community granted full access to research infrastructure.
How can international collaborations and partnerships contribute to accelerating innovation and technological advancement in Saudi Arabia?
ELDESOUKI: International collaborations and partnerships are vital as witnessed by KACST’s centres of excellence which serve as nodes for global knowledge exchange, resource sharing and leveraging complementary expertise. Our partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has led to the establishment of the Centre for Complex Engineering Systems in Riyadh in 2011, which focuses on tackling challenges in such areas as sustainable energy, water management and smart cities. By fostering international collaboration, Saudi Arabia is gaining access to global talent pools, the latest technologies and best industry practices, enabling the Kingdom to accelerate the pace of innovation.
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