Saudi Arabia's KACST President Highlights Nation's Role In Shaping Semiconductor Technology

Saudi Arabia is making strides in the semiconductor industry, as highlighted by Dr. Munir Eldesouki, president of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). Speaking at the Future of Semiconductors Forum, he emphasised the nation's commitment to technological advancement. The forum gathered industry leaders, researchers, and experts to discuss this strategic transformation.

KACST is focusing on innovation-driven initiatives to create a comprehensive national ecosystem for semiconductors. These efforts aim to enhance Saudi Arabia's global competitiveness in this field. Dr. Eldesouki mentioned that KACST is actively involved in training, research, and development to meet the country's needs.

Dr. Eldesouki highlighted KACST's exploration of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies through strategic partnerships. These collaborations are producing impactful solutions across various domains, including chip design, manufacturing, advanced AI, and biosensing technologies.

The "Ignition" accelerator program by KACST has been instrumental in supporting 10 Saudi startups. It has trained 455 engineers in chip design and manufacturing while preparing over 1,200 Saudi engineers and students through the Saudi Semiconductor Program.

A new cooperation agreement with Tadamon Investment was announced by Dr. Eldesouki. This partnership aims to establish a venture-capital fund supporting startups in deep technology fields aligned with national priorities like semiconductors.

The fund will contribute to building a robust tech ecosystem in Saudi Arabia. It will focus on economic diversification by investing in startups that create jobs, stimulate innovation-based growth, attract indirect investment, and boost intellectual-property development.

Support for Entrepreneurs

Dr. Eldesouki stated that the venture-capital fund would provide pre-seed financing and mentorship services to entrepreneurs. This support will help them reach the market efficiently, scale their businesses sustainably, and deliver attractive returns to investors.

On the sidelines of the forum, KACST celebrated winners of Saudi Arabia’s first chip design hackathon called "Chipathon". Abdullah Al-Juhaiman from King Saud University and Fouz Al-Otaibi along with Reham Al-Mazrou from Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University were honoured for designing an innovative low-noise amplifier (LNA) for internet-of-things (IoT) applications.

This initiative underscores Saudi Arabia's commitment to fostering innovation within its semiconductor sector while aligning with global technological advancements.

With inputs from SPA