CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In a
commitment to fostering greater collaboration among academia, the
private sector and government in Saudi
Arabia and the United
States, the second Innovation to Impact Forum is
being held at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT) today. The
forum, organized by a joint planning committee of institutions from
Saudi Arabia and the Greater Boston area, is part of an ongoing
collaboration among King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
(KACST), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
(KAUST), the Saudi Small and Medium Enterprises Authority (SMEA),
MIT and other leading academic
institutions and corporations from the US.
The highlight of the forum will be the inauguration by Saudi
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of
several collaborations between US and Saudi organizations,
including a major new effort between KAUST, MIT and the new Saudi "destination of the future"
NEOM. Together, the three institutions will undertake new joint
projects in research, student exchange, and entrepreneurship to
enable the US and Saudi entities to accomplish shared innovation
goals. Dr. Klaus Kleinfeld
commented, "Thanks to the unique capabilities of MIT and KAUST, this collaboration will advance
technology in many of the fields relevant for NEOM."
The 2018 Innovation to Impact Forum builds on the success of
last year's inaugural meeting, which took place at KAUST in
Jeddah with key decision makers
and experts in energy, agriculture, technology, healthcare and
bioscience. This year, in a set of roundtables, attendees will
explore solutions that align to Saudi
Arabia's goals for its Vision 2030 and US goals to advance
cutting edge scientific research. In this shared spirit of
innovation, attendees will strive to identify and create meaningful
opportunities for researchers, students, and entrepreneurs in both
nations to advance sustainable energy and infrastructure
technologies, improve health, advance education for women, and
foster entrepreneurship. In addition to the roundtables, the
gathering at MIT will feature an
exhibit showcasing technologies, innovations and technical
collaborations currently underway with Saudi and US entities.
"We are delighted to bring the event to Greater Boston this year – to one of the
world's greatest innovation hubs – further strengthening the
relationship between Saudi Arabia
and the US," said Eng. Nadhmi Al-Nasr, Interim President of KAUST.
"With our deep commitment to advancing the innovation landscape in
the Kingdom, and expanding opportunities for Saudi students and
entrepreneurs, this gathering and exchange of knowledge between
experts will have a positive impact on our economy as well as the
goals of our partners in the U.S."
"Thanks to Vision 2030, the Kingdom is moving towards
a promising future. A key element of this strategy involves
building collaborative relationships around the world, including
with leading universities, hospitals and corporations
in Greater Boston, and MIT is
pleased to bring this impressive group together for this year's
Innovation to Impact forum," said MIT
President L. Rafael Reif. "Today, as
we hear from our Saudi guests about their aspirations and their
progress, and as we showcase the strength of our region's
innovation ecosystem, we are delighted to commit to further
opportunities for creative and mutually beneficial
collaborations on important technology and societal
issues."
This year's Innovation to Impact Forum coincides with the first
official visit to the US by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who will tour a technology
showcase exhibit and hold an open dialogue with Saudi students,
scientists and inventors to discuss the technologies, solutions and
innovations that are being advanced by Saudi talent in Cambridge, Boston and the surrounding metropolitan
area.
For more information on the Innovation to Impact Forum, please
visit the website: http://www.i2impactroundtable.com/.
About Vision 2030
A blueprint for Saudi Arabia's future, Vision 2030 aims to
diversify the Kingdom's economy and transform it into one driven by
knowledge and innovation through the development of education,
scientific research, industry and entrepreneurship and the
enhancement of investment and international partnerships.
About NEOM
NEOM is a new destination being created as
a free economic zone in the northwest of Saudi Arabia including land in Egypt and Jordan along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.
NEOM will be built with principles of livability and innovation at
its core, making it the best place to live and work. NEOM spans
over 26,500 km2 and is extremely well connected; with 70% of the
world population reachable in less than 8 hours flight time and
having access to transcontinental communication lines. NEOM will be
backed by more than $500 billion over
the coming years by the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, as well as
local and international investors. For additional
information, visit www.discoverneom.com.
About KAUST:
Located on the shores of the Red Sea in
Saudi Arabia, KAUST is a leading
global research institution advancing science and technology
through distinctive and collaborative research integrated with
graduate education. KAUST conducts curiosity-driven and
goal-oriented research to address world challenges related to food,
water, energy and the environment. Learn more about KAUST online at
https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en or follow on:
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Contact:
Sarah Francomano
FleishmanHillard
617-692-0515
Sarah.francomano@fleishman.com
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SOURCE KAUST