The Second Symposium of Innovative Research Program for the Business Sector
KACST held the second symposium of the Innovative Research Program for the Business Sector (SBIR) during the period 22-23\02/1431 corresponding to 06-07/02/2010 in Breedah Convention Center in Intercontinental Hotel in Riyadh. The symposium was held under the Chairmanship of Prince Dr. Turki Saud Mohammad Al Saud, Vice President for Research Institutes in the presence of a vast audience of representatives of the private sector, governmental bodies and institutes and the scientific and research sector.
The symposium comprehended a brief survey of the programs, a review pf the current programs in the innovation array and discussing the innovative needs in space, aviation sciences, metals and mining, water, petroleum and gas, energy, environment, meteorology, nanotechnology, electronics and communications, information.
During the Symposium, Dr. Fahd El-Auda, from Saudi ARAMCO, Mr. Kosai Sultani, from The National Industrialization Company, Mr. Mohamed Al-Gasser, from Saudi Telecommunication and Mr. Walla Nahass from the National Bank presented their innovative programs.
This symposium completes the first symposium of the program held by KACST during the period 05-06/11/1430H corresponding to 24-25/10/2009G where ideas were proposed and features of the program were discussed. Discussion also included integration of the program with the innovation array, the program management, means to bridge the gap in the innovation array between researches in universities and research centers and the full commercial investment of technologies.
KACST held these two symposia in a first executive step of the Innovative Research Program for the Business Sector that aims to support companies, entrepreneurs, innovators, inventors and researchers through financing innovative researches.
KACST would support projects of innovative researches in four phases to manage risks and secure diversification: the first phase is the feasibility study; the second phase is preparing the empirical pattern, the third phase is production while the fourth phase in the commercial investment.
SBIR would work in collaboration with ministries, government bodies, large corporations, the financial sector, universities and research centers via the innovation array to enlarge domains of the program objectives.
Economist and researchers anticipate the programs to form a unique practical step to fill the gap between innovative researches and marketing. They also expect that this program, by its turn, would sponsor national technology innovations, support and develop these innovations besides giving the change individual innovators, medium sized businesses and small ones.
When asked about the role of the program in supporting the innovation array and its participation in sponsoring national cadres, The Prince Dr. Turki said,” The program is anticipated to encourage establishing and developing technology companies, finding solutions to requirements of varied sectors added to supporting technology products in the kingdom, innovating and marketing the advanced promising technologies in universities and research centers, inciting high-technology competencies in the kingdom besides helping medium sized and small institutions.”
About applying to program and mechanism of participating, the prince indicated “Applying would be before next summer, it would be electronically via the site of the program, submitted innovations would be evaluated then candidate innovators would be contacted via the program site: www.sbir-kacst.org
Prince Turki called on all inventors and institutions to take the initiative to register and participate in this program that represents a distinguished to develop technology innovations. Prince Dr. Turki, meanwhile, lauded the ultra care given by the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to whichever supports the march of development and progress in the kingdom.