News
Saudi Arabia Launches $200 Million High-Tech Investment Fund
The spending is part of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology’s strategy to promote economic diversification and create new technical jobs.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has announced the launch of a $200 million fund to invest in domestic and international tech firms as part of the Kingdom’s economic diversification plan.
The investment fund is part of a strategy devised by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and focuses on “increasing the likelihood of turning research into economically beneficial innovations”.
Plans include launching the National Transformation Institute for Applied Research (NTI) to improve technology development and commercialization, restructuring research centers, and creating a new fund to “enhance economic diversification and contribute to the creation of high-quality technical jobs”.
HRH the Crown Prince launches KAUST's new strategy, which aims to transform research into economically productive innovations by focusing on the national priorities for research, development, and innovation.https://t.co/yvZ8UnnFcR#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/yEqS7Zia05
— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) August 20, 2023
“The new strategy builds on Kaust’s scientific and academic achievements and represents a new era for the university to become a beacon of knowledge and a source of inspiration and innovation in line with Vision 2030 aspirations,” Prince Mohammed explained in a recent press release.
Technology is an essential pillar of Saudi Arabia’s economy as the country transitions away from oil production. The Kingdom is projected to invest $34.6 billion on information and communications technology by the end of 2023, making it the top-spending nation in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa.
Also Read: Dubai Municipality To Test Construction Materials Using AI Robots
In February, Saudi Arabia announced plans to invest $9 billion in its technology sector, which includes a $2.1 billion commitment from Microsoft. In addition, Oracle has announced plans to invest $1.5 billion in Saudi cloud computing, and Huawei has earmarked $400 million to enhance the country’s cloud infrastructure.
Meanwhile, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology will continue collaborating with several international tech companies, including IBM and Boeing, and has partnered with academic and commercial institutes in Shenzhen on aerospace, robotics, and microelectronics projects.