Prince Turki bin Saud, deputy chairman of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) for Research Institutes, said KACST would continue promoting innovators and pioneers in the technological fields by helping them transform their ideas and inventions into successful investment projects.
“This move would further boost the buoyant Saudi economy and create more job opportunities for Saudi youth,” he said, noting that this is part of KACST’s plans to support and encourage the science, technology and innovation sectors.
Prince Turki bin Saud was speaking to the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday after attending an financial and partnership agreement signing ceremony between the National Prawn Company and a leading researcher at the Badir for Biotechnology, the Kingdom’s first technology incubator established at KACST to focus on the biotechnology sector.
CEO of National Prawn Company Ahmad Al-Balae represented his company when signing the contract with Khaled Al-Robaian of Badir. Under the contract, the company will extend financing to develop and manufacture medical products invented by Al-Robaian.
Prince Turki praised Al-Robaian for his invention that would benefit the Saudi medical sector in general and diabetic patients in particular.
“Al-Robaian is a distinguished doctor and scientist in the Kingdom who was able to develop, with the support of KACST, a Saudi medical raw material that would be beneficial to the entire world,” he said. Al-Robaian said he took four years to develop this natural raw material from shrimp shells, which helps to produce medical bandages that can prevent bacteria and contamination of wounds that may lead to diabetic patients having their limbs amputated. He also thanked KACST and Badir and all its officials for their part in developing this invention.
Badir for Biotechnology supports new Saudi businesses in the medical, environmental, agricultural and industrial biotechnology fields as well as in areas such as bioinformatics and bio-nanotechnology.
The program aims to stimulate economic growth, employment and skills development in the Kingdom through entrepreneurship, enterprise development and technology commercialization in the biotechnology sector.
KACST vows to back technology pioneers
