The King Abdul Aziz and His Companions Foundation for Talent and Creativity (Mawhibah) is behind the event.
Dignitaries attending the function included Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Ali Al-Naimi.
Speaking on the occasion Prince Faisal, who is also vice president of Mawhibah, commended the interest shown by King Abdullah in scientific inventions and inventors as part of his desire to develop a knowledge-based economy in the Kingdom.
Secretary-General of Mawhibah Khaled Al-Sabti said the expo was a major step toward achieving this aim.
Ibtikar 2010 has the aim of encouraging the private sector to support and invest in inventions.
About 100 men and women individual inventors, universities and research institutes are participating in the expo at the Jeddah Hilton.
Their work covers areas such as nanotechnology, energy and environment protection, medicine and pharmacology, engineering, water desalination, information technology, and telecommunications.
Fouad Al-Awad, general supervisor of the exhibition, said the expo was a unique event in the Middle East, particularly after it was recognized by the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations.
He said the exhibition was a special occasion for Saudi inventors and innovators, especially as inventors from various other countries were participating, apart from the many workshops and lectures being organized on the sidelines.
The exhibition will end on Thursday.
