Innovation

A productive cross-sectoral innovation ecosystem underpins the world’s leading economies, enabling countries such as the US, China and Germany to respond effectively to existential challenges, economic inefficiencies and commercial opportunities that ultimately bolster economic sustainability. In recognition of this, Saudi Arabia’s government is working to plug gaps in the Kingdom’s own innovation ecosystem by ensuring each sector of its economy has a strong research, development and innovation (RDI) component. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign reserves and reformed regulatory frameworks have enabled rapid economic diversification, and its flourishing RDI entities have made significant contributions to the Kingdom’s search for solutions to national challenges, which include water scarcity, genetic diseases, the Covid-19 pandemic, the energy transition and food insecurity.

This chapter contains an interview with Munir El Desouki, President, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.