Bridging Academia and Industry for Saudi Innovation:
Real-World Impact through Data-Driven Leadership and Strategic Collaboration
December 10, 2024
Riyadh
While it took decades for automobiles to reach 100 million users, ChatGPT achieved the same milestone in just two months—highlighting the unprecedented speed of innovation in today’s digital age.
On December 10th, AmCham Saudi Arabia hosted a thought-provoking event, “Bridging Academia and Industry for Saudi Innovation: Real-World Impact through Data-Driven Leadership and Strategic Collaboration,” bringing together distinguished voices to explore the vital connections between research, industry, and government in driving transformative innovation.
A heartfelt thank you to our distinguished panelists and speakers:
Dr. Jeremy Petranka, Senior Associate Dean at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business
Dr. Hassan Albalawi, PhD, Founder and CEO of WakeCap
Miguel Monteiro, Executive Director at Qiddiya
Tarik Solomon, Executive Director at Arabian Sahara Co.
Dr. Maha Bawazir, Chair of the AmCham Saudi Arabia Education Committee
The event addressed key challenges and opportunities for fostering innovation in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the importance of strong linkages between academia, industry, and the private sector to achieve the goals of Vision 2030.
Key insights from our discussion:
An Innovative Economy Needs More Ideas: Dr. Petranka emphasized that innovation thrives in environments where the quantity of ideas is valued over perfection, creating opportunities for unexpected breakthroughs.
Making Data Actionable: Dr. Al-Balawi noted that addressing the “so what” question—turning data into relevant and impactful solutions—is critical for success. Once this is established, the focus should shift to speed and scale.
Supporting Bold Ideas: Miguel Monteiro reminded us of the importance of leaders and organizations embracing calculated risks to bring transformative ideas to life. He encouraged creating an ecosystem where startups can take risks and build the trust necessary for driving long-term growth.
Feedback from our participants underscored the value of these discussions, and we are grateful for the contributions of our speakers, attendees, and the Education Committee for making this event possible.
We look forward to continuing to support meaningful dialogue and collaboration to advance innovation in Saudi Arabia.