Strategic partnership aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to advance skills development, innovation and entrepreneurship across the AEC and Media & Entertainment sectors Nemetschek Arabia, part of the Nemetschek Group, one of the world’s leading software providers for the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AEC/O) industry, has entered into a strategic partnership with Prince Sultan University (PSU), one of Saudi Arabia’s leading private higher education institutions, to support the development of future-ready talent and accelerate innovation across the Kingdom.

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing education, technology innovation, entrepreneurship and workforce development across the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, as well as Media and Entertainment sectors. Through this collaboration, Nemetschek Group and PSU will explore joint initiatives designed to strengthen skills development, expand academic-industry engagement and prepare students for the evolving demands of a digitally enabled economy.

Both parties will work together to implement programming that supports skills development, entrepreneurship and technology adoption, including the potential establishment of a joint accelerator program. The collaboration will also focus on creating opportunities for workshops, capacity-building initiatives, applied learning programs and joint outreach activities, while increasing awareness of each institution’s academic offerings and international programs.

A key pillar of the partnership is the integration of Nemetschek Group’s Global Academic Program, which empowers the next generation of AEC/O leaders by providing students with access to the same cutting-edge digital tools used by industry professionals. The program is designed to bridge the gap between the classroom and the field, fostering entrepreneurial thinking, scientific rigor and a strong sense of societal responsibility. It ensures that graduates entering the workforce are equipped to make an immediate and meaningful impact.

Yves Padrines, Chief Executive Officer of the Nemetschek Group, noted that empowering the next generation of talent is central to Nemetschek’s long-term vision and to the future of the built environment. “Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 places people, knowledge and innovation at the heart of national transformation, and this partnership with Prince Sultan University reflects our commitment to contributing to that ambition. By working closely with leading academic institutions, we are helping to develop the digital skills, entrepreneurial mindset and technical excellence required to shape a more sustainable and resilient future.”

Muayad Simbawa, Managing Director of Nemetschek Arabia, added: “This partnership represents an important step in strengthening the connection between academia and industry in the Kingdom. By bringing Nemetschek’s global expertise and academic programs to Prince Sultan University, we are supporting students with practical, industry-relevant skills while nurturing innovation and leadership. It is through partnerships like this that we can help build a highly skilled, future-ready workforce aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”

Speaking on the impact of the partnership on student and their future careers, Dr. Abdulhakim Almajid, Dean of the College of Engineering at Prince Sultan University, explained: “Prince Sultan University is dedicated to providing our students with a world-class education that meets the highest international standards. Partnering with the Nemetschek Group allows us to further enhance our curriculum with industry-leading technology, as well as expose our students to real-world industry practices. This collaboration will provide our students with a competitive edge, fostering innovation and preparing them to contribute significantly to the Kingdom’s flourishing engineering and media sectors.”

The partnership underscores Nemetschek Group’s continued investment in talent development across the Middle East and its commitment to supporting national priorities through education, innovation and long-term ecosystem building.

PNY today announces the reinforcement of its commercial and marketing teams across the Middle East, with a particular focus on Saudi Arabia, a key strategic market for the expansion of its professional and consumer solutions businesses.

These recruitments are designed to support the acceleration of PNY’s expanding business around AI Factory initiatives and large-scale datacenter deployments. By strengthening its capabilities across computing, networking, storage, the full software stack, and the integration of NVIDIA and Vertiv solutions, PNY is positioning itself to deliver scalable, reliable end-to-end infrastructures that meet the evolving needs of enterprises as well as public and governmental organizations investing in AI and high-performance computing.

To support this growth strategy, PNY announces several key appointments:

Hashem Abughazaleh joins PNY to lead Professional Solutions Sales.
A seasoned Business Development and Enterprise Sales leader, Hashem brings over 15 years of experience across the Middle East and GCC. He has led high-level partnerships, defined enterprise sales strategies, and managed full solution lifecycles—from partner onboarding and technical customization to delivery.

Abdullah Algahyadh is appointed to drive the expansion of PNY’s presence in Saudi Arabia.
Born and raised in Riyadh, Abdullah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Information Systems and a Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management from Middlesex University. His professional background includes business development, account management, and IT consulting. Abdullah brings strong local market knowledge and will play a key role in strengthening PNY’s footprint in the Kingdom.

Mohammed Hamdouche will lead the development of local marketing activities.
His background sits at the intersection of business, marketing, and technology, shaped by experience in large, tech-driven organizations across MENA markets. He brings expertise in digital marketing, with a strong interest in AI-driven technologies. Mohammed will actively support the growth of consumer solutions (a complete ecosystem of NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics cards, SSD components, and memory modules), storage ranges (USB flash drives and memory cards), as well as professional solutions.

“With these strategic hires, PNY is reinforcing its commitment to the Middle East and Saudi Arabia. We are strengthening our proximity to partners and customers, while helping them embrace innovative technologies to meet the region’s growing needs in digital transformation, AI, and high-performance computing.” –  Jérôme Bélan, CEO at PNY Technologies EMEA

Drawing on feedback from patients across the globe, Starkey highlighted that accelerating AI adoption in hearing health is already transforming daily life for people with hearing challenges, improving how they hear, connect and participate with greater confidence. Starkey addressed UAE’s leading audiologists, clinic owners and industry stakeholders from across the Middle East and Africa, led by Dr. Achin Bhowmik, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Engineering.

The session focused on Starkey’s blueprint for AI-led hearing performance for patients in UAE and wider Middle East region, anchored by Omega AI, and detailed how the platform is advancing real-world speech clarity in challenging noisy environments, listening comfort and spatial awareness today, while setting the architecture for next-generation sound processing.

“At Starkey, sound quality is always, and will remain, job number one. Hearing is essential for how people connect, work, and participate in everyday life. When people delay action, outcomes suffer and quality of life and cognitive ability can decline unnecessarily,” said Dr. Achin Bhowmik, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Engineering, Starkey. “Omega AI is built to bring people closer to natural hearing in real environments, using an industry-first 360-degree deep neural network processing and generative AI designed to dynamically adapt as listening conditions change and assist the patient in all environments. Hearing aids are high tech multifunction devices.   The next step is accelerating adoption, so these capabilities reach more patients in the UAE who can benefit from them.”

During the session, Starkey highlighted how Omega AI advances the shift from conventional amplification toward intelligent hearing systems designed for clarity, comfort and usability. Omega AI includes new connectivity features including Auracast assistant and Google Fast Pair, fall detection and a special AI assistant.  Starkey is setting the new standards for the industry.

The briefing took place against a backdrop of hearing loss emerging as a major global health and societal challenge. The World Health Organization projects that by 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people will have some degree of hearing loss, with more than 700 million expected to require hearing rehabilitation. The WHO also estimates the annual global cost of unaddressed hearing loss at almost US$ 1 trillion, reinforcing why prevention, early checks, and access to care matter.

The roadmap also emphasized connectivity and ecosystem design, including features intended to reduce friction for wearers, support faster fitting and follow-up, and enable a smoother clinical experience for hearing care professionals.

“Audiologists and clinic leaders in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey can rest assured that the new OMEGA AI platform will give them confidence and speed in treating their patients,” said Giscard Bechara, Director, Starkey MEA. “This briefing was designed to align the professionals on a larger point – hearing care is the need of the hour. Starkey has the technology today to service our patients better than any time before and we will waste no effort to educate and bring it here to our patients in the UAE and the Middle East.”

Starkey Middle East and Africa will continue engaging hearing care professionals and partners through professional education, technology briefings and clinical enablement initiatives, supporting evidence-based hearing care practices and helping translate the latest hearing innovation into improved patient outcomes.