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The Future of Semiconductors Forum 2024: Charting the Course of Electronic Chip Manufacturing and Design in Saudi Arabia

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Electronic Chip

The third edition of the Future Semiconductors Forum 2024 will be held in Riyadh, hosted by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The event, scheduled for June 5-6, 2024, at the Garage Innovation District in Riyadh, aims to promote the domestic production of electronic chips and boost the digital economy within Saudi Arabia.

This forum will gather esteemed policymakers, industrial pioneers, experts, and scholars in semiconductor technology. Notable participants include Shuji Nakamura, a Nobel laureate in Physics for his development of blue/green LEDs and violet laser diodes, alongside Kang Wang, who holds a professorship in electrical engineering and computer science and serves as Co-Director of the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering at UCLA and a Professor of electrical engineering at Raytheon Company. Also in attendance will be Steven P. DenBaars from the University of California – Santa Barbara, renowned for holding more than 190 US patents and co-founding the Institute of Engineering Electricity and Electronics alongside four photonics and electronics companies.

Umesh Mishra, the Dean of the College of Engineering at UCSB, joins the list of distinguished participants, as do Ross Jatou, President of the Semiconductor at Alat Company, Dr. Naveed Sherwani, the Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Rapid Silicon Company, co-designer of Intel microprocessor algorithms and Intel Award winner, and Professor Goutam Chattopadhyay, a research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology.

Dr. Munir Eldesouki, the President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, stated that the forum reflects the goals and priorities set by HRH Prince Mohamed bin Salman, the Crown Prince, and Prime Minister, in the field of research, development, and innovation. It also plays a significant role in advancing the digital economy in the Kingdom. He emphasized that the event is organized by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), which serves as a national laboratory and hub for innovation. Its purpose is to enhance the research, development, and innovation system, expedite technological advancements, and promote the localization of technologies.

Dr. Tony Chan, President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) commended the Semiconductors Future Forum for its accomplishments in the first and second editions. He noted that the new edition offers promising opportunities to enhance the digital economy, advance research cooperation between various entities, and exchange knowledge about best practices in the electronic chip industry by bringing together the most prominent local and international entities under one roof.

The forum’s purpose is to raise awareness about the significance of localizing the electronic chip industry and its contribution to the growth of the digital economy in the Kingdom. It also aims to explore potential opportunities for localizing this crucial industry to make the Kingdom a key player in the electronic chip sector. Additionally, the forum seeks to promote research collaboration and sharing best practices in semiconductor development and manufacturing.

Over two days, the forum will delve into various subjects to outline the semiconductor industry’s future trajectory in the Kingdom by exploring the semiconductor value chain, from raw materials to finished microchips. Additionally, it will examine the application of this cutting-edge technology in areas like space exploration, quantum technologies, 6G communications, electric vehicles, and integrated sensors to enable smart cities.

The third edition of the forum will announce significant initiatives that bolster Saudi Arabia’s standing in the global semiconductor arena, drive transformation in the Middle East, cultivate talent in this vital sector, and address industry challenges to spur economic growth. The forum’s agenda includes various scientific activities such as lectures, panel discussions, research posters, and an accompanying exhibition for global companies to showcase the latest semiconductor development and manufacturing developments.

The forum’s third edition has a strategic partnership with the Research, Development, and Innovation Development Authority and Alat Company. It is sponsored by leading local and international institutions and companies such as Ajlan & Brothers Holding, Synopsys, Siemens, Rapid Silicon, Oxford Instruments, Trysl Tech, Joule, EpicSemi, and International Semiconductor Executive Summits.

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RQEEM AND TORRY HARRIS SIGN LANDMARK AI MARKETPLACE MOU IN RIYADH

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Signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding between Rqeem for Smart Solutions and Torry Harris Business Solutions, with representatives seated at a table signing documents and others standing behind, against a backdrop featuring event branding and digital graphics

Rqeem for Smart Solutions, the digital arm of Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY), has signed an MoU with Torry Harris Business Solutions, to launch an AI-powered digital marketplace that will accelerate industrial transformation and attract new investment to Saudi Arabia.

Announced at the “Industrial Transformation of Saudi Arabia” event in Riyadh on December 2, 2025, the agreement positions Rqeem as RCJY’s innovative IT enabler creating a government-backed platform that connects SMEs, major industrial players, and global investors through a single digital ecosystem.

Bader Abduallah Alanazi, Sales and Marketing Director at Rqeem for Smart Solutions said in their Linked In post “ Through this partnership, we look forward to exploring new opportunities for collaboration in Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence, and to further supporting digital transformation across the industrial sector.”

Under the MoU, Torry Harris becomes Rqeem’s digital transformation partner, delivering a configurable, white-label marketplace that uses AI and API-driven integration to match supply and demand in real time across industrial sectors. The platform democratizes access to advanced digital tools once limited to large enterprises, directly supporting the Ministry of Industry’s Vision 2030 objectives.

“This partnership is about closing the technology gap between big enterprises and SMEs. We’re giving smaller industrial firms access to the same AI-driven insights, real-time intelligence, and seamless integration capabilities that global players rely on – so they can compete, innovate, and grow in today’s digital economy,” said Shivdayal Charan, Director, Torry Harris Middle East.

At the event, Rqeem highlighted its role as RCJY’s digital arm – delivering smart, scalable solutions aligned with Saudi Arabia’s national digital transformation agenda, positioning the marketplace around three priorities: closing the SME technology gap, building AI-driven network-effect ecosystems, and creating a 24/7 digital gateway for global investment into Saudi industrial clusters.

The AI-powered marketplace is structured to serve as a 24/7 global portal where investors can search, filter, and be algorithmically matched with qualified Saudi partners for joint ventures, technology collaboration, or specialised industrial services. Furthermore, investors can access a single recommendation engine that surfaces local companies by niche, capacity, and readiness, from anywhere in the world. Additionally, for SMEs and local industrial players, it provides a government-backed space to showcase capabilities and connect with larger manufacturers. As participation grows, network effects strengthen the matching quality and enhance the overall competitiveness of Saudi industrial clusters.

The platform is also configurable and white label, where similar solutions can be deployed across sectors such as logistics, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, smart cities, and technology services. In this model, a marketplace becomes the single digital front door for vetted SMEs, strengthening national competitiveness and entrepreneurial growth.

The Riyadh MoU emphasizes how a government-linked entity, partnering with a specialist integrator like Torry Harris, can transform the ecosystem where global capital, local innovation, and industrial policy mutually reinforce each other.

This innovative partnership template between Rqeem Smart Solutions and Torry Harris – can realize digital goals with 24/7 operational platforms that benefit investors, SMEs, and the wider economy.

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Global Investors Forum 2025 concludes with launch of Saudi-Georgia Investment Platform

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The Global Investors Forum (GIF 2025) has concluded its sessions in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, with the launch of the Saudi–Georgian Investment Platform, amid a high-profile international presence and strong interest from senior government officials, business leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs.

The closing day witnessed exceptional momentum, underscoring the forum’s standing as a prominent international platform that brings together the visions of GCC and Eurasian countries and reshapes the future pathways of investment cooperation between the two regions. GIF 2025 was held in strategic partnership with EurAsia Gulf, and GI Holding as the main partner, and with the support of the Embassy of Georgia in the United Arab Emirates and the Hong Kong – Middle East Business Chamber. The event is also sponsored by Petra Group, Evaluations, D&B Properties and Royal B.

The second day opened with a welcome address that highlighted the importance of economic dialogue and its role in expanding the scope of partnerships and integration between markets. The session saw contributions from H.E. Salah Al Shamsi, Chairman of Liwa Investment, and Dr Rock Mehanna, Board Member and Strategic Adviser to Evolutions and D&B Properties. The session set the stage for the launch of the Saudi–Georgian Investment Platform, one of the forum’s key initiatives this year.

The key highlight of the closing day was the official launch of the Saudi–Georgian Investment Platform, one of the most significant outcomes of this year’s forum. The announcement was made in the presence of Ahmed Al Dakheel, Chairman of the Saudi Business Council – Central Asian Countries and Chairman of the Saudi–Georgian Business Council; George Svanidze, Founder of Petra Group; and Ahmed Al Areej, Chairman of World Luxury Group. Also in attendance were Dr Tasyir Al Khunaizi, Partner and Deputy CEO of the Georgia Saudi Investment Corporation, and Dr Sadeddine Mneimne, Chairman of AGI Holding and Chairman of the Global Investors Forum.

This agreement marks a pivotal milestone in the economic relations between the two countries, establishing an institutional framework that supports the flow of bilateral investments and enables the implementation of joint projects across key sectors, including tourism and hospitality, health and wellness, agriculture, logistics, and other promising development initiatives.

The Saudi–Georgian Investment Platform is a joint investment venture between Saudi and Georgian businessmen, operating as a commercial entity with clear governance structures that ensure a secure and transparent environment for investors. Ahmed Al Areej, Chairman of World Luxury Group, underscored that the platform aims to strengthen economic and cultural ties between the two countries by launching a ready-made investment portfolio worth hundreds of millions of dollars, encompassing tourism, wellness, service and development projects in both Saudi Arabia and Georgia.

Al Areej outlined that Georgia holds significant natural resources and vast opportunities in property development and wellness projects, in addition to being an emerging and renewed tourism destination. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, leads the regional economy thanks to its huge potential in mining, energy, real estate development and tourism, making the integration of the two economies an ideal opportunity to create joint projects with shared strategic value.

In his address, Dr Sadeddine Mneimne, Chairman of AGI Holding and Chairman of the Global Investors Forum, underlined that the forum was established to serve as a bridge connecting East and West, and as a vision that brings together governments, investors and innovators to build a future shaped not by geography, but by partnerships, courage and shared visions. He added: “My commitment to this forum is clear: to build a platform that does not stop at its current boundaries but continues to evolve and expand until it becomes a global engine for creating opportunities and shaping the economies of tomorrow.”

Dr Sadeddine Mneimne, and Farah Harb, Co-Founder of Innovents ME, announced the new destinations set to host the Global Investors Forum 2026. The upcoming edition will take place across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Dominican Republic, in an expansion that reflects the forum’s growing international presence and its rising influence on the global investment map.

The launch of the platform came as a direct outcome of two days of discussions at the forum, and as a result of the sessions and bilateral business networking meetings in creating common ground for cooperation among investors and exchange of insightful views between the Saudi and Georgian sectors. The new platform is expected to strengthen cross-border partnerships, ease investors’ entry into high-potential markets and support entrepreneurs and value-added initiatives.

During the closing day, several business institutions and international companies delivered comprehensive presentations on strategic projects and diverse investment opportunities across sectors including technology, finance, professional services, real estate, artificial intelligence, ports and tourism. These sessions enabled participants to explore a wide range of promising investment prospects.

GIF 2025 saw the participation of an elite group of senior international figures, including His Excellency Salah Al Shamsi, Chairman of Liwa Investment; Dr Tasyir Al Khunaizi, Partner and Deputy CEO of the Georgia Saudi Investment Corporation; Aref Al Abbar, Chairman of the Emirates Hobbies Association; and Ahmed Al Dakheel, Chairman of the Saudi Business Council – Central Asian Countries and Chairman of the Saudi–Georgian Business Council.

Other notable participants included George Svanidze, Founder of Petra Group; Ahmed Al Areej, Chairman of World Luxury Group; Dr Arif Anis, internationally recognised leadership expert and recipient of the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE); and Dr Rock Mehanna, Board Member and Strategic Adviser to Evolutions and D&B Properties and ABMC, along with a number of ministers, ambassadors, heads of chambers of commerce, leaders of economic institutions from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Georgia and other countries.

In conclusion, the Global Investors Forum 2025 reaffirmed its leading role in transforming economic dialogue into practical steps and actionable agreements that open new horizons for international investment cooperation. The launch of the Saudi–Georgian Investment Platform stands as a testament to the forum’s ability to shape meaningful initiatives that support the shared economic visions of the Gulf and Eurasian regions. The platform also lays the groundwork for future projects capable of making a tangible impact on the pathways for development and regional integration.

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ATERMES and IEC secure Landmark Contract to Deploy AI-Powered Bird Repelling System at Lahore Airport

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A close-up view of ATERMES' SURICATE AI-enabled multi-sensor surveillance camera system, featuring an optical lens and sensor housing.

ATERMES, a French leader in advanced surveillance and security solutions, announces in partnership with The Imperial Electric Company (IEC), the award of a major contract by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) for the deployment of a state-of-the-art Bird Repelling System (BRS) at Lahore International Airport.

This milestone project represents a first-of-its-kind integrated solution combining SURICATE, ATERMES’ advanced AI-enabled multi-sensor surveillance system, with acoustic and laser deterrence technologies. The system delivers a fully automated, intelligent, and environmentally friendly approach to mitigating bird-strike risks; one of aviation’s most persistent safety challenges.

The SURICATE system, developed by ATERMES in France, brings together cutting-edge optronics, embedded AI, and edge computing to continuously monitor airfields, identify potential avian threats in real time, and automatically activate deterrence mechanisms.

Once a bird threat is detected by the system’s deep-learning algorithms, SURICATE autonomously triggers the surrounding acoustic and laser repellers, driving the birds away from critical flight zones such as runways and taxiways.

This unique synergy between AI-based detection and automated multi-modal deterrence marks a turning point in airport security and environmental protection. Unlike traditional manual or time-based repelling systems, the BRS for Lahore Airport operates only when necessary, optimizing energy use and minimizing disturbance to the surrounding ecosystem.

Lionel Thomas, Chairman of ATERMES, stated: “This project is not just about technology; it’s about redefining how airports ensure safety through intelligence. By merging AI, optics, and deterrence, we’re transforming bird control into a predictive, autonomous, and eco-responsible process.”

Sajid Jamal, Executive Director of The Imperial Electric Company, added: “Our partnership with ATERMES reflects Pakistan’s growing commitment to embracing advanced, AI-driven safety systems. Lahore will become the first airport in the region equipped with such an integrated and intelligent Bird Repelling System.”

The project underscores a strong collaboration between France and Pakistan in technological innovation. ATERMES will provide the detection and control systems, while IEC, a key player in Pakistan’s engineering and infrastructure sectors, will oversee integration, installation, and local support. Together, they will ensure the delivery of a robust, scalable, and sustainable system that sets a benchmark for other international airports in the region.

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