Lucid and Saudi Arabia's KAUST announce strategic partnership
Partnership leverages growing resources in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to advance key areas in Lucid's technology roadmap while progressing the country's vision for sustainable mobility
KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia /PRNewswire/ -- Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCID), maker of the world's most advanced electric vehicles, and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), a leading academic and research institution focused on science and technology innovation with regional and global impact, today announced a strategic partnership designed to shape the future of EV technology. Leveraging the growing resources in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lucid aims to further advance the company's technology leadership.
"KAUST's world-class research infrastructure and talent has the potential to further boost our technology leadership in many dimensions incl. our ADAS and AD roadmap—bringing cutting-edge innovation from the lab to the road," said Marc Winterhoff, Interim CEO at Lucid. "This collaboration also strengthens our global R&D footprint bringing additional resources to bear in our efforts to continue as a leader in EV powertrain, battery systems, advanced materials, and software-defined vehicle platforms. As this partnership demonstrates, we continue to strengthen our collaboration with the Kingdom and are fully committed to working together to help achieve their vision to become a global center for mobility innovation."
As part of this cooperation, Lucid will have access to KAUST's supercomputing capabilities.
"KAUST is proud to partner with Lucid to join our research capabilities with their real-world EV expertise while contributing to the Kingdom's strategic goals," said Sir Edward Byrne AC, President of KAUST. "This collaboration underscores our joint commitment to pioneering innovative solutions in electric vehicle technology."
"Access to high-performance computing at this level is truly transformative," said Eric Bach, SVP of Product and Chief Engineer at Lucid. "It dramatically enhances our ability to develop advanced fluids, materials and alloys, simulate real-world physics for crash safety and structural optimization, model fluid dynamics and thermal transfer, analyze electromagnetic flux, and accelerate AI training for digital twin technology, autonomous systems, and large language models. We're deeply grateful for this opportunity and excited about the breakthroughs it will drive across our engineering and AI initiatives."
Joint efforts will also focus on the design and prototyping of next-generation components and systems, integrating disciplines such as mechanical, electrical, thermal, and chemical engineering. Advancements in materials science will play a pivotal role, with research dedicated to high-performance metallic and polymer-based composites, heat-reflective glass coatings, innovative laminates, and alternative non-conventional materials —each aimed at optimizing vehicle efficiency and durability.
The collaborative research and development activities will be hosted at KAUST's advanced laboratories in King Abdullah Economic City.
About Lucid Group
Lucid (NASDAQ: LCID) is a Silicon Valley-based technology company focused on creating the most advanced EVs in the world. The award-winning Lucid Air and new Lucid Gravity deliver best-in-class performance, sophisticated design, expansive interior space and unrivaled energy efficiency. Lucid assembles both vehicles in its state-of-the-art, vertically integrated factory in Arizona. Through its industry-leading technology and innovations, Lucid is advancing the state-of-the-art of EV technology for the benefit of all.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arabian Post
5 hours ago
- Arabian Post
From petrostate to deal state: Gulf IPO markets mature
Maein Khalid Since the pandemic, IPO activity across GCC capital markets has surged – offering a sharp contrast to the stop-start pace on New York's Nasdaq and the near standstill on London's LSE. Nearly 300 IPOs have raised around $50 billion across the Gulf since 2021. ADVERTISEMENT Below I outline six key macro themes shaping this post-Covid IPO boom in the GCC. First, contrary to expectations, the number, size and aftermarket performance of IPOs in the GCC have shown little correlation with oil prices. Since 2021 Brent crude has swung wildly, yet IPO momentum has remained resilient, even in hydrocarbons-heavy markets like Saudi Arabia. Second, the sheer variety of sectors that contributed to regional IPO deals demonstrates that non-oil growth, industry deregulation, private sector entrepreneurship and e-commerce are powerful macro themes in the Gulf. The two largest IPOs in the GCC last year were the $2 billion food delivery app Talabat's IPO, listed in Dubai's DFM, and the $1.8 billion Lulu hypermarket, a 50-year-old family-owned grocery chain listed on Abu Dhabi's ADX. ADVERTISEMENT Last year saw 48 IPOs from sectors as varied as grocery chains, software and IT services, e-commerce, education, healthcare, financial services, remittance solutions, leisure, transportation and real estate. Third, Saudi Arabian deal flow both dominated the IPO pipeline and dramatically outperformed its GCC peers in aftermarket trading. For instance, 38 out of the 48 deals in the GCC that raised $12.06 billion in 2024 originated from the kingdom, and the average aftermarket performance in the week following the IPO was a spectacular 45 percent. The kingdom's first three IPOs on the main market this year all went 'limit up', surging on their first day of trading by the maximum 30 percent allowed. It is no mistake that the first aviation IPO in the region in almost two decades – Flynas is seeking to raise $1.1 billion – is taking place in the kingdom. This is a testament to both the vast liquidity available in the Saudi new issue market and the magnetic power of the kingdom's junior exchange, Nomu, which saw 27 companies listed in 2024 alone. New listings on Nomu are typically domestic Saudi firms operating in high-growth sectors tied to the kingdom's digital transformation – highlighting a clear link between rising tech literacy among its youthful population and a growing appetite for high-risk, high-reward IPOs. Fourth, the GCC IPO constellation is dominated by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with Oman a distant third. Saudi Arabia's 38 IPOs in 2024 dwarfed seven from the UAE, two from Oman and a solitary flotation in Kuwait. This spectacular asymmetry in the national origin of IPOs reflects the vast differences in the capital markets milieu, investor ecosystems and liquidity preferences among the six GCC states. Fifth, the recent IPO boom has attracted global investor interest in the Gulf's emerging capital markets, as sovereign wealth funds from the region have become a significant force in Wall Street and Silicon Valley deal-making. This trend will both broaden and deepen the GCC capital markets, evidencing that they are no longer an illiquid sideshow in the emerging markets universe. Historically the GCC IPO landscape was dominated by state-led privatisations and secondary offerings, with governments selling minority stakes in national champions. The most iconic example remains the 2019 Saudi Aramco listing – still the largest IPO in history – which raised $25.6 billion by selling just 1.5 percent of the company on Riyadh's Tadawul exchange. But the market has since evolved, moving beyond oil giants and into broader, more diversified territory. Saudi Aramco subsequently raised $12 billion in a secondary offering last year. These mega deals played a crucial role in the development of the kingdom's capital markets infrastructure and set the stage for the current bullish IPO environment. The UAE's role as the most diversified, cosmopolitan and networked economy in the Arab world can be gauged by the fact that it contributed to the two largest IPOs of 2024 – both private sector businesses with no connection to oil and gas or the government. The 2025 IPO of Bahrain-based Investcorp Capital marked a milestone for the region – positioning Abu Dhabi where it listed not just as an oil-rich emirate, but as a rising power in global finance. By listing a world-class alternative investment manager on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, the UAE has shown it is no longer just deploying capital abroad – it's building the infrastructure to manage it at home. As a growing nexus for hedge funds and private capital, Abu Dhabi is fast becoming a noodle point in the global alternatives ecosystem. Mixed IPO outlook I predict the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund PIF will midwife the next generation of privatisation IPOs in the kingdom, as it did with Saudi Aramco in 2019. But while the IPO market outperformance and the sheer scale of domestic liquidity flows make mega privatisation listings viable, the same cannot be said for smaller GCC states like Oman and Bahrain. Facing tighter fiscal constraints, their private investor base tends to favour quasi-debt, high-yield instruments issued by state-owned blue-chips over equity exposure. The sale of a 25 percent stake in OQ Gas Networks by Oman's state energy company suggests that it is problematic to engineer an IPO or even a state-owned energy colossus when oil prices are mired in a bearish downtrend. While the IPO marked a milestone for the Muscat bourse, it also revealed the limitations of investor appetite when crude prices are under pressure. Unlike Saudi Arabia's liquidity-fuelled listings, Oman's experience shows that timing – and broader market sentiment – can still make or break even the most strategic flotations. Also published on Medium. Notice an issue? Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.
Arabian Post
2 days ago
- Arabian Post
K Wave Media Embarks on $500m Bitcoin Infrastructure Initiative
K Wave Media Ltd., a Nasdaq-listed Korean entertainment conglomerate, has secured a $500 million equity financing agreement with Bitcoin Strategic Reserve KWM LLC. The capital infusion is earmarked for operating Bitcoin Lightning Network nodes and investing in Bitcoin infrastructure, signalling a significant strategic shift towards digital assets. The Lightning Network, a second-layer solution built atop the Bitcoin blockchain, facilitates faster and more cost-effective transactions by enabling off-chain settlements through payment channels. This technology addresses Bitcoin's scalability issues, allowing for a higher volume of transactions with reduced fees. K Wave Media's move aligns with a broader trend of corporations integrating Bitcoin into their financial strategies. Companies like LQWD Technologies have also been expanding their Bitcoin holdings and Lightning Network operations, aiming to generate yield through transaction fees and enhance payment efficiencies. ADVERTISEMENT The $500 million financing will enable K Wave Media to establish and operate Lightning Network nodes, contributing to the network's robustness and decentralization. Additionally, the investment will support the development of Bitcoin infrastructure, potentially fostering innovation in digital payment solutions and financial services. This strategic pivot reflects K Wave Media's commitment to embracing emerging technologies and adapting to the evolving financial landscape. By investing in Bitcoin infrastructure, the company positions itself at the forefront of digital asset integration within the entertainment industry. The partnership with Bitcoin Strategic Reserve KWM LLC underscores the growing institutional interest in Bitcoin and its associated technologies. As more companies explore the potential of digital assets, investments in infrastructure like the Lightning Network are becoming increasingly prevalent. K Wave Media's initiative may also influence other entertainment and media companies to consider similar ventures into the digital asset space. The integration of Bitcoin infrastructure could lead to new business models, revenue streams, and enhanced engagement with tech-savvy audiences.
Al Etihad
3 days ago
- Al Etihad
Wall Street ticks higher as tech boost offsets economic worries
4 June 2025 19:00 (REUTERS)US stocks edged higher on Wednesday, as strength in technology shares offset declines driven by weak economic data that deepened concerns about the impact of the Trump administration's erratic trade US services sector contracted for the first time in nearly a year in May, while businesses paid higher input prices, a reminder that the economy was still at risk of experiencing a period of very slow growth and high ADP National Employment Report showed US private employers added the fewest number of workers in more than two years in May. Investors are awaiting Friday's nonfarm-payrolls data for more signs on how trade uncertainty is affecting the US labour doubled tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50% on Wednesday, the same day by which President Donald Trump wanted trading partners to make their best offers to avoid other punishing import levies from taking effect in early focus is squarely on tariff negotiations between Washington and its trading partners, with Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping expected to speak sometime this week as tensions simmer between the world's two biggest was the best month for the S&P 500 index and the tech-heavy Nasdaq since November 2023, thanks to a softening of Trump's harsh trade stance and upbeat earnings S&P 500 remains less than 3% away from its record highs touched in joined a slew of other brokerages in raising its year-end price target for the S&P 500, pointing to easing trade uncertainty and expectations of normalised earnings growth in 10:36 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 88.09 points, or 0.20%, to 42,605.07, the S&P 500 gained 17.36 points, or 0.29%, to 5,987.73 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 58.41 points, or 0.31%, to 19, of the 11 major S&P 500 sub-sectors rose, led by communication services with a 1.2% rise, while information technology stocks gained 0.4%.Shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise rose 1.1% as demand for the company's artificial-intelligence servers and hybrid cloud segment helped it beat estimates for second-quarter revenue and rose 2.2% after the chip manufacturer announced plans to increase its investments to $16 dropped 3.8%. The electric-vehicle maker's sales dropped for the fifth straight month in big European Fargo shares rose 1.2% after the U.S. Federal Reserve removed a $1.95 trillion asset cap imposed in 2018 following years of of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike slumped 4.7% after it forecast quarterly revenue below Tree fell 10.2% after the discount store operator forecast second-quarter adjusted profit would be as much as 50% lower than a year ago due to tariff-driven issues outnumbered decliners by a 2.02-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.41-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted 19 new 52-week highs and no new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 63 new highs and 23 new lows.
