Omani inventors win three medals at ITEX in Malaysia
Badr bin Salim al Muqbali received a gold medal for his invention – a remote controlled device to operate a ring-bonding unit. Earlier, he won the Best Innovator Award presented by the Bunyan Foundation in Saudi Arabia.
The second gold for Oman was claimed by Malak bint Khalifa al Harthi for her project involving a Portland cement composite reinforced with carbon nanoplates, proposed for use as dental filling.
The silver medal was won by Yusra bint Yousef al Ghadani for her project titled 'Squid ink water filter'.
Amna bint Ali al Siyabi, Research and Innovation Capacity Building Specialist at Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, described ITEX is a major international platform that allows young inventors to develop their ideas, connect with peers worldwide, and present their innovations to investors across sectors including medicine, agriculture, biotechnology, construction and energy.
According to al Amna, the ministry received 59 applications for participation in ITEX this year. Twenty projects were shortlisted and assessed by a specialised jury, with the top three chosen to represent Oman based on creativity, feasibility and potential global impact.
ITEX is held annually and brings together inventors, startups, investors and entrepreneurs from across Asia and Europe. This year's event featured over 1,000 inventions from more than 20 countries, offering opportunities for funding and industry exposure.
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