Latest news with #CentrefortheFourthIndustrialRevolution
Zawya
16-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Saudi: KACST to set up Quantum Valley with major firms
Saudi Arabia - King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) is working with Aramco and Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) on establishing a Quantum Valley by leveraging strategic partnerships with major quantum companies such as IBM and Pasqal to operate the first quantum computer in the Kingdom. Dr Talal bin Ahmad Al-Sudairy, Senior Vice President of KACST for Research and Development, revealed this during the World Quantum Day 2025" events, organised by the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia, in partnership with KACST. President of KACST and Chairman of the Centre's Board of Directors, Dr Munir bin Mahmoud El-Desouki, along with a distinguished group of experts and enthusiasts in future technologies from within and outside the Kingdom took part in the event. Dr Al-Sudairy said: 'In the Kingdom, the future is not a distant dream — it is being translated in the quantum labs at KACST, discussed in the innovation centres in NEOM, and tested in the startup garage. We are working on building an ecosystem that brings together academia, industry, and innovation.' Dr Basma Al-Buhairan, Managing Director of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia, stated in her opening speech that 'quantum science is no longer confined to theoretical frameworks; today, it has become a main driver for developing practical solutions that meet societal needs and help address global challenges'. Dr Al-Buhairan explained that the 'UpLink' challenge embodies an effective model of integration between tech innovators and decision-makers, supporting the building of a more advanced and sustainable future. Startups honoured The event witnessed the honouring of the top 10 innovative startups from various countries in the 'Quantum for Society' challenge, launched by the Centre in collaboration with the World Economic Forum's 'UpLink' platform. The aim was to support startups and entrepreneurs using quantum technologies to offer practical solutions to global challenges in fields such as climate change, sustainability, healthcare, and water. Among the winning startups was the German firm Planqc, which developed quantum computers to improve supply chains, discover materials, and accelerate drug development. A UK startup, Quantum Dice, developed advanced quantum algorithms to enhance energy efficiency in computational processes, while the Brazilian company Qnity introduced a high-precision solution for detecting molecular interactions, accelerating new drug discovery. In the environmental field, the Spanish startup, PlanetaiSpace, launched the 'QUANTUM-AQUA' initiative, which uses satellite technologies and quantum machine learning to detect groundwater depletion early. In the health sector, the UK startup, Quantasphere developed advanced quantum solutions to enhance data security in healthcare, while the Finnish company Algorithmiq offered a software platform that links quantum and classical systems for drug discovery and patient-specific treatment customization. The US startup, Xairos, developed quantum time-transfer technology that provides ultra-accurate global timing for telecommunications networks, data centers, and financial institutions. In the energy and geology sectors, the Australian startup, Nomad Atomics, introduced a technology enabling precise imaging of subsurface dynamics using gravity, enabling effective applications for carbon dioxide storage. The Canadian startup, Quminex, developed solutions based on quantum intelligence and unsupervised learning to efficiently detect critical mineral deposits, while the Spanish company Quantum Mads developed technologies to enhance the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants using quantum computing, reducing energy consumption and improving environmental resource management. World Quantum Day activities also featured a series of panel sessions that discussed the applications of quantum in vital areas such as healthcare, cybersecurity, computer science, education, and communications. These included discussions on the importance of governance and investment strategies for the next phase of the quantum transformation, in addition to workshops hosted by the Saudi Society for Quantum Computing, which presented advanced concepts in quantum computing—most notably the concept of 'entanglement swapping' and its expanding applications. The event also included a tech exhibition showcasing the history and future evolution of quantum sciences. The organisation of this event comes as part of the Kingdom's efforts to strengthen its position in the field of future technologies and to support the "quantum economy" project. April 14 was selected as an annual occasion to celebrate quantum science, in line with the United Nations' declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. - TradeArabia News Service Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Trade Arabia
15-04-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
KACST to set up Quantum Valley with major firms
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) is working with Aramco and Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) on establishing a Quantum Valley by leveraging strategic partnerships with major quantum companies such as IBM and Pasqal to operate the first quantum computer in the Kingdom. Dr Talal bin Ahmad Al-Sudairy, Senior Vice President of KACST for Research and Development, revealed this during the World Quantum Day 2025" events, organised by the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia, in partnership with KACST. President of KACST and Chairman of the Centre's Board of Directors, Dr Munir bin Mahmoud El-Desouki, along with a distinguished group of experts and enthusiasts in future technologies from within and outside the Kingdom took part in the event. Dr Al-Sudairy said: 'In the Kingdom, the future is not a distant dream — it is being translated in the quantum labs at KACST, discussed in the innovation centres in NEOM, and tested in the startup garage. We are working on building an ecosystem that brings together academia, industry, and innovation.' Dr Basma Al-Buhairan, Managing Director of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia, stated in her opening speech that 'quantum science is no longer confined to theoretical frameworks; today, it has become a main driver for developing practical solutions that meet societal needs and help address global challenges'. Dr Al-Buhairan explained that the 'UpLink' challenge embodies an effective model of integration between tech innovators and decision-makers, supporting the building of a more advanced and sustainable future. Startups honoured The event witnessed the honouring of the top 10 innovative startups from various countries in the 'Quantum for Society' challenge, launched by the Centre in collaboration with the World Economic Forum's 'UpLink' platform. The aim was to support startups and entrepreneurs using quantum technologies to offer practical solutions to global challenges in fields such as climate change, sustainability, healthcare, and water. Among the winning startups was the German firm Planqc, which developed quantum computers to improve supply chains, discover materials, and accelerate drug development. A UK startup, Quantum Dice, developed advanced quantum algorithms to enhance energy efficiency in computational processes, while the Brazilian company Qnity introduced a high-precision solution for detecting molecular interactions, accelerating new drug discovery. In the environmental field, the Spanish startup, PlanetaiSpace, launched the 'QUANTUM-AQUA' initiative, which uses satellite technologies and quantum machine learning to detect groundwater depletion early. In the health sector, the UK startup, Quantasphere developed advanced quantum solutions to enhance data security in healthcare, while the Finnish company Algorithmiq offered a software platform that links quantum and classical systems for drug discovery and patient-specific treatment customization. The US startup, Xairos, developed quantum time-transfer technology that provides ultra-accurate global timing for telecommunications networks, data centers, and financial institutions. In the energy and geology sectors, the Australian startup, Nomad Atomics, introduced a technology enabling precise imaging of subsurface dynamics using gravity, enabling effective applications for carbon dioxide storage. The Canadian startup, Quminex, developed solutions based on quantum intelligence and unsupervised learning to efficiently detect critical mineral deposits, while the Spanish company Quantum Mads developed technologies to enhance the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants using quantum computing, reducing energy consumption and improving environmental resource management. World Quantum Day activities also featured a series of panel sessions that discussed the applications of quantum in vital areas such as healthcare, cybersecurity, computer science, education, and communications. These included discussions on the importance of governance and investment strategies for the next phase of the quantum transformation, in addition to workshops hosted by the Saudi Society for Quantum Computing, which presented advanced concepts in quantum computing—most notably the concept of 'entanglement swapping' and its expanding applications. The event also included a tech exhibition showcasing the history and future evolution of quantum sciences. The organisation of this event comes as part of the Kingdom's efforts to strengthen its position in the field of future technologies and to support the "quantum economy" project. April 14 was selected as an annual occasion to celebrate quantum science, in line with the United Nations' declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. - TradeArabia News Service
Arab News
14-04-2025
- Science
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia rich in potential for quantum research, experts say
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia holds significant potential for quantum research, according to experts. Celebrating 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics, the Kingdom's Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution hosted World Quantum Day for the second time at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh. Ahmed Abdul Majeed, a recent physics graduate originally from Nigeria, told Arab News that Monday's conference gave him the platform to further explore his passions in quantum science. 'During my third year as an undergraduate I grew this sudden interest in quantum … since then, everything about me revolves around quantum,' he said. The first World Quantum Day was in 2021 as an effort to promote understanding of quantum science, which deals with miniscule particles smaller than atoms and has the potential to revolutionize computing power. The KACST event hosted numerous industry experts including David E. Keyes, senior associate to the president for strategic projects at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. A longtime admirer of Keyes' work, Abdul Majeed has been working with him for more than a year at the Quantum Computing Reading Group at KAUST, a group of academics and interested individuals that regularly gathers to discuss the latest developments in quantum computing and often invites companies abroad to join the conversation. Operating for two years now, the reading group at KAUST is trying to introduce quantum science to more university courses in the Kingdom. 'I know Saudi is working towards (quantum research) and I believe they will achieve more than any other country,' Abdul Majeed said. Richard Schoebel, regional director at ID Quantique, a Swiss company that develops quantum safe cybersecurity solutions, told Arab News that the Kingdom has made significant strides over the past couple of years in the field. 'We finally see there's a lot of movement happening in the terms of quantum here in the region. When I look back a couple years ago … it was really very slow, but now you see it's picking up pace … and it's getting a lot of traction.' Schoebel said that it is important to push quantum research forward because it is 'the next big thing.' Quantum computing is going to change the world as we know it, and together with AI it opens new possibilities, he said. On the other hand, as quantum technology develops it has the potential to bypass traditional cybersecurity methods, making it essential to develop more secure practices. With such a large number of young people in STEM fields with strong educational backgrounds, there is a lot of space for quantum to reach its full potential here, he said. Abdul Majeed, having recently been accepted to undertake a graduate degree in quantum technology at the University of Sussex, told Arab News that he has big dreams of taking the education and experiences he gained back home and establishing a school to teach others, as well as creating his own start-up and partnering with other industry leaders. 'I want to do my PhD also; I really want to get to the peak of learning.' Quoting Nobel Prize in Physics winner Richard Feynman, Abdul Majeed said: 'If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don't understand quantum mechanics.' World Quantum Day featured experts from 65 countries who spoke and discussed various topics in quantum science including global strategies for technology development, real-world applications of quantum solutions, bridging academia and industry, Quantum AI, and more.
Observer
27-01-2025
- Business
- Observer
Oman to host Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution
The Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in the Sultanate of Oman will be established in the Sultanate of Oman as a regional hub for technology and innovation. The Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology recently signed the agreement at the World Economic Forum to start of operation of the center in the first quarter of 2025 The center achieves the goals of Oman Vision 2024 by adopting the latest technologies and supporting the digital economy, promoting digital innovation and environmental sustainability, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, and developing regulatory frameworks for data governance and artificial intelligence. It will seek to increase the contribution of the digital economy to GDP through its focus areas through the application of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, data governance, development of regulatory frameworks for cross-border data governance, and the use of artificial intelligence. It will also develop AI applications to support sustainable climate solutions and exchange experiences with networks of Fourth Industrial Revolution centers worldwide. The expansion of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network is predicated on the understanding that different regions will have different priorities for using technology to address key challenges. Centers choose specific thematic focus areas on which to focus their work and pilot programs. This year, there are seven core thematic areas of research and impact generation: ushering in the Intelligent Age; transforming agriculture and food systems; revolutionizing health and biotechnology; accelerating the energy transition and sustainability; innovating mobility with autonomous systems; upskilling tomorrow's workforce; stimulating investments and competitiveness; and fostering partnerships and communities. The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation has galloped forward, completely shifting global priorities and ushering in what has been dubbed the Intelligent Age, where AI and advanced automation become ubiquitous in technology and its increasing applications. With many regions confronting the question of global food security, centers look to address this challenge through technology application in traditional farming and by innovating food systems entirely to elevate the alternative protein sector. Global health and health education remain cornerstone sectors for societies, and centers are looking to expand knowledge and access to health information and education. This includes the enablement of state- or country-wide data sharing for health research, improved resources for healthcare workers, and access to education to drive health innovation.
