INSIDE SAUDI ARABIA'S DEEP TECH ECOSYSTEM, POWERED BY NTDP

The panel delves into Saudi Arabia's deep technology ecosystem, discussing its evolution and future. Dr. Ayan defines deep tech as technologies addressing future problems, requiring investment and patience for scaling. Dr. Khaled outlines the ecosystem's three phases: foundational, acceleration, and growth, emphasizing talent, research infrastructure, and funding. Mr. Abdulaziz details the Innovation and Research and Development Authority's (RDIA) priorities, including sustainability, health, energy, and economies of the future. He gives examples of national missions, such as water and food security, and their technological roadmaps. Dr. Osama explains Saudi Venture Capital Company's (SVC) role in de-risking deep tech investments, highlighting the need for patient investors and collaboration. Panelists advise collaboration, education investment, government support, private sector trust, startup patience, and a national deep tech acceleration framework. They emphasize that deep tech, while slow to mature, offers profound and compounding returns. The discussion highlights the coordinated efforts between government, universities, and funding to foster deep tech innovation.