https://arab.news/bsdf6
RIYADH: King Abdulaziz University has registered 580 patents, with about 3 percent successfully commercialized and converted into market-ready products, according to a senior official.
Saud Wasili, director of KAU鈥檚 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, told Al-Eqtisadiah that 黑料社区 invests over SR20 billion ($5.3 billion) annually in research and innovation.
He said this focus reflects the Kingdom鈥檚 broader drive to enhance its innovation ecosystem in line with Vision 2030 goals.
The university鈥檚 strategy aims to advance academic excellence, promote sustainable development, and strengthen global competitiveness through innovation, digital transformation, partnerships, and talent development.
Wasili noted that KAU鈥檚 patents span all of the Kingdom鈥檚 national priorities, with particular strength in healthcare technologies. Among the university鈥檚 current innovations are medical preparations, diagnostic tests, and early detection devices for neurological disorders in children.
The university has also developed industrial robots for automation, submarine systems, autonomous drones, and water-saving agricultural technologies.
Musab Al-Harbi, director of KAU鈥檚 Corporate Communications Center and the university鈥檚 official spokesperson, said the First Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Saudi Universities鈥� launched with participation from 22 universities 鈥� focuses on key themes such as the knowledge economy, intellectual property, and investment in inventions.
The event features collaboration with national bodies including Monsha鈥檃t and the Research, Development, and Innovation Authority.
Al-Harbi added that Saudi universities play a central role in fostering innovation, building an entrepreneurship culture, and aligning academic outcomes with labor market needs to develop a generation of competitive innovators and entrepreneurs.