Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: Alwaleed Philanthropies and Saudi Arabia’s Research, Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA) announced signing a strategic partnership agreement to strengthen the Kingdom’s research and innovation ecosystem and accelerate the development of technology solutions.

As per a recent press release, the agreement was signed in the presence of Princess Lamia bint Majed Al Saud, Secretary General of Alwaleed Philanthropies, and Munir bin Mahmoud Eldesouki, Acting Governor of RDIA. It aims to empower researchers and innovators, develop national capabilities, and support initiatives aligned with Saudi Arabia’s technology priorities.

Under the partnership, Alwaleed Philanthropies will support the Open RAN Technology Challenge and help oversee four winning startups selected for developing innovative technology solutions. The collaboration will enable the startups to advance their products, move toward deployment, and measure their impact.

The two organizations will establish a joint working group to monitor implementation and explore further research and innovation initiatives.

The agreement builds on their previous collaboration, which enabled 96 Saudi women to pursue postgraduate studies in emerging fields, including artificial intelligence and renewable energy, at universities ranked among the world's top 30.