KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY — Prince Muhammad Bin Salman College (MBSC) of Business and Entrepreneurship, a leading provider of world class, high caliber higher education in the Kingdom, participated in the StartUp Saudi Arabia Forum, an event for emerging Saudi companies held in Jeddah early this month.

Under the auspices of Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, adviser to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Umm Al-Qura University, represented by Wadi Makkah Technology Company, organized the forum at Ritz-Carlton hotel from Nov. 4 to Nov. 6.

The forum included a conference, an exhibition and seminars as well as short presentations for investors. In addition to participating in the conference, MBSC had a booth at the exhibition giving information on its EXED (executive education) programs and MBA degrees.

Decision makers, men of expertise, local and international companies participated in the forum with a view to achieving sustainable development in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 in terms of supporting a knowledge-based economy, regional leadership, expanding the productive base through entrepreneurship and creating a congenial environment for an incubator of knowledge and technological creativity and innovation.

A number of sessions and seminars were held to discuss topics of interest to start-ups and entrepreneurs such as legislative and organizational development of start-ups, venture capital and investment strategies, best practices and latest research works and studies in the field, as well as a session for sharing experiences and knowledge transfer between entrepreneurs and start-up owners.

MBSC participated in two panel discussions on Nov. 6. Dr. Nabeel Koshak, dean of MBSC, took part in a discussion titled Nurturing a Culture of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Osama Ashri, head of Development and Strategic Alliances at MBSC, took a part in a discussion titled Incubators and Accelerators: What is Next?

"My colleague and I are delighted to have participated in the StartUp Saudi Arabia Forum since its objectives aligned with MBSC's aim to create a new generation of entrepreneurs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” said Dr. Koshak. "We believe the forum stimulated and activated startups in the SMEs sector, which is a key component of Saudi Vision 2030.”

Other panelists from academia included Amal Dokhan, managing director of Babson Global Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at MBSC; Dr. Bakri Asas, president of Umm Al Qurra University; Professor Gordon McConnell, head of Entrepreneurship Center at KAUST; and Dr. Khalid S. Al-Sultan, rector of King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM).

Other distinguished panelists included Dr. Abdulfattah Mashaat, deputy minister of Haj and Umrah and former president of Jeddah University; Eng. Ibraheem Al-Zuhimeel, adviser to the governor of the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises; and Nawaf Attaf Al-Sahhaf, CEO of the Badir Program for Technology Incubators & Accelerators.

The forum was a networking venue for entrepreneurs, start-up owners and venture capitalists. — SG