Today, Tuesday, His Excellency the President of King Khalid University, Prof. Faleh bin Raja Allah Al-Solami, in the presence of the Mayor of Asir Region, Eng. Abdullah bin Mahdi Al-Jali, inaugurated the first day of the Annual Entrepreneurship Forum at the university campus in Al-Faraa. The event, organized by the University’s Agency for Business and Community Partnerships through the Center for Entrepreneurship, commenced with a tour of the accompanying exhibitions. His Excellency viewed the most prominent entrepreneurial projects and student innovations supported by the university, as well as the programs and services offered by the Center for Entrepreneurship and its partners.

In his opening remarks, the University’s Vice President for Business and Community Partnerships, Prof. Abdul Latif bin Ibrahim Al-Hadithi, emphasized the university’s commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial culture and empowering young men and women to establish high-quality projects. He noted that the contribution of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to the Saudi economy has increased from 20% prior to the launch of Vision 2030 to 35% in 2024, accompanied by a reduction in the unemployment rate from 11.6% to 7%, reflecting progress toward the vision’s objectives.

Prof. Al-Hadithi highlighted that King Khalid University, through the Center for Entrepreneurship, has played a significant role in achieving these milestones by offering a range of services, including training, guidance, technical and financial support, and marketing. He further noted that the center has served 2,855 beneficiaries this year alone, in addition to organizing 86 training programs, boot camps, and hackathons aimed at enhancing innovation and entrepreneurial skills.

He also shed light on the achievements of university students, who have won 16 global awards in innovation and entrepreneurship competitions. The university's incubators have supported the launch of 17 commercial projects, with 57 additional projects currently in incubation and receiving financial support exceeding SAR 2.5 million. These projects are expected to enter the market soon. He also announced that the university’s Business Center recently ranked second as the best workplace in the public sector, underscoring the center’s efficiency in providing services and supporting entrepreneurial projects.

The Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Adhaiman, remarked in his speech that incubated projects have earned 16 international medals and 21 special awards from grant organizations, reflecting their success and distinction.

The forum featured success stories of projects launched from the university's incubators, including 17 successful commercial ventures. The event also highlighted current incubated projects expected to reach the market soon. Additionally, the forum included a panel discussion titled “Asir: A Future Destination for Entrepreneurship and Investment.”

The first day concluded with an awards ceremony honoring outstanding entrepreneurs, successful entrepreneurial projects, and innovative initiatives, as well as the teams that contributed to organizing the forum. The forum continues tomorrow, Wednesday, with specialized panel discussions and workshops aimed at enhancing entrepreneurs' skills and developing their ideas. Advisory sessions in collaboration with partners will also resume on the second day.