A project has been launched to help Saudi Arabia’s next generation of tech innovators take lead roles within the industry.
Riyadh is hosting Gamers8 — the world's largest esports event — with players from around the world travelling to the Saudi capital.
The eight-week event, which began in last month, is being held by the Saudi Esports Federation at a venue in the entertainment district Boulevard Riyadh. The competition has a prize fund of up to $15 million.
Now Ithra has teamed up with the event through its Creative Solutions programme to launch a platform for the kingdom’s next tech pioneers.
Ithra, also known as the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture, was launched by Saudi Aramco as a vehicle for cultural and creative talent development and cross-cultural experiences.
Ithra’s Creative Solutions programme is one of the kingdom’s leading content creation platforms within immersive technology.
Sixty creatives have been chosen from about 2,000 applicants in the first phase of the project, with phase two allowing 15 innovators to present their ideas at Gamers8 on August 21.
Those chosen will then pitch their ideas directly to partners, stakeholders and sellers.
According to market researcher Niko Partners, the value of Saudi Arabia's gaming market reached $1 billion in 2021, the highest in the region.
"The gaming and esports economy is huge in the country and KSA is one of the top five consumer markets in the world,” said Filipe Martins Gomes, Saudi Aramco's head of innovation programmes.
“Ithra’s mission is to promote cross-cultural experiences and accelerate the development of talent and Saudi Arabia’s creative economy. Ithra aims to inspire minds and take talents into transformative journeys, supporting creatives to become makers and adding value to the future of the kingdom.”
Mr Gomes said the mission was aligned with the kingdom’s Vision 2030, which includes the diversification of the economy, inspiring people and supporting Saudi Arabia's position globally.
The participation of young Saudis in the 2022 Creative Solutions "has been amazing", he said.
The 34 participants are working on 15 ideas after finishing 14 masterclasses. They are now preparing their pitching presentations, aiming to be selected as one of the five finalists of the programme, receiving the grants and mentorship support to develop their ideas into working prototypes by January 2022.
A diverse group comprises 53 per cent male and 47 per cent female participants, from across the kingdom.
Ideas are focused on art, education, games, tourism, health care, film, museums, energy and the environment.
All applicants had to go through 12 masterclass sessions including 3D production, virtual reality headsets, narrative storytelling and augmented reality, among others. Saudi innovation takes centre stage in the UK.
Ithra recently showcased five prototypes created by young Saudi innovators in the UK as part of its inaugural Creative Solutions initiative on July 14.
The programme aims to boost Saudi’s creative economy by empowering digital content creation in immersive technology. It was launched in 2021 as a platform and incubator for innovators to pursue ideas and create prototypes.
Once the ideas are selected, applicants move on to attending masterclasses in immersive technology, storytelling and design research methods among others.
Participants then pitch their ideas and five winners are chosen for the next step, and move on to international boot camp classes to engage with an immersive digital content ecosystem.
"Our project is a VR storytelling experience that takes place in the 1900s aboard the Hijaz Railway, where you embody different characters learning about their story and their journeys through the train," said applicant Maram Alghamdi.
"The project purpose is to recreate the experience of travelling on the Hijaz railway in this unique time period in the history of the Hejaz region.
“What inspired us is our belief that this monument deserves preservation and better understanding, not just as an instrument for varied purposes, but as a train that, for a brief period, carried people and their stories.”
The innovators are given 12 to 14 weeks to work on the development of their ideas with the support of the Creative Solutions team.
They are given 75,000 Saudi riyals ($19,970) to spend on the project development.
At the end of the project, participants showcase their prototypes and engage in a network event which helps them meet potential investors, partners and other participants.
During Gamers8, Ithra will showcase the five winning projects in the Creative Solutions programme in Riyadh.
The five winners from last year will continue to work on their prototypes, engage with partners, building on the next stages of their careers, as well as serve as creative solutions mentors.
"I truly believe that immersive experiences will be used by all of us in the future," said Ithra panellist and stakeholder Simon Benson.
"After all, immersive tech is actually just providing us with a more natural way to interact with our digital world, something that we do every day, but via interfaces that are not necessarily the most efficient ways such as by using a keyboard and mouse, or our tiny smartphone screens.
“The skills and capabilities that we are investing in this area can form the backbone of the capabilities required for this future.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)
Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg
Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD
Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why It Matters Now
Alan Rushbridger, Canongate
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Barings Bank
Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was
founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading
scandal.
Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal
losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson.
Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades,
wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.
Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm
Results
6.30pm Madjani Stakes Rated Conditions (PA) I Dh160,000 I 1,900m I Winner: Mawahib, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
7.05pm Maiden Dh150,000 I 1,400m I Winner One Season, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Maiden Dh150,000 I 2,000m I Winner Street Of Dreams, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.15pm Dubai Creek Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,600m I Winner Heavy Metal, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm The Entisar Listed I Dh250,000 I 2,000m I Winner Etijaah, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
9.25pm The Garhoud Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,200m I Winner Muarrab, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (captain), Dom Sibley, Rory Burns, Dan Lawrence, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Pakistan Super League
Previous winners
2016 Islamabad United
2017 Peshawar Zalmi
2018 Islamabad United
2019 Quetta Gladiators
Most runs Kamran Akmal – 1,286
Most wickets Wahab Riaz –65
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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7.
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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9.
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Saudi Arabia
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10.
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South Korea
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OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
