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KAUST expands REVelate program for Saudi organizations

Saudi-based organizations develop "intrapreneurship" to benefit their missions with the KAUST REVelate program.

The REVelate corporate innovation workshop developed at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has been expanded into a larger suite of modules called “Innovation Academy.” The program is designed for Saudi-based companies, nonprofits and government organizations to develop novel processes, design thinking and intrapreneurship to benefit their corporate missions and support the development of a knowledge economy in Saudi Arabia.

The initial REVelate workshop combines elements of new product and service creation and incubation of new ideas within an existing organization. Over three days, teams from medium and large organizations receive executive education in creativity, intrapreneurship and design.

Previous participants include teams from AlSafwa Cement Company, the Islamic Development Bank, Takamol, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and Abdul Latif Jameel.

“The REVelate program has grown to meet the increasing demand for impactful curriculum for companies and organizations in the Kingdom since it began in October 2014,” said Gordon McConnell, Head of KAUST’s Entrepreneurship Center. “This program offers teams an opportunity to accelerate their new business concepts for implementation, and we have seen significant progress by these teams. We attribute this to a distinctive ‘learning-by-doing’ component within the program.”

REVelate and the additional programs featured in KAUST’s Innovation Academy will assist Saudi organizations in effectively promoting innovative thinking by exposing motivated participants to the right stimuli.

“Many Saudi organizations want to find new solutions to old problems and explore potential markets to grow revenue and profitability,” said Imad Abukhalaf, Manager of the Industry Engagement team at KAUST. “The KAUST Innovation Academy helps accelerate the development of key methodologies and systems within these organizations to foster a more innovative corporate culture.”

The upcoming REVelate cohort takes place from November 24 to 26. Registration is open until November 3. Find out more at innovation.kaust.edu.sa/REV.