Jeddah, December 14, 2022, SPA -- The Entrepreneurship Center of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) hosted here today 130 contestants competed by presenting their ideas and suggesting solutions to problems related to this year's theme, which is networks and sustainable smart systems, at the KAUST Ignite Challenge competitions, which were held in partnership with the 10th Saudi Conference on Smart Grids. The launch of the challenge is a result of the significance of sustainable smart grid systems, which comprise a collection of cutting-edge technologies that support future technologies like smart homes, sustainable energy and water networks, and economic and environmental systems in addition to contributing to energy stability, availability, and efficiency. The KAUST Ignite Challenge represents a unique innovation contest for students, creators, and business owners. The event was successful in providing a platform for young people's ideas to encourage the next generation of innovators in Saudi universities to provide effective solutions to industrial difficulties, foster problem-solving abilities, and discover their creative capabilities. It also helped to strengthen relationships with industry partners by assisting them in resolving their specific industry challenges and forging stronger partnerships with them. For his part, Hattan Ahmed, Director of the Entrepreneurship Center at KAUST, spoke about the difficulties the students encountered with smart grids and the opportunities they had to engage with stakeholders in the energy and water sectors to find solutions, adding that the depth of Saudi youth's future potential and their deep familiarity with issues and challenges were shown by the participants' questions. Meanwhile, Eng. Bandar Allaf, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Smart Grids Conference in the Kingdom, explained that the Ideathon event was sponsored after a successful journey of nine copies of the industry-leading conference in order to enhance the role in advancing the energy and innovation sector as part of the tenth Smart Grid Conference in the Kingdom, and through partnership with the Entrepreneurship Center in KAUST and industry partners. He added that such events related to sustainable smart networks and systems help to connect these innovators with the private sector, allowing them to benefit from these innovations and transform them from ideas into real products and services that serve the Saudi market, transform the Kingdom's energy sector, and contribute to achieve objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030. It is noteworthy that through holding these events and concept challenge programs, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) demonstrates its strong commitment to fostering innovation and the Kingdom's entrepreneurial ecosystem. In order to create a better, more sustainable future, the institution is also keeping up its promotion of cutting-edge technologies that address urgent global concerns including climate, food, and energy. --SPA 21:31 LOCAL TIME 18:31 GMT 0023 www.spa.gov.sa/2409768