العربية
In commitment to supporting innovation and innovators from both within and outside the university, and in line with its strategic vision for scientific research and innovation, as well as its support for Oman Vision 2040, Sohar University concluded its Start-up Weekend event.
The event was held in partnership with local partners: the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn), the Oman Promising Startups Program, and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Riyada), alongside global partners: Google Start-up, Techstars Startup Weekend, BRICS, and Deel Dot. The event was held under the patronage of Engineer Dawood Salim Al Hadabi, CEO of Madayn.
The closing ceremony commenced with a speech by Dr. Hamdan Sulaiman Al Fazari, the VC, who stated: “The past few days were full of enthusiasm and experiences. We witnessed brilliant ideas, the formation of working teams, and constructive discussions that showcased the sharp intellect and high spirit of collaboration possessed by our youth. Despite the challenges they faced, they proved that they are a generation with the full capacity for competition, excellence, ambition, innovation, and teamwork.”
This was followed by the announcement of the winners: the Cool Rift team secured first place, the Rushd team came in second, while Inbithaq took third place. The event committees and participants were also honoured.
Eighty young participants from both Sohar University and beyond took part in the event, which ran from 9 to 11 October. The initiative aimed to stimulate creativity and innovation and support young innovators, students, and entrepreneurs in transforming their ideas into real start-up projects with the help of experienced mentors.
The event supported five main areas: Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies, Fintech, Renewable Energy and Sustainability, Innovation in Education and Healthcare, and E-commerce and Logistics.
The first day kicked off with a speech by Dr. Mohammed Al Muqbali, Pro VC of Financial and administrations Affairs, who emphasised: “This event offers a unique practical experience in entrepreneurship, where participants learn how to think, plan, execute, and develop their projects using the same methods followed by successful startups worldwide. It is an experience that condenses years of learning into a few days of teamwork and creativity. What sets Startup Weekend apart is that it provides an environment that fosters creativity and innovation, enabling participants to work in an encouraging, competitive atmosphere, supported by guidance and mentorship from experts and specialists who offer their experience to guide the teams towards success and sustainability.” This was followed by an idea pitching session, where participants presented their proposals. The day concluded with the formation of teams based on the selected ideas.
The second day focused on refining business models through a Gap Analysis workshop and two mentoring sessions conducted by field experts. Teams were guided to create and develop their ideas and formulate a commercial business model. The day ended with a workshop on presentation delivery in preparation for the final competition. The final day involved intensified work and a challenge to develop the prototype during the last mentoring session in preparation for the final pitch. This was followed by the submission of the presentations, after which the judging process commenced by a specialised committee.