January 22, 2026
9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
University Library
KAUST will welcome global leaders in science, policy, industry, and innovation for the E1 Blue Impact Summit at KAUST, a high-level forum focused on advancing the Regenerative Blue Economy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
E1series.com, is a global leader in electric water-mobility innovation and marine environmental stewardship. As the world’s first all-electric powerboat racing championship, E1 operates at the intersection of sports, clean technology, and conservation — using its platform not only to compete, but to inspire sustainable action to protect and restore aquatic environments. Through its Blue Impact Programme, E1 drives initiatives that raise awareness of pressures on marine ecosystems, support regenerative solutions, and accelerate the transition toward sustainable maritime mobility worldwide.
The E1 Blue Impact Summit will convene researchers, leaders from government and industry, innovators, and practitioners, creating a space for exchange, alignment, and collaboration around shared goals for ocean sustainability. Summit sessions will highlight key priorities such as sustainable aquatic mobility, coral reef resilience, water-centric innovation, and the role of competitive sports in championing environmental action. These discussions reflect the core objectives of the Blue Impact Dialogues — a series of curated panels and collaborations embedded across E1’s global season, designed to share best practices and catalyze collective climate and ocean action.
Participation in the Summit is by registration only, and attendance is limited to in-person participation. Further information on the program will be available following registration.
Online registration can be completed via the following link.
Organiser
Professor Carlos M. Duarte,
Ibn Sina Distinguished Professor of Marine Science, KAUST; Chief Scientist, E1
Speakers and panelists
- H.E. Dr. Mohammed Qurban, Chief Executive Officer, National Center for Wildlife
- Prof. Jonathan Grant, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, KAUST
- Mr. John Williams, Managing Director, E1
- Prof. David Suggett, Director, KAUST Coral Reefscape Initiative (KCRI)
- Prof. Matteo Parsani, Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computational Science, KAUST
- Prof. Kyle Lauersen, Associate Professor; Chair of Bioscience and Bioengineering Programs, KAUST
- Prof. Jessica Zamborain Mason, Assistant Professor of Marine Science, KAUST
- Dr. Fiona Symes, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Strategy and Operations, KAUST Beacon Development
- TBC, Red Sea Global
- Dr. Sebastian Schmidt-Roach, Chief Executive Officer, Ocean Revive
- Mr. Ignasi Ferrer, Chief Executive Officer, Ocean Ecostructures
- Dr. Vienna Eleuteri, Chief Executive Officer Advisor, Saudi Red Sea Authority
- Ms. Salma Baghdadi, Innovation Lead, Wave
- Ms. Hetal Ganatra, Director of Partnerships, CORDAP
- Dr. Intikhab Alam, Senior Scientist, Bioinformatics & One Health, KAUST
- Dr. Rasha Aljahdali, Research Scientist, KAUST
