At KAUST, the first TIE Ventures Showcase marked a new kind of graduation moment—not with theses, but with 13 startup ventures pitched on stage.
The Showcase is the culmination of KAUST’s Technology Innovation & Entrepreneurship (TIE) Master’s program, a first-of-its-kind, 16-month venture-building degree where students spend 10 months at KAUST and 6 months in a global innovation hub, moving from problem discovery → market validation → prototype → investment-ready ventures.
13 ventures, real-world impact
The founding TIE cohort presented ventures that cut across KAUST’s core impact areas and Saudi’s strategic priorities, including:
- Climate & water – real-time air quality sensing, atmospheric water solutions, smart water metering, and AI-powered water quality monitoring
- Wildlife & agriculture – smart tracking for animals and livestock, supporting conservation and food system resilience
- Health & MedTech – non-invasive cancer screening concepts, wearable ECG devices, and medical logistics solutions
- Sports-tech & performance – AI-based training tools for footballers and combat sports
- Advanced manufacturing & smart devices – circular 3D printing concepts and smart eyewear for harsh conditions
These weren’t classroom exercises. Teams brought validated prototypes, early traction, and industry interest, showing how deep-tech research can move rapidly toward market solutions when supported by the right ecosystem.
A new model for talent and venture creation
For KAUST, TIE is more than a single program—it’s a proof of concept for a venture-building ecosystem embedded in a research university. Students draw on faculty expertise, Core Labs, mentors, and industry partners to turn ideas into investable ventures aligned with Vision 2030.
A beginning, not an end
As Professor Aamir Farooq and the KAUST leadership emphasized, the Showcase was both a milestone and a starting line. The 13 ventures will now refine their technologies, deepen customer engagement, and explore funding paths with continued support from KAUST’s innovation ecosystem.
If this first cohort is any indication, TIE is not just graduating engineers with degrees—it’s launching founders with ventures. And this is only the beginning.