Environment and Agriculture Launches Second Phase of Sidra Accelerator in Silicon Valley
His Excellency the Vice Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Engineer Eng. Mansour Bin Hilal Al Mushaiti, inaugurated the second phase of the “Sidra Accelerator” in Silicon Valley, San Francisco.
“Sidra” is one of the ministry’s leading initiatives aimed at building an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the environmental sector, contributing to innovation and supporting startups in this vital field.
The initial investment rounds for startups incubated by the ministry have exceeded one million dollars in their early stages, reflecting the significant success of this initiative in attracting investments and supporting environmental innovations.
During his visit, His Excellency met with the head of the Sustainability Center at Stanford University, Professor Yi Cui, and discussed with several university researchers various areas of mutual interest.
The discussions focused on sustainable technologies and innovative environmental solutions that can be applied in the Kingdom, enhancing academic and research cooperation between the two sides.
The potential development of joint research projects was also addressed, contributing to environmental sustainability and achieving the Kingdom’s environmental goals.
In the course of his visit, His Excellency met with the founders of startups in the accelerator and discussed with them the opportunities and enablers to accelerate their business in the Kingdom.
This meeting aims to support these companies and provide the appropriate environment for their growth and expansion in the Saudi market, enhancing opportunities for innovation and development in the environmental sector.
He also reviewed global experiences from Plug & Play, one of the leading companies supporting startups, discussing investment opportunities in the fields of environment, water, and agriculture, opening new horizons for cooperation and investment in these vital areas.
His Excellency concluded his tour by visiting the University of California, Berkeley, where he met several researchers from the School of Entrepreneurship and Sky Tech Accelerator.
The meetings discussed various topics related to entrepreneurship and technology, focusing on how to enhance research and investment cooperation between the Kingdom and Berkeley.
These meetings aim to support innovation and achieve sustainable development in the Kingdom by adopting the latest technologies and innovative solutions in the fields of environment, water, and agriculture.
These efforts come within the ministry’s pursuit to support innovation and enhance sustainability in the environment, water, and agriculture sectors, contributing to improving the quality of life and achieving sustainable development in the Kingdom.
Through these initiatives, the ministry seeks to achieve the goals of Vision 2030, which focuses on sustainable development, enhancing the green economy, and supporting entrepreneurship and innovation across all sectors.
