Future of Semiconductors Forum 2025

Connecting leaders for semiconductor localization to advance the digital economy, industry, and energy sectors of Saudi Arabia.

May 4-5, 2025

KAUST

Building 20, Auditorium

Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

This event is sponsored by:

Office of Research Funding and Services 

Strategic Partners:

OVERVIEW

Semiconductors form the backbone of transformative industries, including AI, IoT, and renewable energy, which are integral to Saudi Arabia’s strategy for fostering innovation, achieving sustainability goals, and driving economic progress.

Hosted by KAUST on May 4–5, 2025, in collaboration with KACST and NEOM, The Future of Semiconductors Forum serves as a platform to drive innovation and collaboration in semiconductor technologies. The Forum brings together global and Middle Eastern leaders, researchers, policymakers and industry experts to advance the field, foster innovation, build strategic partnerships and strengthen domestic semiconductor capabilities.



Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, the Forum aims to accelerate technological advancements, diversify the economy and support local talent development. Attendees will have opportunities to engage with industry pioneers, foster new collaborations, and contribute to the growth of a thriving semiconductor ecosystem in the Kingdom.


OBJECTIVES

Semiconductor technology is the physical foundation of the third and fourth Industrial Revolutions. It is crucial for numerous applications, including energy, computing, data storage, sensors, communication, lighting, and photovoltaics. Given the global strategic importance of semiconductor technologies and emerging opportunities for transformative impacts in the Middle East, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and  King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and NEOM University will jointly organize the 4th Future of Semiconductors Forum. The primary focus of this Forum is to discuss the localization of e-chips and strengthen the digital economy sector of Saudi Arabia.


FORUM TOPICS

1- Semiconductor Value Chain in Saudi Arabia:

This session will bring together senior leadership from key semiconductor industry players and governmental R&D entities, including ALAT, RDIA, and the National Semiconductor Hub. Speakers will provide exclusive updates on recent advancements in semiconductor manufacturing, the evolving value chain, and Saudi Arabia’s strategic initiatives to position itself as a global semiconductor hub. The discussion will highlight investment opportunities, technological innovations, and collaborations driving the kingdom’s semiconductor ecosystem forward.

2- The Semiconductor Revolution: Behind the Scenes of Success:

Behind the Scenes of Success: This session will feature senior leaders who played a pivotal role in shaping the success of semiconductor manufacturing, including key figures behind the U.S. CHIPS Act and the European Chips Act. These industry veterans will share firsthand insights into the challenges, breakthroughs, and strategic decisions that have driven the global semiconductor revolution. Attendees will gain a unique learning opportunity from their experiences, exploring best practices, policy impacts, and the lessons that continue to shape the future of semiconductor innovation and supply chain resilience.


3- Quantum Leap Forward:

Quantum computing is set to redefine the limits of computation, unlocking unprecedented capabilities in cryptography, optimization, and artificial intelligence. This session will bring together senior leadership of leading quantum technology companies and

top academic researchers to discuss the latest breakthroughs in quantum hardware, algorithms, and scalability challenges.  In addition, the session will highlight Saudi Arabia’s growing involvement in quantum computing, exploring national initiatives, research efforts, and investment strategies aimed at positioning the Kingdom as a key player in this transformative field. 

4- Smart Healthcare:

Semiconductor innovations are transforming healthcare, enabling smarter diagnostics, personalized treatments, and real-time biosignal monitoring. This session will bring together industry leaders and top researchers to discuss how advanced chips, AI-driven medical

devices, and bio-integrated sensors are revolutionizing patient care. Speakers will explore breakthroughs in semiconductor-based wearables, implantable devices, and lab-on-a-chip technologies, highlighting their impact on remote healthcare, early disease detection, and digital health solutions. 

5- Enhancing System-on-Chip Performance: New Materials, Reliability, and Energy Efficiency:

Addressing the growing demand for compact and energy-efficient computing, this session focuses on key enabling factors for

advanced System-on-Chip (SoC) design. Attendees will gain insights into the integration of cutting-edge materials, such as III-V and wide bandgap semiconductors, to enhance SoC performance. Furthermore, the session will cover the crucial aspect of device reliability testing before SoC integration, ensuring robust and dependable systems. A dedicated presentation will showcase the design and implementation of an energy-efficient SoC tailored for spectrophotometer applications, illustrating the synergy between advanced

materials, reliability, and power efficiency.

6- The Rise of AI Accelerators:

As AI-driven applications continue to push the boundaries of performance and efficiency, specialized AI accelerators have become a cornerstone of modern computing. This session will feature CEOs of leading semiconductor companies alongside top academic experts,

offering insights into the latest advancements in AI hardware. Speakers will discuss innovations in chip architectures, the evolving AI semiconductor landscape, and the future of AI-driven computing.

7- Edge Intelligence with Neuromorphic Chips and In-Sensor Computing:

The future of edge AI lies in energy-efficient, brain-inspired computing and real-time data processing at the source. This session will feature top executives from leading semiconductor companies and pioneering academics discussing the latest advancements in

neuromorphic chips and in-sensor computing. Speakers will explore how these cutting-edge technologies enable ultra-low-power, adaptive intelligence for applications in robotics, healthcare, autonomous systems, and beyond. Attendees will gain insights into the challenges and opportunities in bringing human-like perception and decision-making to the edge.

8- The Future of Photonics with Microcavities:

Microcavities are revolutionizing photonics, enabling ultra-compact, high-efficiency optical systems for applications ranging from quantum computing to high-speed communications. This NEOM ERI Foundation led session will feature leading experts discussing the latest advances in microcavity-based photonic devices, their role in next-generation semiconductor technologies, and their potential to reshape computing, sensing, displays, and telecommunications.

9- Green Semiconductors for Sustainable Electronics:

As the world moves toward more sustainable technologies, the semiconductor industry is at the forefront of developing energy-efficient and eco-friendly solutions. This session will bring together top researchers to discuss advancements in green semiconductor materials, low-power chip architectures, and environmentally responsible manufacturing processes. Speakers will explore how innovations in semiconductor design can reduce energy consumption, minimize electronic waste, and support global sustainability goals.

10- Careers in Semiconductors in the Kingdom:

This panel discussion will explore the diverse and growing career opportunities within Saudi Arabia’s semiconductor sector. Panelists from industry, academia, and government will share their insights on the evolving landscape of semiconductor careers in the Kingdom, discussing the skills and expertise needed, emerging job roles, and the strategic initiatives driving workforce development in this critical field.

11- Local Startups in Semiconductors:

This dynamic session will showcase the exciting work being done by emerging semiconductor startups in our local ecosystem. Founders and key team members will deliver short, engaging pitches highlighting their innovative technologies, products, and solutions within the semiconductor industry. Discover the cutting-edge advancements and entrepreneurial spirit driving the future of local semiconductor innovation.

SPEAKERS

The Forum will feature renowned speakers, including government ministers and senior leaders from international semiconductor companies. Key discussions will address the localization of semiconductor manufacturing, the development of a robust digital economy and innovations that can transform industries such as energy and healthcare.

Stay tuned for updates on registration, agenda details, and speaker announcements.

  • Honorary Chairs 
  • Committee Members
  • Co-Organizers
  • Advisory Board
  • Invited Speakers
Honorary Chairs 

H.E Dr. Munir M. Eldesouki

President, KACST

H.E Dr. Munir M. Eldesouki

Is currently the President of KACST. His 22+ years of experience spans the spheres of R&D, Innovation, and Digital Transformation, where he played influential roles at different levels as seasoned researcher, inventor and leader setting national strategies, policies, and regulations, as well as investing research, development, and innovation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ICT ecosystem.

His Excellency Dr. Munir bin Mahmoud Eldesouki has held many leadership and ministerial positions in the Kingdom, including Assistant Minister of Communications and Information Technology.

He is also the Chairman of the BoT of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Award to honour inventors and talented individuals, Chairman of the BoT of Almarai Award for Scientific Innovation, Chairman of the BoD for the Saudi-WEF Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and member of a number of boards including the BoT of Hevolution, the Governing Board for Global Research Council (GRC) as Vice-Chair, Ilmi Science Discovery & Innovation Centre as Vice-Chair, the Saudi Space Agency, the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, the Premium Residency Centre, the General Organization for Military Industries, the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information, the Riyadh Charitable Science Foundation, and the King Salman Science Oasis.

In recognition of his scientific excellence, he received several awards such as the King Abdul-Aziz Order of Merit Excellence Medal of the First Class and the King’s Prize for Inventors, and was elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in the USA.

Sir Edward Byrne AC

President, KAUST


Sir Edward Byrne AC

Sir Edward Byrne AC is the fourth President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). He joined KAUST as its president on Sept. 1, 2024, after serving as President and Principal of King’s College London from August 2014 to January 2021. Previously, he was President and Vice Chancellor of Monash University in Australia.

With a broad academic and industry background, Byrne is well-equipped to advance KAUST’s strategy in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 goals, strengthening the university’s research leadership and driving economic development. Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2020 for services to higher education, he brings significant experience and expertise to lead KAUST into a new era of growth and impact.  

Byrne’s distinguished career as a researcher and clinician began in 1978 in Adelaide, South Australia, when he was a neurology registrar. After undertaking a clinical neurology research fellowship in London in 1979, he returned to Australia in 1983 as Director of Neurology at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne. Ten years later, he became the Founding Director of the Melbourne Neuromuscular Research Unit and the Centre for Neuroscience.  

Recognized for his contributions to mitochondrial disease research, Byrne was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2006. He served as Dean of Monash University, then as Vice Provost of University College London, before returning to Monash as Vice Chancellor in 2009. There, he restructured the university to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and global research output, leading to the establishment of the Monash campus in Suzhou, China.  

In 2014, Byrne served as a guest professor at Peking University Health Science Center, becoming an honorary citizen of Jiangsu Province. That same year, he was recognized as a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to tertiary education. He was also appointed President and Principal of King’s College London. 

From 2019 to 2021, he was Chair of Council for the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). Byrne served as Global Chief Medical Advisor for the Ramsay Health Care Group from 2021 to 2024. 

Growing up in northeastern England, Byrne moved to Australia at age 15. He studied medicine at the University of Tasmania, graduating with a Bachelor of Medical Science in 1971, a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, with the highest honors, in 1974, and a Doctor of Medicine in 1982.  

Byrne holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Queensland, a Clinical Science Diploma from the University of Adelaide, and a Doctor of Science from the University of Melbourne. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London and Edinburgh, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American Association of Neurology.  

He has received numerous honorary degrees and accolades, including the Queens Square Prize for Neurological Research from the UCL Institute of Neurology. From 2021 to 2024, Byrne served as Distinguished Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow at the Australian National University (ANU). He is Emeritus Professor of Neurology, King’s College London, and Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Monash University. 

In addition to his academic and medical research roles, Byrne has held board positions at multiple commercial biomedical companies, including Cochlear and BUPA. He currently serves as the global chief medical officer of Ramsay Health Care Group and is a member of the Patrons Council for the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria.

Committee Members

Prof. Nazek El-Atab

Committee Chair

King Abdullah University of Science & Technology


Prof. Gianluca Setti

Committee Member

King Abdullah University of Science & Technology

Prof. Atif Shamim

Committee Member

King Abdullah University of Science & Technology

Prof.  Suhaib Fahmy

Committee Member

King Abdullah University of Science & Technology

Prof.  Xiaohang Li

Committee Member

King Abdullah University of Science & Technology

Dr. Thamer Tabbakh

Committee Member

 King Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology 

Dr. Dhaifullah Almutaisi

Committee Member

 King Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology 

Co-Organizers

Prof. Donal Bradley

President, NEOM Education, Research & Innovation Foundation and Vice-President for Research and Innovation, NEOM University

Prof. Tristan Farrow

Associate Vice-President for Research and Innovation, NEOM Education, Research, and Innovation sector

Advisory Board

Prof. Kang Wang

Distinguished Professor and Raytheon Chair in Electrical Engineering, UCLA

Dr. Abu Sebastian

Distinguished Scientist & Manager, IBM, Zurich

Prof. Aaron Franklin

Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Addy Professor of ECE, Duke University 

Dr. Raj Jammy

Former President, IMEC USA

Invited Speakers

Prof. Kang Wang

Distinguished Professor and Raytheon Chair in Electrical Engineering, UCLA


Dr. Abu Sebastian

Distinguished Scientist & Manager, IBM, Zurich

Prof. Aaron Franklin

Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Addy Professor of ECE, Duke University 


Dr. Raj Jammy

Former President, IMEC USA

Dr. Naveed Sherwani

Chairman of the

National Semiconductor Hub, Chairman and CEO of Rapid Silicon

Dr. Basma AlBuhairan

Managing Director,

Center for the fourth industrial revolution

Prof. K.L. Pey

,Senior Vice

Provost, NEOM University

Dr. Bhavin Shah

Senior Vice President

of Engineering & Products, Rapid Silicon

Dr. Hesham Haddara

CEO of Si-Ware

Prof. Alexander

Tartakovskii

Professor of Solid State Physics, University of Sheffield


Prof. Jason Smith

Professor of Photonic

Materials and Devices, University of Oxford

Ron Kelly

CEO Ambature


Dr. Gamal Refai-Ahmed

Member of US NAE, LFCAE, LFASME, FIEEE, FEIC, Senior Fellow & Chief Architect, AMD USA, Technical Advisor Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science & Technology, CREST, Malaysia

Prof. Enrico Sangiorgi

Professor of Electronics the University of Bologna and Director Emeritus of the Sinano Institute



AGENDA

  • Day 1
  • Day 2
Day 1

  08:30 - 09:00 

Breakfast

Opening Ceremony - Chair: Prof. Nazek El-Atab, KAUST

  09:00 – 09:10

Saudi National Anthem

  09:10 – 09:15

Welcome Address – Prof. Sir Edward Byrne, KAUST President

  09:15 – 09:20

Keynote Remarks – H.E. Dr. Munir Eldesouki, KACST President

  09:20 – 09:25

Government Vision Remarks – Dr. Mohammad Al-Otaibi, Acting Head of Research Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA)

  09:25 – 09:30

Special International Guest Remarks – Jaffri Ibrahim, CEO of The Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science and Technology Centre (CREST), Malaysia

  09:30 – 09:35

KAUST & KACST Chipathon Winner and Announcement

  09:35 – 09:45

KAUST Academy

  09:45 – 10:00

Opening ceremony

Session 1 - Semiconductor Value Chain in Saudi Arabia - Moderator: Dr. Thamer Tabbakh, KACST

  10:00 – 10:10

Dr. Naveed Sherwani, Chairman of the National Semiconductor Hub

  10:10 – 10:20

Dr. Ian W. Campbell, Vice President, National Transformation Institute, KAUST

  10:20 – 10:55

Panel Discussion (including Dr. Saeed Alshihri, Senior Vice President for Energy and Industry, KACST, Prof. Donal Bradley, President of NEOM ERI, and Dr. Mohammed Alharbi, CEO of SEMC)

Plenary Session: The Semiconductor Revolution: Behind the Scenes of Success - Moderator: Prof. Gianluca Setti, KAUST

  10:45 – 11:05

Dr. Raj Jammy, former President at IMEC USA

  11:05 – 11:25

Dr. Gamal Refai-Ahmed,

Member of US NAE, LFCAE, LFASME, FIEEE, FEIC, Senior Fellow & Chief Architect, AMD USA, Technical Advisor Collaborative Research in Engineering, Science & Technology, CREST, Malaysia

  11:25 – 11:45

Prof. Enrico Sangiorgi, Professor at University of Bologna, and supervisory board member of the Chips-IT foundation, Italy

 

 11:45 – 12:05

Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice-Chancellor for the Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) Pilani, and ex-President of IIT Delhi, India

12:05 – 12:25

Panel Discussion

12:25 – 12:30

Group Photo

12:30 – 01:30

Lunch and Poster Session

Session 3: Quantum Leap Forward - Moderator: Prof. David E. Keyes, KAUST

01:30 – 01:35

Dr. Basmah Albuhairan, Managing Director Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia (WEF Affiliate Centre)

  01:35 – 01:45

Mohammad Jalaly, Manager of the Innovation Lab, Saudi Aramco

01:45 – 02:00

Rawan Eraqi, Technical Business Developer at Pasqal

02:00 – 02:15

Prof. Kang Wang, Distinguished Professor and Raytheon Chair in Electrical Engineering, UCLA

02:15 – 02:30

Panel Discussion (including Mohammad Alghadeer, University of Oxford)

Session 4: Smart Healthcare - Moderator: Dr. Abdulrahman Alsolami, KACST

02:30– 02:40

Prof. Nanshu Lu, Carol Cockrell Curran Chair in Engineering, UT Austin

02:40 – 02:55

Prof. Andrew Jackson, Professor of Neural Interfaces, Newcastle University

02:55 – 03:10

Prof. Mazen Hassanain, Vice President of Research and Innovations, Fakeeh Care

03:10 – 03:20

Prof. Ahmed Eltawil, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, KAUST

03:20 – 03:35

Panel Discussion

03:35 – 03:50

Coffee Break

Session 5: Enhancing System-on-Chip Performance: New Materials, Reliability, and Energy Efficiency - Moderator: Prof. Yating Wan, KAUST

03:50 – 04:05

Prof. Umesh Mishra, Professor and Dean of the UC Santa Barbara College of Engineering

04:05 – 04:20

Prof. Steven DenBaars, Professor of Materials, University of California Santa Barbara

04:20 – 04:35

Ahmad Alabduljabbar, General Manager at Intel Saudi Arabia

04:35 – 04:45

Dr. Hisham Haddara, CEO of Si-Ware

04:45 – 04:50

Dr. Salman Alfihed, Assistant Professor, KACST

04:50 – 05:05

Panel Discussion

Day 2

  08:30 - 09:00 

Breakfast

Session 6 - The Rise of AI Accelerators - Moderator: Prof. Suhaib Fahmy, KAUST

  09:00 – 09:15

Dr. Keith Kressin, MemryX CEO

09:15 – 09:30

Denis Lobzov, Business Development Manager at Siemens EDA, Middle East

09:30 – 09:40

Prof. Mehdi Saligan, Assistant Professor of Engineering, Brown University

09:40 – 09:50

Sid Karkare, Global Director – Strategic business development – Manufacturing + Hybrid Cloud – EPYC server BU, AMD, AMD USA

09:50 – 10:00

Dr. Shoab Khan, Co-founder and Chancellor of the Sir Syed CASE Institute of Technology and CEO of CARE (Center for Advanced Research in Engineering)

10:00 – 10:15

Panel Discussion

Session 7 - Edge Intelligence with Neuromorphic Chips and In-Sensor Computing - Moderator: Prof. Nazek El-Atab, KAUST

  10:15 – 10:30

Dr. Abu Sebastian, Distinguished Scientist and Manager at IBM Zurich

  10:30 – 10:45

Prof. Saptarshi Das, Ackley Professor of Engineering, Pennsylvania State University

  10:45 – 10:55

Dr. Albert Liu, Kneron CEO

  10:55 – 11:05

Prof. Khaled Salama, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, KAUST

11:05 – 11:20

Panel Discussion

11:20 – 12:15

Coffee Break and Poster Session

11:20 – 12:15

Core Labs Tour (for selected guests)

12:15 – 01:30

Lunch and Poster Session

Session 8 - NEOM - The Future of Photonics with Microcavities - Moderator: Dr. Dhaifullah AlMutairi, KACST

  13:30 – 13:45

Prof. Donal Bradley, President of NEOM Education Research and Innovation Foundation

13:45 – 14:00

Prof. Tristan Farrow, Associate Vice President of Research and Innovation, NEOM University

14:00 – 14:15

Prof. Alexander Tartakovskii, Professor of Solid State Physics, University of Sheffield

14:15 – 14:30

Prof. Jason Smith, Professor of Photonic Materials and Devices, University of Oxford

14:30 – 14:45

Panel Discussion

Session 9 -Next-Generation Electronics for Sustainability – Moderator: Prof. Abdulrahman Alhamed, KAUST

14:45 – 15:00

Prof. Aaron Franklin, Addy Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Duke University

15:00 – 15:10

Dr. Akmaral Seitkhan, Business Development Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific

15:10 – 15:25

Ron Kelly, CEO Ambature

15:25 – 15:40

Panel Discussion

Session 10 - Panel discussion on "Careers in semiconductors in the Kingdom"?

Moderator: Dr. Yousef Algoos, KAUST

  15:40 – 16:30

Panel:

1- Dr. Abdulwahab Alghamdi, Head of Saudi Aramco Research Center at KAUST

2- Dr. Ahmad Abdullah Alfaifi, Senior Expert for Institutional Funding Allocation, RDIA

3- Andreas Fayt, Director of semiconductors analytical instruments, ThermoFisher Scientific MEA

4- Prof. Xiaohang Li, Professor of ECE, KAUST

5- Dr. Abdullah AlHassan – General Manager of Advance Materials Technology, KACST

Session 11 - Local Startups in the Kingdom, Moderator: Dr. Adnan Zaman

16:30 – 16:35

Dr. Jose Filho, KAUST

16:35 – 16:40

Dr. Muhammad Akram Karimi, KAUST

16:40 – 16:45

Dr. Naif Alshamrani, KACST

16:45 – 16:50

Dr. Tariq F. Alhuwaymel, KACST

16:50 – 16:55

Dr. Abdulilah Mayet, CEO of Qimam Abha Company

16:55 – 17:00

Faisal Asif, CIO at Avions, and CEO of ChipWorks

17:00 – 17:10

Poster Session Winners Announcement

Chair: Nazek El-Atab

17:00 – 17:10

Ending Ceremony (Wrap up video and closing remarks by chair)

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A NEW ERA FOR KAUST

Our unrelenting commitment to research, innovation and talent has seen KAUST establish itself as one of the leading research universities in the world, ranking #1 for citations per faculty globally, with a reputation for impact-driven research that contributes to the betterment of the world. This new era of KAUST builds on our many successes, achievements and strong foundations, and our new strategy represents an evolution that brings us closer to the interests of the Kingdom.


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