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The collaboration introduces StartSmart, a competition leveraging ideas and expertise Community Jameel Saudi has built in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through previous collaborations within the MIT ecosystem. As a collaborative platform for educational innovators to exchange ideas and knowledge from around the world, the J-WEL network provides the ideal environment for this initiative to take root.

Dr May Taibah, Member of the Board of Trustees Community Jameel Saudi, Community Jameel Saudi, said, “Community Jameel Saudi’s membership with MIT J-WEL and the launch of the StartSmart competition is a testament to our commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. By leveraging our expertise and networks, we are empowering aspiring entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge necessary to drive impactful change.

We look forward to collaborating with J-WEL to expand access to evidence-based and academically grounded approaches to innovation, creating new opportunities for learners, and driving progress towards a more prosperous future for generations of entrepreneurs and innovative thinkers in the Kingdom.”

Combining Community Jameel Saudi and J-WEL’s network and expertise, the collaboration will leverage J-WEL’s experience working with faculty and researchers from across MIT, extensive relationships with higher education organisations worldwide, and access to MIT Open Learning’s suite of programs that include corporate learning and emerging talent providing a route for student entrepreneurs and aspiring innovators seeking to learn about technology and entrepreneurial thinking at any life stage.

Dr Anjali Sastry, Faculty Director of J-WEL and Associate Dean for Open Learning, said, “J-WEL’s innovation collaborative provides the MIT ecosystem with a new route for us all to learn as we support and study academically grounded innovation programs in varied settings: Poland and Central and Eastern Europe; Saudi Arabia; and Greece and Southern Europe. StartSmart members are ready to inspire and equip a wide range of entrepreneurially minded learners who will put what they learn to use within their communities and regions. The careers they build, the solutions they develop, and the new businesses they create will benefit many.

SmartStart competition’s support of emerging entrepreneurs aligns with J-WEL’s mission to drive education and innovation, addressing the world’s pressing challenges. We look forward to forging new connections between the innovation collaborative and universities and other educational institutions, including schools and workforce learning programs, in their regions and across the world.”

StartSmart will provide opportunities for evidence-based, academically grounded, and field-tested approaches to stimulate effective and impactful innovation, benefitting and strengthening the entrepreneurial thinking and capabilities of participants. The new collaboration with J-WEL represents a new step in Community Jameel Saudi’s commitment to entrepreneurial innovation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.