Riyadh: Dr. Majed Alawad, Director of the Joint Center of Excellence for Nanomaterials for Clean Energy Applications at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), has achieved an international milestone by winning the Distinguished Innovator Award presented by the Global Innovation Institute (GInI). This award recognizes his contributions to developing innovative solutions in clean energy and sustainability.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the award is regarded as one of the world's leading honors in innovation. In its 2025 edition, it attracted nearly 1,476 applicants from 26 countries, with only 100 winners selected across 10 categories. Among these, 30 recipients were honored in the Distinguished Innovator category, reflecting an acceptance rate of approximately 2%.
This achievement underscores the Kingdom's commitment to supporting the research, development, and innovation ecosystem. It emphasizes the empowerment of national talent, contributing to the strengthening of its growing presence in the global innovation ecosystem. The recognition is granted to researchers who have worked on impactful innovations over the past two years, from concept to execution, contributing to sustainable societal impact.
Dr. Alawad's win was based on several pioneering initiatives and projects, notably his establishment of the climate-tech company PureSky, which specializes in atmospheric water harvesting technologies to support agriculture and afforestation in arid regions. He also contributed to the launch of the 'GenAI for Materials Discovery Hackathon,' an initiative aimed at enhancing the integration between AI and materials science, under the supervision of Prof. Omar Yaghi, recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
This recognition serves as motivation to continue developing innovative solutions in energy and sustainability, as Dr. Alawad noted. He added that the achievement reflects the supportive R and D environment at KACST and the enablers it provides for building scientific and technological partnerships with global impact.
This accomplishment is an extension of KACST's efforts to support the national innovation ecosystem and empower researchers to develop technological solutions that contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals.
