Muscat: The Center for Entrepreneurship and Industrial Relations at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, in cooperation with Ithkaa Group, organized an introductory workshop titled “From Idea to Startup.” The event targeted students with innovative ideas and emerging student-run startups from various branches of the university. This initiative falls within the center’s ongoing efforts to foster a culture of student innovation and connect promising projects with investors and funding entities, contributing to their transformation into leading startups that support economic diversification and sustainability.

The workshop focused on several key themes, including: an overview of the entrepreneurship environment in the Sultanate of Oman, national trends and the support ecosystem for entrepreneurs, mechanisms for converting university-based ideas into entrepreneurial projects, and stages of investment support provided by Ithkaa Group. The workshop also featured an open discussion segment to address students’ questions and provide networking opportunities with serious project owners.

A group of distinguished speakers participated in the workshop. Mr. Ali Al-Zaabi, Head of Strategic Planning at Ithkaa Group, delivered a welcome speech in which he discussed the concept of startups. Mr. Mohammed Al-Hinai spoke about how to transform university ideas into startups, while Ms. Bashayer Al-Abri presented the startup journey and the different phases of investment support.

Commenting on the workshop, Ali bin Adnan Haider Darwish, Head of Strategic Planning at Ithkaa Group, said:“We were pleased to deliver this awareness-raising workshop to university students across its branches, with the goal of introducing them to the group’s investment funds. Among the most notable is the ‘Idea-Stage Startup Investment Fund,’ in partnership with Al Jabr Company, which provides funding ranging from OMR 4,000 to OMR 40,000 for promising projects. To date, 32 startups have received funding at this early stage, reflecting our commitment to supporting innovation and empowering young entrepreneurs in the Sultanate.”

From her side, Dr. Ria Rashid Al-Amri, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Industrial Relations at the university, stated that this workshop is part of a series of joint initiatives with Ithkaa Group to support student innovation and link it to the investment sector. She noted that the upcoming goal is to fund five student-run startups by December 2025, thereby increasing the likelihood of transforming university projects into successful and competitive startups.

This strategic initiative between the university and Ithkaa Group reflects a broader national vision to support the knowledge economy and build a new generation of entrepreneurs capable of innovation and contributing to the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.