The Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Engineering, Umm Al-Qura University, and the Director of the Technical Innovation Center in Wadi Makkah Company, Anas Mohammad Saleh Basalamah has obtained Okaz Innovator Award for the year 1437H in its 10 version. The award was given to him during the opening ceremony of Okaz Market 1437H, on Tuesday Dhul-Qe'dah 6, 1437H by the Deputy President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology,  Dr. Najah Y. Ashry, in the presence of the Advisor to the Custodian of   Two Holy Mosques, and Governor of Makkah, Prince Khalid Al-Faisal.  

The Award  aims at honoring the owners of innovative ideas who were able to establish an innovative work models, and to  turn their ideas into  tangible products and then to a startup.

Meanwhile, President of Umm Al-Qura University, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Wadi Makkah Technology Company Dr. Bakri Bin M'atoog Bin Bakri Assas congratulated Dr. Baasalama for obtaining this award which was contested by several entrepreneurs and innovators. "The award will be honored as one of the achievements of the university at the local and international levels, thus reflecting the quality of the university programs that enabled faculty members and students to win several awards and first places in the international forums", he elaborated.   

Further, he said the award is reckoned a fruit of the patents made by the university with the aim of boosting knowledge-based economy in accordance with the vision and aspirations of the  Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, May Allah Protect Him, the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdul-Aziz, Deputy Premier, Minister of Interior, the Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Second Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense. He also hailed the directives of HE the Minister of Education, Dr. Ahmed Al-Iesa that come in line with the Kingdom Vision 2030. He further lauded the efforts exerted by Umm Al-Qura University Vice-President for Business & Innovation- and the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Wadi Makkah - Dr. Nabil bin Abdul Qader Koshak and all the staff of Vice Presidency and Wadi Makkah Technology Company.

Within the same vein, Dr. Nabil bin Abdul Qader Koshak appreciated and saluted President of Umm Al Qura University Dr. Bakri Bin M'atoog Bin Bakri Assas for his moral and motivational support in such a manner which contributed to creating competitive environment amongst the inventors and creative persons and resulted in winning of Okaz Award in its 10 session. He added that wining this award will spur inventors and entrepreneurs in the university into more competitions and serve the nation under the slogan of “Made in Makkah".

For his part, the Director of the Technical Innovation Center in Wadi Makkah Company, Anas Mohammad Saleh Basalamah, valued the Okaz Market organizing committee for their confidence on him and nominating him for this award which he considers as an incentive for exerting more efforts in this regard. He praised the support and concern of UQU president and the UQU Vice-President for Business & Innovation.

It’s noteworthy that, Dr. Anas Basalama is an Assistant Professor in the department of Computer Engineering, UQU and the Director of Technical Innovation Center in Wadi Makkah Company. He is also the Technical Director and Co-Founder of NaviBees Company, the Technical Director and Co-Founder of Smart Cities, Aviros, as well as the  Co-Founder of Technical Innovation Center in Wadi Makkah Company.

 
He obtained master and doctoral degrees from Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan in 2006 and 2009 respectively.  
He has also worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Tokyo, Japan and Minnesota, USA Universities in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

 
He has obtained master, and doctoral studies scholarship from the Japanese Ministry of Education, and Fulbright Honorary Scholarship to visit USA. 

Additionally, he has obtained Science and Innovation Award dedicated for the students on scholarship in Japan. Further, He has obtained the Award of the best scientific paper from Telecommunication Progress Organization in Japan. 

Dr. Basalama has published several researches in scientific journals and significant conferences, and   registered a number of patents.

 It’s very important to add that he is interested in the following fields; Smart Cities, Ubiquitous Computing and the Internet of Things (IoT).