Ithra showcases immersive digital technologies at inaugural Demo Day

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) will present five projects under its inaugural Creative Solutions initiative launched under the theme “Digital Immersive Content Creation.” 

The program is designed to boost Saudi Arabia’s creative economy by empowering digital content creation in immersive technologies, and drew 27 entries.

An ecosystem of innovators

The yearlong initiative focuses on building an ecosystem of innovators working on immersive technologies, including artificial intelligence, haptics and virtual, augmented and mixed reality, as well as immersive audio. 

From a total of 27 projects selected to attend masterclasses with top international creatives, five were chosen to attend an international boot camp. Each group received a grant to support the process of bringing their ideas to life. 

The finalists presented their projects to global experts and investors in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 7 and will present to an international audience in London. 

‘Demo Day’

All five finalists will have the opportunity on this “Demo Day” to showcase their work and allow guests to explore the different ways of engaging in immersive technologies. 

“As the Kingdom’s leading hub for creatives and innovators, we offer year-round programs that support the growth of Saudi’s creative sector by providing established and budding creatives with the resources, expertise and opportunities to unleash their potential, said Miznah A. AlZamil, head of the Creativity and Innovation Department at Ithra. 

Ithra is at the center of the Kingdom’s cultural and creative ecosystem — it is where imagination is powered, ideas are born, knowledge is shared and culture celebrated, and where innovation takes center stage.
— Miznah A. AlZamil

“Creative Solutions is a testament to Ithra’s commitment to building a sustainable creative ecosystem in the Kingdom. We are encouraged by the interest shown in the program’s first year, and proud of the work the 2021 cohort put into their projects. The groups demonstrated truly creative thinking and we are excited to see how they perform in front of our industry experts and investors at the Demo Day,” added AlZamil.

Register for Creative Solutions

Ithra’s Creative Solutions program is designed to bolster professional skills development in the Kingdom, while promoting knowledge sharing and the development of original creative content and marketable solutions. The programs focuses on fields such as Art, Health and Well-being, Training, Entertainment, Education, and Culture. 

Registration is open to all citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia over the age of 18. Applications close on May 30. 

For more information on Ithra and its programs, visit https://www.ithra.com.