Airbus has announced that its “Entaliq in KSA” initiative, in partnership with TAQNIA Aeronautics and Saudi Arabian Airlines, has now entered its second phase during which webinars and workshops will take place till the end of March, 2018.

The content of the planned workshops and webinars have been carefully structured to arm the young entrepreneurs with key insights into the aviation industry. The online seminars will be presented by prominent figures in the region’s aerospace sector, and will benefit the participants by consolidating their understanding of topics that range from aircraft avionics to general engineering and maintenance to strengthening their business model canvas.

The initiative, which is in its second year, represents a nationwide hunt for most talented Saudi Arabian entrepreneurs, challenging them to advance the national aerospace sector by providing innovative solutions to current industry challenges.  The program is specifically tailored to inspire and support entrepreneurs, who possess an idea or business model in the start-up phase. This year’s edition of the initiative saw 114 individuals sign up to join the program, with 70% of entrants being under the age of 30.

“There is no doubt that young minds are powerhouses for innovation, and this becomes increasingly evident as the initiative progresses,” said Fouad Attar (photo), Head of Airbus Commercial Africa and Middle East.

“At Airbus, we are committed to harnessing the powers and talents of the gifted Saudi youth, and alongside our key partners in the Kingdom, exposing them to leaders in our industry in order to facilitate the transformation of their unique visions into tangible reality,” he added.

The second edition of the initiative began in December 2017 with an open registration. Ideas and business model submissions were welcomed by individuals and teams comprising of senior tertiary students, or those who hold a higher qualification.

The first three months of 2018 mark the ‘Online and Onsite Development’ phase, which will see participants attend a series of live workshops and webinars. By the beginning of April, the top 10 finalists will be selected and the ‘Top Talent Showcase’ phase begins. It will feature the online mentoring segment of the program. In June, the initiative will finish with the selection of the top three winners.

The top three winners will each receive an incubation opportunity with the incubating partners of “Entaliq in KSA”, namely Rockwell Collins, Altran and Qotuf, to materialize their ideas with support from Airbus through its industrialization facilities.

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2016 it generated revenues of €67 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats and business aviation products. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

TAQNIA Aeronautics focuses on transferring the technology in the aerospace industry and meeting the demand. The main target customer is the Saudi military sector. It is a project-oriented company that seeks to meet the high demand of the customers. By practicing its role, TAQNIA Aeronautics will be able to achieve one very important objective which is generating high skill level jobs for Saudi nationals. This strategy is meant to maximize the gain of the transferred technology.

Saudi Arabian Airlines has an extensive history of aviation, with the airline approaching its 73rd year of operations, flying around the globe to 89 destinations across four continents, with more than 500 daily departures.