… and her background is impressive. Aged only 28, she who has attended brilliant studies at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) also pursues a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering. She developed her interest in the field when she was a teenager, during a Mawhiba summer program where she was first introduced to various scientific areas.

“During the program, I gained general knowledge about solar cells, but I was very curious about the photovoltaic process at which the conversion of light into electricity occurs, which was quite challenging for me to understand at that time. Therefore, I decided to study electrical engineering”

Asrar Damdam, Founder and CEO of Uvera Inc.

More recently, she distinguished herself by developing an electronic platform that is compatible with the human heart shape to be used as a base for futuristic heart assistive devices, an invention that got her an award from L’Oréal-Unesco For Women in Science Middle East Award. for young female talents in science for the year 2020. This technical discovery that combines medicine, electronics, and electro physics is also a revolutionary and sophisticated nanotechnology improvement, opening up the path for the scientific community to dive deeper into this in the future.

A visionary CEO

With a young population, Saudi Arabia cultivates a lot of potential for its youth and multiplies more and more means to give them broader access to education and economic opportunities, once they reach the job market. For those who would want to create their startup, means are also found to help them and make their ambition happen.

It is in this context that Asrar Damdam became the founder and CEO of Uvera Inc., a clean-tech startup destined to increase the lifetime of fresh food by means of an ultraviolet light spectrum. The next step for her and her company? Commercial launch, and “contribute bridging science and innovation to our everyday life”. Describing herself as an explorer and while remaining passionate about science, she hopes that through her company she can “raise the threshold of women’s achievements and inspire women in STEM to persevere, in addition to reducing food waste and elevating environmental sustainability”. A very brave ambition!

Ever since the launch of Vision 2030, more and more young Saudis are supported to develop their skills and projects. The Kingdom is indeed a breeding ground for young and unpolished talents who are motivated and committed to bettering the world. For this World Youth Day, Generation 2030 celebrates Asrar Damdam’s success but also the ones of all Saudi talents, who actively take part in showcasing Saudi Arabia’s development to the world.