Tunisian innovator wins Stars of Science Season 13

Riadh Abdelhedi has emerged as the top Arab innovator on Season 13 of 'Stars of Science', a Qatar Foundation initiative, winning the votes of the jury and public with his innovation while overcoming a variety of challenges caused by Covid-19.The Tunisian innovator was overjoyed when the show’s longtime host, Khaled al-Jumaily, announced that his invention, the Hybrid Power Bank, had claimed 39.4% of the total votes, securing the top prize of $300,000.“I want to thank the jury and the audience for giving me their votes and believing in my idea and invention, the Hybrid Power Bank, which I hope I will be able to continue to develop and release in regional and global markets. I hope that I can set a good example for how creative and innovative young Arab youth can be when equipped with the adequate resources,” said Abdelhedi. His winning invention, now branded as HyPow, can charge itself fully in a few minutes as a result of its unique power storage system, which combines lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitor technology. HyPow provides the world with an innovative, efficient way to charge a device while leading a busy life. Abdelhedi's invention encourages people to adapt to the fast-paced life, especially during challenging times like the pandemic. Mohamed al-Qassabi from Qatar won third place in 'Stars of Science' Season 13“Last year, we saw global priorities shift; and this was true even for the technology sector, which continues to play a vital role in combating Covid-19. As a result, in this very special season of 'Stars of Science', we have observed two broad categories of innovation – projects that are actively fighting Covid-19 and its associated complications, and projects that demonstrate resilience and adaptability and urge continuity,” said Yosouf al-Salehi, executive director, Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP). “This was true of Riadh Abdelhedi, who finalised the Hybrid Power Bank in record time, and demonstrated how technology can drive positive impact. His invention exemplifies the persistence of innovators in developing technology solutions that can solve real-world challenges, which is exactly what we need in our journey towards a post-pandemic future.” he added.Mugeb AlHarosh from Yemen came in second place with his Portable Renal Blood Flowmetre, which uses non-invasive biosensors attached to the skin to analyse critical data that can provide a preliminary diagnosis and help identify possible kidney damage. He earned a combined score of 32.5% of the total votes and received $150,000.Qatar’s Mohamed al-Qassabi secured the third-place prize of $100,000 with a total vote percentage of 20.4% for his invention, the Football Offside Detection System, which utilises band tags embedded inside players’ uniforms and the ball to correctly identify offside violations during matches.In fourth place came the Lebanese contestant, Ousama Kanawati, securing 7.7% of total votes for his invention the Wearable Omni Stethoscope Vest, which is designed to help patients monitor their lungs via multiple digital stethoscopes and wireless technology. Kanawati was awarded $50,000.“As part of Qatar Foundation Research, Development and Innovation, QSTP’s various programmes, including 'Stars of Science', are playing a leading role in fostering technology development, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and nurturing tomorrow’s students of change, not just within Qatar but also across the Arab world, for the collective benefit of our societies,” concluded al-Salehi.Candidates and winners of season 13 will join the illustrious Stars of Science alumni community, all of whom are drivers of change in communities across the Arab world and beyond.Aspiring Arab innovators have been encouraged to apply for the next season of 'Stars of Science'. Online applications will close on December 1 and applications should be submitted at www.starsofscience.com