Success Stories

Story of

Salim Al Kaabi

Product
Lubanium
Country
Oman
Rank
4th Place Winner

“This is a revolutionary time in the Arab region and the show offers the greatest opportunity to become a part of this revolution. Even though I did not win first place, I made sure to continue my journey with the same driven mindset I had when I applied. The Stars of Science Grand Finale was just the beginning of my success story!” says the young Omani Salim Al Kaabi. Salim fell ill and was hospitalized due to his constant contact with varnish - the chemical most commonly used to protect oil paintings against dust, heat, and humidity - he took this unfortunate event and turned it into a goal.

Project & Impact

Salim applied to Stars of Science Season 10 to work on creating an environmentally-friendly, organic, and efficiently-produced varnish that would eliminate the harmful side effects of the traditional product. His solution was a machine that defuses the toxic fumes using an Omani treasure, frankincense - a scented gum resin used as incense - to make it more bearable.

 

The Aftermath of SoS

Since his appearance on the show in 2018, Salim has garnered worldwide attention in the scientific and artistic fields. He took his project to the United Kingdom to further develop its mechanisms and was able to win several awards around the world. The Omani received regional and international recognitions from prestigious organizations, such as the Kuwait International Invention Fair in the Middle East and the International Invention and Innovation Show INTARG held in Poland in 2019.

To enable himself to develop his project from a mechanical aspect, Salim completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Process Operations and Maintenance with honors from Calcedonian College, Scotland. He also became a member of both the prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry and Sotheby’s, the world’s largest art business and one of the oldest auction houses.

After a few years of product development, Salim has put on the market the Lubanium varnish in liquid and spray forms along with a soap brush cleaner all made from Omani frankincense. Salim has launched eight products at EXPO Dubai 2021, with additional plans to launch in his home country of Oman.

Follow Salim on…

Facebook: Salim Alkaabi

Instagram: @salim.kaabi

Twitter: @Salimalk3bi2

Media Links

https://muscatdaily.com/Archive/Oman/Omani-artist-invents-eco-friendly-varnish-made-of-frankincense-5cav

http://alwatan.com/details/297270

https://www.omandaily.om/?p=672903

https://issuu.com/moralmoda/docs/monte-carlo (page 22-23)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frEWfYs6VLc