The Jury
As an accomplished doctor and as Stars of Science alumnus, Dr. Ahmad Nabeel has already built an illustrious career at a young age – he was named on the 2019 MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35 List for the MENA region, which recognizes outstanding innovators who look to develop new solutions to tackling the world’s biggest problems. This prestigious list has previously included the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, and Jack Dorsey.
Dr. Nabeel competed and eventually became a finalist on Stars of Science’s Season 9 (2017), where he introduced the world to his Virtual Beam and Self-Cleaning Laparoscope (re-branded as KLENS). His invention provides a solution for cleaning the camera of a traditional laparoscope automatically, instantaneously, and with a push of a button, eliminating the need for the camera to be pulled out of the body time and again. Dr. Nabeel won a Young Innovator Award at the 2018 World Innovation Summit for Health for his Laparoscope invention, which was recognized as one of the best participating medical innovations in the world.
He’s currently working to refine his KLENS prototype and get regulatory approvals, while simultaneously pursuing a PhD in Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London under the supervision of Lord Ara Darzi, Vice Chair of the Board of Governors for Sidra Medicine and one of the most renowned surgeons worldwide. Dr. Nabeel and his team have made significant progress in their goal to commercialize Klens, bringing the innovative medical device closer to widespread use in the healthcare industry.
Dr. Nabeel has also received the Best Innovation Award from the International Federation of Inventors’ Association in Geneva and was awarded the Excellence and Creativity Award by The late Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
The Kuwaiti prodigy continued growing as an inventor and inside Qatar’s unique innovation ecosystem. In 2018, he participated in the first Arab Innovation Academy, a 10-day startup boot camp organized by Qatar Science & Technology Park and European Innovation Academy. He worked as the CEO of a team of other talented young entrepreneurs to develop his idea, “GoGather,” an app that helps users organize events and activities by providing an efficient way of keeping track of guests and achieved second place.
Recently, Dr. Nabeel was a speaker at the first TED in Arabic conference, a prestigious partnership between TED and Qatar Foundation. To be chosen speaker at TED, this placed Dr. Nabeel among the ranks for prominent world figures who stood on TED’s stage.
In addition to his success in the world of innovation, Dr. Nabeel has launched a new social media platform called Rayna, which focuses on measuring public opinion through polls. Rayna aims to reflect reality and public opinion better than other social media platforms such as Twitter, providing a more accurate representation of people's thoughts and beliefs.
In Kuwait, Ahmad’s story and achievements were added to the official Arabic language curriculum in schools. He was also chosen to be the Ambassador of Kuwait Vision 2035 through the KAFO project of the Emiri Diwan.
Being back on the show shines a light on his growth during the past five years, securing him a spot as a guest juror on the show. Balancing the demands of his project development, his research, and his professional obligations is no small feat, but Dr. Nabeel himself is eager to contribute back to Stars of Science and guide other young Arab innovators on the show.
"Stars of Science has fostered an innovation culture in the Arab world, nurturing talented inventors and groundbreaking ideas. With growing investor support, the Middle East is on the cusp of becoming a global epicenter for tech and science, drawing the world's gaze as it unlocks the secrets to a brighter, more innovative tomorrow."
