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.
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). Normally, doctors have to manually clean the camera of a traditional laparoscope, resulting in loss of time, frustration, and decreased patient safety. His invention automatically and instantaneously cleans the lens of the camera intraoperatively with a push of a button, eliminating the need for the camera to be pulled out of the body time and again.
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.
Dr. Nabeel also won a Young Innovator Award at the 2018 World Innovation Summit for Health for his Laparoscope, which was recognized as one of the best participating medical innovations in the world. In addition, he has also received the Best Innovation Award from the International Federation of Inventors’ Association in Geneva and the Kuwait Award for Innovation.
He’s currently working to refine the prototype – now named KLENS – and get regulatory approvals, while simultaneously pursuing a PhD in Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London under the supervision Lord Ara Darzi, Vice Chair of the Board of Governors for Sidra Medicine and one of the most renowned surgeons worldwide.
In Kuwait, Ahmad’s story and achievements were added to the official Arabic language curriculum in schools. He was also nominated 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 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 contributed to the growth of an innovation culture in the Arab world. Talented inventors and incredible ideas are plentiful, and there are more and more investors willing to take a chance on their ideas now more than ever before.”
