TRC%20Newsletter%204[1]

TRC Newsletter
The Research Council
Introducing Oman Science & Technology Park
Science Parks: The Necessary Ingredients
Innovation & Start-ups
Focus on Research
Meet the Entrepreneurs
Young Researchers’ Corner
The Newsletter of The Research Council
Issue 4 October 2012
For private circulation only
In this issue

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ContentsOctober 2012
4 Editorial

5 Introducing the Oman Science & Technology Park
Dr AbdulBaqi Al Khabouri
Director, Oman Science & Technology Park
7 Science Parks: An International Perspective
Jane Davies OBE
President, IASP Advisory Council
10 Science Parks: The Necessary Ingredients
14 Focus on: Oman Science & Technology Park
16 Innovation & Start-ups
Mohammed Al Rasbi
Founder & CEO, R&D
18 Focus on Research
Dr. Baba El-Yakubu Jibril
Sultan Qaboos University
20 Meet the Entrepreneurs
Salma & Aisha Al Hajri
Salma’s Chocolates
22 Young Researchers’ Corner
3
What is a science park?
The International Association of Science Parks defines
a science park as:
“An initiative for the establishment and growth of
technology-based enterprise formally and operationally
linked to at least one centre of technical expertise an
organization which provides management support for
its tenant companies.”

4
Contact Us
PO Box 1422
Muscat 130
Sultanate of Oman
Tel: +968 24 50 98 00
Fax: +968 24 50 98 20
info@trc.gov.om
www.trc.gov.om
Editorial
Welcome to this edition of TRC Newsletter.
This fourth edition of our newsletter has Oman’s new Science and Technology Park (STP) as its main focus. This
exciting new project is already well underway and is sure to make an improtant contribution not just to science,
research, technology and innovation in Oman but also to entrepreneurship and job creation - especially for our youth.
The STP Director, Dr AbdulBaqi Al Khabouri, opens this edition with an introduction to the Park, looking at its role,
the challenges it faces and the benefits it will bring. We are privileged to have Jane Davies OBE, President of the
International Association of Science Parks Advisory Council guide us through the part that science parks have to play
in the international arena; she examines, in particular, Manchester Science Park and its achievements.
Is there a formula for a succesful science park? In our article ‘Science Parks: The Necessary Ingredients’ we try and find
the right recipe. We also feature a guide to the STP which includes information about the Park’s Master Plan and the
stages in its development.
In other features, Mohammed Al Rasbi, founder and CEO of R&D shares his thoughts on Innovation & Start-ups and
Sultan Qaboos University’s Dr. Baba El-Yakubu Jibril talks about his research. Entrepreneur team Salma and Aisha Al
Hajri, of Salma’s Chocolates, give us an overview of their start-up journey and our Young Researchers’ Corner has
plenty of tips for aspiring young inventors.
The images on our front and back covers give you an idea of how the Oman STP will look.
As ever, we hope you enjoy TRC Newsletter and welcome your feedback on: info@trc.gov.om

What do you see as the major challenges
of setting up a new Muscat-based
science park? And what are the benefits?
Across the globe science parks are thriving and making a
major contribution to the areas in which the operate - not just
in terms of science and research but in terms of job creation
and economic development - they’re central to the knowledge
economy - creating jobs; attracting investment; developing a
culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
There is no reason why Oman should be an exception. We do,
however, have to realise that as this is the first project of its
kind in Oman there will certainly be challenges that we need
to address very carefully - that goes without saying. Obviously
there’s a lot of excitement about the Park and its potential and
I think the first thing we’ll have to do is manage expectations
as science parks do take time to develop and deliver on their
promise; these things don’t and can’t happen overnight - we
need to take a long term view.
Attracting international tenants to come to Oman and
specifically to the Oman Science and Technology Park (STP) is,
in itself, a challenge - and we have to make sure we attract the
right sort of quality tenant. In addition, building the network
between different stakeholders within the park is certainly
something that we need to focus on to guarantee the success
of the Oman STP.
If we manage to attract the international community that
is working in the same specializations as the park to come
and work with our local start-ups and SMEs, I am sure that
will develop our local talent. It will also make an enormous
contribution to the development of the eco-system that not
only supports the diversification of our economy but generates
well-paid jobs for young Omanis.
5
Introducing
the Oman Science &
Technology Park
Dr AbdulBaqi Al Khabouri
Director, Oman Science and Technology Park
What’s the main role of the Oman STP
and how do you see the Park developing?
We can get a general picture of how the Oman STP will develop
form the general experience of international science parks.
Specifically, we will adopt the Triple Helix Model where the
three main components (Academia, Business and Government)
will play a major role in the operation of the Oman STP. In
this Model we are linking academia with business. Hence any
research activity taking place in the academic world could be
developed and commercialized within the Oman STP.
From a broader perspective, government, academia and
business would see science parks as having four key roles:
• creating employment;
• establishing new firms;
• facilitating the link between universities and these firms;
and
• encouraging technology.
Moreover, we will also look at the contribution that the Park
can deliver to society in general. We need to make an impact
on the local community so they start thinking about innovation.
The Oman STP should be able to change the current culture into
one that’s more creative and innovative. In particular we need
to inspire our young people to become involved in science,
to study science, pursue careers in science and to embrace
entrepreneurship.
What will the Oman STP’s role be in the
creation and nurturing of new hi-tech
Omani starts-ups?
The Park will focus on four specializations as specified by the
National Research Strategy. These are: Energy; Water and
Environment; Food and Bio technology; and Health. Start-ups

6
working in these specializations will be incubated in the Oman
STP. We will support them not only in the establishment of
their companies but also in the development of their business
plans, marketing, communication and accessing finance. The
consultants within the park will support the start-ups and link
them to the international community and markets.
What strategies will you develop to
ensure the Oman STP’s success?
Science parks often create an influx of people, institutions and
businesses but, in fact, the local community strongly influences
the Park’s trajectory. The challenge lies in making a positive
change while retaining local core values and competences.
We are developing attractive incentives for both domestic and
international tenants. These are built and based on international
best practices. Different incentive schemes will be given to
different groups of tenants, by that I mean start-ups, SMEs and
multi-nationals. The mix of different people, experiences and
values within the Park community will be central to creating
its strength not only in terms of attracting investors and
researchers but also as regards giving people here in Oman the
opportunity to collaborate with the Oman STP’s highly skilled
and professional community.
On top of this, our success will be rooted in our planning - from
the selection of our location - near Sultan Qaboos University,
KOM and Rusayl Industrial Estate to the relationships we are
already developing with these organisations and the support
infrastructure we have in place for our tenants.
How do you think the performance of
firms on science parks compares to those
that operate off them?
Swedish research suggests that firms on science parks grow
faster in terms of employment and sales while firms off-park
grow more rapidly in terms of profitability. However, British
research indicates that there is no difference in survival rates,
R&D performance or employment growth between firms on and
off parks, or in much else. Clearly we have to look closely at
individual cases.
Oman with its young population has a fantastic opportunity to
develop entrepreneurship, SMEs and so on - they contribute up
to 80% of business in some countries so that’s something really
important for us. We should look at how we can make the most
of these opportunitities. Although we are new to knowledge
based investments, we are planning to develop from 10- 15
new companies per year on the Park. These companies will be
knowledge based and highly specialized. The Oman STP plans
to generate about 3,000 jobs within the next 10 years for highly
qualified Omanis.
Dr. AbdulBaqi Al Khabouri
Director
Oman Science & Technology Park
The first challenge we’ll face
is managing expectations.
Science parks do take time to
develop and deliver on their
promise; these things don’t
and can’t happen overnight -
we need to take a long term
view.

7
Science Parks:
An International Perspective
Jane Davies OBE
President, IASP Advisory Council
On the challenges and rewards of
setting up a new science park
The world’s enthusiasm for science parks rests on their
reputation of delivering the current aim of many national
economic development strategies – a vibrant knowledge
economy. When they are successful, the rewards range from
the tangible such as new high-tech companies, job creation,
inward investment, talent attraction and retention, to the
‘softer’ but no less essential changes such as the development
of an entrepreneurial culture with stories and heroes to inspire
young people, and a fully functioning innovation eco-system
which encourages and supports new firm development.
And therein lies the main challenge; new science parks take
time to reach maturity and deliver their promise, meanwhile
the shiny new offices and laboratories that can be built in two
or three years are standing empty and their owners, unless
they take a long-term view, are tempted to accept any tenant
willing to pay the rent and cut the very management services
that are essential to attract and support start-ups.
On the definition of a science park
Manchester Science Park (msp) fully meets the formal IASP
definition of a science park but, as an American professor once
famously said “when you’ve seen one science park – you’ve
seen one science park”. Each one is different because they are
place-based initiatives and have to adapt the general model to
the requirements and conditions of their locality.
msp was founded to deliver jobs in a city that was going
through an identity crisis in the 1980s as thousands of
manufacturing jobs were lost and whole communities became
unemployed. It delivered on a small scale initially but it was
only in the mid-nineties that it began to take off as a location
for high-tech businesses when significant investment in the
physical and social regeneration of the local area created an
attractive inner city suburb adjacent to the city’s academic
campus. This century, reinventing itself as a post-industrial
city, Manchester’s civic leadership has focused resources on
building a strong knowledge economy, working in partnership
with the science park, universities and research hospitals
to scale-up the economic contribution to the city region of
science based innovation.
The Park plays a key role in this strategy, not just delivering
the appropriate physical infrastructure for high-tech start-
ups in the right location but, more importantly, driving the
local innovation eco-system in the same way that TRC was
encouraged to do by HH Sayyid Taimur bin Assad in the first
edition of this newsletter.
On the the key roles of science parks
In my view, the role of a 21st century science park is to build
a fully functional innovation eco-system with free flows
of knowledge, people, money and services to support the
complicated process of innovation. To achieve this, it will
need to create partnerships with the key players in the system,
academics and city planners and leaders, entrepreneurs and
sources of risk capital.
The park may have to deliver some of the services itself –
networking events to build supply chains, support for early
stage start-ups, specialised facilities for some sectors such as
data centres and laboratories – but should always recognize
the organic nature of the innovation eco-system. Networks
will form, become popular and then disappear, business will
supply some of the services if they can do so commercially,
sector organisations will already exist in some sectors and
take over supply chain development - the science parks role
is to spot the gaps and make sure they are filled so that all
the necessary links and the people are available and easy to
access.

8
On science parks and hi-tech start-ups
I think the world-wide enthusiasm for science parks is based
on a consensus that they make a positive contribution to
this sector of the economy. However, at a more local level,
we decided to ask our customers whether our activities had
helped their businesses. In respect of 2011, 44% said that
msp had introduced them to a new business contact and 11%
said they had secured additional sales or new business as a
result of an msp event or introduction.
Given the reluctance of most entrepreneurs to credit
anybody else with contributing to their success, I suspect this
underestimates the contribution we make. Nevertheless,
in the end, STPs can only contribute – it’s the entrepreneur
who has to make his company succeed. I think that the role
of STP managers is to create an environment within which
entrepreneurs can flourish. In my view this means creating a
community of companies so they can learn from each other
and find customers, suppliers and partners for collaboration;
providing access through events and personal introductions
to the local innovation eco-system; supporting, animating
and expanding that eco-system, recognising that it’s organic
and will always be evolving; understanding the particular
requirements of high-tech businesses for specialized services
and facilities and ensuring they’re available and, not least,
providing a portfolio of efficiently and cost-effectively
managed offices and laboratories on flexible terms to enable
companies to expand and contract as they mature.
On lessons from msp’s success
STPs are place based initiatives and looking back over msp’s
development it’s clear that its growth trajectory was closely
aligned with that of the city region as a whole. We were
fortunate in that the founders selected an ideal physical
location for the park; adjacent to two major universities and
a research hospital, close to an international airport and
motorway network and less than 2 miles from the city centre.
However, it was only when significant funds were invested
in the physical and social regeneration of the local area in
the mid-1990s that msp underwent its first period of physical
expansion. Fifteen years later, investment in new facilities
for the adjacent hospital and universities and a recognition
that a vibrant knowledge economy is Manchester’s future has
led to a second spurt of development even though the state
of the UK economy is not favourable.
Any new STP development has to be seen in the wider
context of the city – and country’s –strategy for the future.
Only if all facets of the innovation eco-system are present in
the local community can an STP play its role successfully.
As a private company with shareholders, msp was set up
from the beginning to be a profit-making organization. No
dividend has been distributed to shareholders although they
have seen the value of their investments increase and, both
local government and academic shareholders recognize
the extent to which msp’s activities contribute to their own
objectives over and above any financial return. However,
msp has never generated sufficient profit to fund speculative
new buildings without public sector support and earlier this
year a new commercial shareholder acquired a majority stake
in the company, at the same time committing to double the
physical size of the park over the next ten years in line with the
shareholders’ strategic objectives.
In terms of positioning, we took the simple approach of building
msp’s reputation on that of our tenant companies. This has the
advantage of reflecting the commercial reality; if our tenants
don’t grow the Park cannot expand. We provide PR support
free of charge particularly to the smaller companies on site and
every positive story about their successes mentions the fact that
they are located on msp. Once established as the location of
successful companies msp began to attract inward investment
and is now known as the location of choice for technology
based firms in the Manchester city region.
We also chose to develop an international reputation for
knowledge leadership in the field of STP management and were
supported in this objective by our university shareholders. msp
is now known across the world as one of the leading examples
within the sector and we receive regular requests to receive
study visits. It’s never easy to make a direct link between
marketing activities and new tenants but we believe that our
international brand helps to keep our ‘soft landing’ centre full of
small businesses from overseas, many of which stay and expand
on the Park.
On the performance of companies on
science parks
Measurement of the success of science parks in absolute terms
poses a problem because, by definition, it’s impossible to
say how a firm that has grown on a science park would have
prospered if it had not been on a science park. The research
results you mention are based on comparing the success of
similar firms on and off parks, which in my view will always
generate uncertainties around the conclusions.
We have developed a different way of looking at the success
of a park which uses a range of measures, both metrics and
perceptions gathered from customer surveys. These are derived
from the strategic objectives of the primary stakeholders in the
park and are continually refined as the strategy for the park

Any new STP development has
to be seen in the wider context
of the city - and country’s -
strategy for the future. Only if
all facets of the innovation eco-
system are present in the local
community can an STP play its
role successfully.
9
changes during its development. Examples include the
number of companies that have operational links with the
knowledge base, the number of companies that have grown
each year, the number of direct investments we’ve attracted,
the number of new products and services introduced by
our companies, the amount of investment they’ve attracted
and what contribution have msp’s activities made to their
businesses.
As long as we add value to our tenants’ businesses, achieve
our ‘soft’ performance targets and make an annual profit then
it’s reasonable to conclude that we and our tenant companies
are together delivering more value to our shareholders and the
local economy than the companies would on their own.
On setting up a science park
msp was founded as an economic development initiative and
local government, represented by Manchester City Council,
were shareholders from the very beginning. They still own
a significant share in the company and were joined more
recently as shareholders by the adjacent Salford City Council.
This has meant that local government has encouraged and
supported the development of msp throughout and now
sees its expansion as a key factor in the future success of
Manchester’s knowledge economy. As evidence of the
importance they place on its success, local government is
represented on the board of msp by the Chief Executive of
Manchester City Council and the elected Mayor of Salford.
My advice to those involved in the new STP in Oman is
to make sure that all three key players in the knowledge
economy – business, government and academia – are
represented at senior level on the governing body of the STP
and that they fully embrace the strategic objectives of the
park. Ideally, all organisations represented in this way should
also have a financial stake in the success of the project to
ensure their continuing commitment to its success.
On the key tasks of science parks
The role of STPs continues to evolve; our latest thinking in
IASP is that successful parks should be at the heart of the
emerging ‘cities of innovation’ or ‘creative cities’ that are
the focus of the global knowledge economy. Science park
managers are experienced professionals who know how to
deal with entrepreneurs and the nuts and bolts of innovation,
and how to create an environment in their city that provides
the optimum conditions for innovation to flourish. Together
with academic, business and civic leadership they can make a
real difference.
Jane Davies, OBE
President
IASP Advisory Council

10
Over the past 25 years, Science Parks have constituted a major
mechanism to facilitate technology transfer and economic
growth. The International Association of Science Parks (IASP)
currently records no less than 128,000 companies in 388
member parks in 69 countries. Science Parks are a focal point
for entrepreneurs; a link between commercial and research
activity; an appropriate, flexible environment; and networks
with a range of business support services to support the
growth of knowledge-based companies.
There is no question of a rigid definition or of a single
transferable model being appropriate throughout the world.
The characteristics of each Science Park should be determined
by its objectives, location, prevailing economic climate and
local expertise and resources available. However, the following
definition summarizes the main characteristics of a Science
Park.
So… What’s a Science Park?
An organization managed by specialized professionals, whose
main aim is to increase the wealth of its community by
promoting the culture of innovation and the competitiveness
of its associated businesses and knowledge-based institutions.
To reach these goals, a Science Park stimulates and manages
the flow of knowledge and technology amongst universities,
R&D institutions, companies and markets; facilitates the
creation and growth of innovation-based companies through
incubation and spin-off processes; and provides other added-
value services as well as high quality space and facilities.
The Top 10 Science Park Ingredients
1. Stages of Development
A typical Science Park takes around a decade to reach maturity
and, in doing so, passes through a series of recognizable
phases. The initial phase, which may take a few years,
encompasses the planning and agreement from the park’s
stakeholders, and the acquisition of funds sufficient for the
commencement of operations. At this stage, everything is new
and exciting, but the park’s management soon realizes that
a big effort will be needed to fill up the buildings and for the
park to reach financial self-sustainability.
Science Parks:
The Necessary Ingredients
The second phase is one of steady growth - involving the
acquisition of further premises for multi-occupancy. This
phase can be of varying length, depending on factors such
as the location, quality of management and the overall
economic climate. During this phase, the management and
operational activities of the park develop progressively and
become more efficient. Some parks remain in this phase,
with steady growth and stable management. However,
there is for more progressive parks a third ‘mature’ stage,
when the management recognizes that the park is capable
of playing some wider and desirable role in the economic
or technological development of the country or region. This
stimulates a change, sometimes quite profound, towards a
more individual style of Science Park which differentiates
it from others. The change may be to move to multi-site
operation; or to become increasingly involved in providing
management services to assist tenant company growth; or
to link closer to its associated tertiary partners. Or it may be
quite another special set of characteristics.
2. National & International Context
A successful Science Park is not and cannot be a ‘stand alone’
venture. It is intimately connected to and involved in the
implementation of national and international innovation
policies.
In the 21st century, Science Parks have become an essential
part of a more innovative way of life. They have achieved this
by professional management, increasing their networking,
achieving a greater mass and by helping to attract investment
into their SMEs. They are a significant part of the innovation
‘ecosystem’ and a key to its success.
Successful Science Parks have positioned themselves as
leaders in the development of the Knowledge Economy. This
has helped to reduce the danger that nations in the developed
world would lose out to those of the Far East and other rapidly
developing nations. They have helped, for example, Europe
to compete by designing workplaces and environments that
optimize the innovation process – to make change easy.
Such places facilitate spontaneous and dynamic working and
encourage random interactions and synergy.
A major turning point occurred when the more progressive
parks determined to break out of a domestic mindset and

11
began to think and act globally. They recognized that their
principal competitors were not the neighbouring Science
Parks, but those on other continents. They therefore created
effective international networks and grew to a scale enabling
them to compete, attract and retain companies at an
international level. The great cities of the world have also
been influenced by the new generation of Science Parks and in
some cases they have been influential in changing their city’s
brand and image as a focus of the knowledge economy. They
have set the standard for high quality services to knowledge-
hungry enterprises; exploited the interdependence of
sectors; and are global players with capacity to accommodate
international business investment.
3. Strategic Policy & Management
Strategic and day-to-day management of the highest quality
play a key role in any Science Park. This enables a clear long-
term strategy to be defined, which can be implemented under
a sustainable business model. This is no small undertaking:
successful Science Parks are involved with places, processes,
relationships and outcomes, and they are good at managing
them all.
Indeed, the leadership of a Science Park requires far more than
property expertise, although this is absolutely necessary. They
enjoy high level board and network representation, principally
from their main stakeholders, but also from large firms and
financial institutions, often from outside the country or region.
This has afforded them the range of perspectives, contacts and
expertise needed to compete in a global marketplace.
4. A Gateway Not a Destination
It is important to note that a Science Park is a gateway and not
a destination. Thus, pre-occupation with location, property and
place has been replaced with a focus on process: an enabling
process in the journey of each tenant’s development. Part of
the challenge of this change in paradigm has been to develop
efficient and effective pathways from the gate, since they
could not have been left to chance.
5. Finance
A Science Park must aim to be a sustainable business. The
proportion of private sector investment has increased greatly
and investors now appreciate the significant opportunities
of investing in appropriate Science Parks. However, public
sector support has remained important to allow some parks to
establish operations in more difficult locations, where longer
time-horizons to achieve viability are required.
Indeed, Science Parks were never meant to be ‘short-
term fixes’, either in terms of their support for economic
development or as property investments. Investors in Science
Park property now take a long-term view of financial viability
and, as the parks have matured and maintained
high occupancy levels, have received a good return on their
investment.
6. Leadership & Serendipity
Successful parks employ top-quality management, with
demonstrable leadership qualities, a broad set of skills and
the capability of relating positively to all the disparate sectors
which regularly interact with the park. The underlying and
fundamental objective in managing a mature Science Park is
to optimize serendipity.
It is apparent that the best Science Parks are those with first-
class senior managers. It is the skill and personality of their
management team which have given them their distinctive
characters. The task of senior management has been to ensure
that the whole of the park’s operations, the physical location,
the overall ambience and culture, the services provided and
the networking opportunities work together to enhance
‘happy accidents’ to optimize serendipity. An innovative and
entrepreneurial approach to management of the park seems
In the 21st century Science Parks have become
an essential part of a more innovative way of
life. They have achieved this by professional
management, increasing their networking,
achieving a greater mass and by helping to
attract investment into their SMEs. They are a
significant part of the innovation ‘ecosystem’
and a key to its success.

12
to be the key. Such serendipity takes many forms. For
instance: one tenant helping to solve another’s problem; or
two tenants, maybe on the same park or, just as readily, on
parks in different countries, agreeing some kind of commercial
relationship; or the chance finding at a networking meeting
of a business angel with the money and interest to support
the growth of a tenant; or perhaps the recognition that an
apparently unrelated technology developed by an Oman-
based university could be of immense value to a particular
tenant. For those Science Park’s that are ‘company-driven’, the
characteristics and role of the ‘anchor company’ have been
especially important. They have enhanced the overall image of
the park, given it stability, demonstrated the effectiveness of
an ‘open innovation’ strategy and have illustrated the function
of the park as a gateway rather than a destination.
Although successful Science Parks produce good commercial
returns on their property, they use a planned proportion of
the surplus to support some of their services to tenants. Some
provide networking services between tenants and between
tenants and tertiary partners or sources of business advice.
Others offer a range of subsidized business services. Several
take a ‘portfolio’ approach and support the operation of
their incubator (both property and incubation services) from
surpluses generated from rental income.
7. Physical & Environment
Science Parks were originally considered to be essentially
locations. Then, at the turn of the century, location was
considered by many to be quite unimportant and the focus
turned to ‘brains, not bricks’. The 21st century Science Park
once again regards the built environment as vital, not as
an end in itself but as an aid to the process of creativity,
interaction and innovation.
Physical development based on a thoughtful, in many cases
inspirational master-plan has proved to be a significant success
factor. Such master-plans have provided an overall context,
with integration of neighbouring residential accommodation,
learning, commercial activities and research; they have
reflected purpose, values and principles which in turn has led
to a clearer image and branding of the park; they have helped
to make the place a desirable work-life environment; and they
have incorporated connectivity as a major theme.
Science Parks illustrate how important the built environment is
to a growing company. Despite the increasing level of virtual,
global and mobile working, people still need a workplace that
is multi-functional and stimulating. This does not necessarily
mean expensive: even modest buildings can provide the
environment and interaction space which drives business
functionality. The features which exemplify these objectives
are different in each park. However, in general they include:
• Keeping buildings close enough for people in each to
interact;
• Sufficient green space, in a pedestrian-friendly campus;
• Components which contribute to branding, image and
identity;
• Good use of natural light;
• Flexibility in size and use of units;
• Sufficient informal ‘interaction space’, where people can
engage in impromptu conversations;
• Services to support the lifestyle of people working on
the park, such as shops, cafes, restaurants, medical and
exercise facilities and crèche; and
• The environment in general.
Today’s Science Parks are organizations with a sense of
responsibility and have shown concern not just for the
environment within their boundaries, but for the global
environment. Science Parks have become exemplars of
sustainable developments in sensitive locations. They have
invested in sustainable building designs and have become
parts of whole sustainable communities.
8. Tertiary Relationships
An active, effective, diverse and two-way tertiary relationship
is perhaps the principal defining characteristic of a successful
Science Park. The emphasis on exploitation of technology
has given universities a new relevance to the global economy
and Science Parks act as a bridge between research and the
marketplace.
Twenty years ago, the role that universities could play in the
exploitation of new knowledge was only beginning to be
appreciated and Science Park managers had to jostle their
way into university departments to encourage academics to
take some part in the innovation process. How times have
changed. Today, successful Science Parks work closely with
their associated universities to spin out new technology into
the marketplace. Universities employ specialist exploitation
professionals, who are sometimes part of the Science Park
management itself and always network closely with it.
University staff see the Science Park as part of their own
institution, or at least as part of the family of operations which
a modern university needs. Furthermore, Science Parks are
regarded as shapers of the university curriculum and faculty
culture, by encouraging exploitation and helping to deliver
education in entrepreneurship and also in other areas which
are vital to future business, such as language training.
Thus, the Science Park impacts back on the university’s core
business at a number of levels: curriculum; recruitment;
graduate destinations; and the research agenda.

13
9. Network Value
Connectivity and networking at all levels is essential to
today’s Science Park and its tenants. So vital is it, that a
number of parks record a network value in their annual
reports and accounts.
Young, growing companies benefit from access to a
multiplicity of networks and contacts and it is one of the
major tasks of a mature Science Park to maintain these and
also to regularly assess their value and effectiveness. The
networks start within the park itself, expand to the associated
tertiary links and the domestic business community and
include consultants, advisors and large commercial and
financial institutions. But networks do not stop near to
home. The most successful parks have created effective
international networks and alliances, enabling them to
perform comparative benchmarking, compare best practices
and support the rapid commercialization of complex, high
added-value products and services into the international
market.
10. Growing Tenant Companies
In a Science Park, the term ‘tenant’ denotes a relationship
which goes far beyond the legal: the park’s team adds value
by interpreting the opportunities and consequences of each
tenant’s business activities, assisting both the growth of
the tenant and its attractiveness to potential investors. An
intimate understanding and response to different tenants’
evolving needs during their tenancy is essential. A mature
Science Park strives to establish a climate of trust with its
tenants.
A pro-active Science Park management has a considerable
understanding of what its tenants are about and directs
appropriate skills, advice and networking opportunities
(including access to investment) to the tenant. The park
also recognizes that the needs and level of advice needed
will change as the company matures. The successful parks
have recognized that the principal deficiency and hence
need of a technology-based business is not technology but
commercial skills and understanding. To meet this need, they
provide access to a range of advice and support. As just one
example, a number offer courses in selling (as opposed to
marketing), which is so important but often ignored by the
more technologically-minded entrepreneurs. The support
given in enhancing tenants’ commercial skills has not gone
unnoticed by investors. There is an increasing willingness
by investors in small companies, such as business angels, to
network with the more successful Science Parks to identify
suitable firms in which to invest. Venture capitalists are also
prepared to purchase equity in such companies, recognizing
that the experience of the park management can assist them
to identify those companies that are truly investment-ready.
Science Parks:
The Essentials
• Formal operational links to
world class research
• Communal areas
• Access to networks
• Focal point or physical
presence
• Mission statement/strategy/
objectives
• On-site management and
daily contact with tenants
• Access to finance and
mentors
• Company selection policy
• Guidance/assistance
available
• Flexibility of space and terms
• Reflects domestic ICT base
specialty/interest
• Access to specialist facilities
• Singular or complementary
sector focus

14
Where is the Oman STP?
This is a major TRC project, with a total area of 280,000 m2
,
the Park will be located in Al Khod, just 10 minutes drive
from Muscat International Airport and neighbouring Sultan
Qaboos University, Rusayl Industrial Estate, Knowledge Oasis
Muscat and Oman Botanic Gardens. The Park will provide
a vibrant research and innovation environment fostering
business growth in the context of Oman’s innovation
ecosystem.
What’s the Park’s mission?
The Park’s mission is to enhance the sultanate’s economic,
entrepreneurial and technological wealth by supporting
the growth of Oman-based innovative and research-driven
companies in fields such as biotechnology, renewable energy
and industrial technologies.
Which government organisations are
collaborating on the project?
• Ministry of Higher Education;
• Ministry of Commerce & Industry;
• Ministry of Oil & Gas;
• Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries;
• Ministry of Regional Municipalities & Water Resources;
• Ministry of Environment & Climate Affairs;
• Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
What will the Oman STP offer tenants?
The Park will offer a range of state-of-the-art hi-tech business
accommodation and laboratory space, underpinned by a
robust digital infrastructure and IT support services.
Tenants will have access to academic resources, seminars
and a regular program of networking events. As a national
focal point for collaboration between researchers, academia,
industry and commerce, The Park will also provide
introductions to funding, programs and people in order
to help tenants grow and develop. Moreover, the Park will
actively promote and communicate its offer and image to
ensure the success of its mission.
Focus on:
The Oman
Science & Technology Park
What is the Oman STP’s Master Plan?
The master plan for the Park was drawn up by Sultan Qaboos
University (SQU) specialists and developed in four stages starting
with defining the Park’s operational parameters; the development
of strategic alternatives; the formulation of draft master plan and a
final master plan report.
The process of preparing the master plan involved systematic
consultation, report preparation and presentation, as well as an
examination of several documents and reports prepared for TRC.
Final design selection was made taking into consideration facility
type and specialization.
The facility to be developed and areas of specialization were
identified as:
• Energy
• Health
• Food & Biotechnology
• Water & Environment
As part of the master plan study, a phasing approach for the
implementation of the project has been recommended. The phasing
stages have been organized to enable the gradual implementation
of the Park taking into consideration the following:
• Ensure facilities are provided according to projected demand.
• Minimize logistic difficulties in the operation of phases by ensuring
each phase can function as an integrated entity.
• Reflect the likely availability of development funding.
What are the Oman STP’s development
phases?
The four phases in the development of the Park are:
Phase 1
Construction of site infrastructure, the Innovation Centre Building
and three large tenant lot developments.
Phase 2
Construction of Energy & Health Research Institutes, mosque, hotel
and one large tenant lot development.
Phase 3
Construction of Water and Environment and Biotechnology Research

15
institutes, the Park’s Administration and Client Services
Building, recreation centre, school and two large tenant lots
development.
Phase 4
Development of four large tenant lots.
What stage of development has the
Oman STP reached?
To date the following have been completed:
• Feasibility study;
• Comprehensive master plan study in collaboration with
SQU;
• Allocation of open space land with a total area of
280,000
m2
close to SQU;
• Completion of the levelling contract awarded to Al Awazi
International LLC;
• Infrastructure contract awarded to Al Adrak Trading LCC;
• Tender document for the construction of Phase 1 (main
building, social centre and workshops/labs) with detailed
engineering drawings sent to tender board for
announcement;
• Design and supervision contract awarded to National
Engineering Office;
• Marketing strategy completed by Euroconsultants;
• TRC appointed Director of Science & Technology Park
Department.
The Park’s business plan will be developed addressing:
• Operating model
• Project requirements and benchmarks
• Marketing campaign
• Branding

16
Innovation & Start-ups
Mohammed Al Rasbi
Founder & CEO
R&D
Mohammed Al Rasbi is 34 and the Founder and CEO of R&D.
In 2004, he was the first tenant to take up residency at the
Knowledge Mine, Oman’s first government-run business
incubator based at Knowledge Oasis Muscat.
Entrepreneur and innovator – what’s the
difference?
This is a good question. We do tend to hear ‘entrepreneur’ and
‘innovator’ used in the same sentence. And you often read
about entrepreneurs being innovators – I’m not convinced this
is right. What I do know is that if you stopped 10 people on
Knowledge Oasis Muscat and asked them what the difference
is between an ‘entrepreneur’ and an ‘innovator’ you’d probably
get 10 different answers.
According to the US National Commission on Entrepreneurship,
entrepreneurs are ‘men and women who lead small companies
that are based on an innovation and are designed to grow
quickly - at an annual rate of 15 to 20 per cent.’
Two things that pop out from this definition are: ‘fast growth’
and ‘innovation.’ For me, innovation is all about an idea or
invention and the commercialization of that idea or invention.
I guess another way of looking at this is that entrepreneurship
is a sub-set of innovation. Every start-up is an example of
innovation, but not every innovation leads to entrepreneurship.
Taking a practical example, is someone who opens a fast food
restaurant or a coffee shop in Muscat an entrepreneur? Well,
he’s an entrepreneur if he launches his business based on
either a new product concept and or new business model. If the
business is basically the same as the one round the corner then
no, he’s not - he’s not dealing with any innovation at all and
he’s a restaurant owner.
True, there’s an element of risk starting up whether you’re
breaking new ground or going the tried and trusted route but
the entrepreneur deals with a greater degree of uncertainty.
And uncertainty is a classic ingredient of the innovation
process. Most innovations have some level of technical,
market, resource and organizational (TMRO) uncertainty
associated with the process. If you compare the degree of
TMRO uncertainty between the entrepreneur and restaurant
owner, you’ll find that TMRO uncertainty is far higher for the
entrepreneur.
What and who is innovative?
Definitions again - an innovation can and often is created by
a large organization to disrupt an existing market space or
create an entirely new market. Recent examples of this would
be the iPhone, the iPod and the Flip Video recorder.
Innovation can happen in any organization, of any size.
Innovation also takes place in government and that’s
something that often surprises people. I’d say that The
Knowledge Mine incubator, The Research Council, The
Public Authority for Investment and Export Development
and The Origin Oman campaign are four good examples
of government innovation. We typically don’t think of
government as entrepreneurial or innovative, yet it can be
highly innovative especially when you think that innovation
isn’t just about products, it can be about services, business
models and customer experiences.
What’s your take on start-up success?
Globally, it’s estimated that nine out of 10 businesses fail in
the first five years. But when you pick up a newspaper or a
magazine you read: “Entrepreneurship is the greatest thing
since sliced bread. Join the train and hop on board.” We’ve got
to be careful with these types of messages. Success is never
guaranteed.
Everyone still sees going into business in the same way they
did 20 years ago, but the landscape has changed, and changed
radically. It’s extremely competitive out there. With today’s
mass communications, markets are 24/7 and everything is

17
Mohammed Al Rasbi
Founder & CEO
R&D
instant. The world has quite literally shrunk! There’s so much
more involved in being a start-up in terms of marketing, social
media, networking and staffing. I’m not saying there aren’t
opportunities - there certainly are - but they’re fewer and
more difficult to execute than ever before.
If we’re going to build a stronger, more vibrant and
commercially responsive SME sector we have to do something
to increase the number of start-up successes, reduce the
failures and help people get to the next level. In my view, this
is what the Knowledge Mine incubator experience gave me.
I had a prestigious address that meant something to people.
I was in a creative, pro-active, positive working environment
that promoted ‘out of the box thinking’. I was surrounded by
hi-tech blue chips, SMEs and other start-ups. There was a real
sense of purpose. Plus I had access to the incubator’s mentor
support program and KOM’s networking events. It’s these
ingredients that have helped my firm survive and prosper.
Look, we all have different definitions of success, don’t we?
But to help start-ups climb the ladder I’d like to see us have a
stronger nationwide small business infrastructure in place –
maybe a set of offices staffed by well-informed SME advisors
- ideally people who’ve been through the start-up experience
themselves - that were there to help anybody, whether they
were starting a business or in a business that was stuck in the
mud. Helping people figure out how to move forward, what
the realities are and how to stack the odds in their favour.
Where does money come into the start-
up debate?
You read all the time about starting businesses on a shoe-
string, that you can start-up with nothing. I’m not at all sure
that’s correct or that it’s the right message to be sending out.
In fact, I think the focus should really be on how much does
it take to operate the business for the first two to three years.
Because it takes most businesses that long to get up and
running, build a reputation and get their foot in the door. If
you don’t have your finances in order, you put yourself at a
disadvantage. You don’t start making money straightaway,
if at all in many cases, and you really need to think about
how much you’re going to need to support yourself and the
business for at least two years and what you’re going to do if
things don’t work out quite as you’d planned.
Even if you’re lucky enough to raise seed capital funding,
people have to understand, one, that it’s difficult and a lot of
businesses aren’t fundable by local banks, VCs or even angel
investors; two, it takes a really long time and three, if you do
find an investor, they won’t fund your lifestyle and they’re
not in it for fun. You still need money to live on. You’ve got to
crunch the numbers and understand how the business will be
made sustainable.
Is the start-up world
for everyone?
Being a business owner isn’t the
easiest route in life. You have
to be able to wear multiple hats
and endure enormous emotional
challenges and financial risk. It
may be that you aren’t cut out to
be an entrepreneur, or perhaps
now just isn’t the time for you.

Focus on Research
Dr. Baba El-Yakubu Jibril obtained a PhD in Chemical
Engineering from the University of Salford in the United
Kingdom in 2002. Since then, he has been engaged in
research and teaching in a variety of universities. His main
research interests are in the areas of preparation and testing
of adsorbents and catalysts. He is currently at Sultan Qaboos
University and researching In-situ Catalytic Upgrading of
Omani Heavy Crude Oil during Steam Injection.
What’s your average day like?
Usually, I get to the office by 8:00am. In the morning, I
prepare for classes or meetings – on student projects, with
research assistants or committees – or do some reading or
writing. Some days, I have office hours in the morning. After
lunch, I work in the lab till 4:00pm. I go back to the office after
Asr prayers to check mails and clear my desk for the day. I get
back home by 6:00pm.
What are the rewards of being a
researcher?
Acquiring knowledge is very important for personal
satisfaction as well as for general human development. When
you hypothesize something, test it in the lab and find it to be
correct, it gives you satisfaction. When the hypothesis turns
out to be wrong; you feel motivated to improve it and test
again. In the end, the reward comes when other researchers
agree with you that the ideas you hypothesize are important
and worth sharing with other researchers as a published
article.
Do you sense that you’re alive at a time
of important scientific change? If so, do
you feel a responsibility to make sure
that the change comes out well?
Attempting to understand the human race and its environment
is a continuous process. Recent research in subatomic
particles, nanotechnology and sustainable energy will bring
important changes in the world. Each one of us may contribute
in some ways towards achieving the change. I feel partly
responsible for motivating my students and interacting with
other researchers towards making that change a reality.
How has your research benefited from
your TRC funding?
My main research interest is in catalysis – attempting
to improve understanding of chemical reaction and to
develop new materials that speed up the reactions. It is a
multidisciplinary area that requires expensive equipment.
The TRC grant enables us to order research equipment and
chemicals and hire experienced assistants. This serves as a
nucleus for establishing a Catalysis Research Laboratory at
Sultan Qaboos University.
What are the potential practical
applications of your research and its
results? What are the benefits for Oman
in particular?
There are great potential benefits of integrating Chemical
Engineering Sciences such as catalysis into the enhanced
oil recovery (EOR) area of Petroleum Engineering. My
research sponsored by TRC is in the application of catalysts
in EOR. The potential benefits of this approach have been
well demonstrated by others, but there are still no practical
applications. We hope to bridge that gap. For Oman, due to
the different nature of its heavy oil, we propose to conduct
detailed characterization of the oil and design catalysts that
will be useful for practical applications. For example, a recent
report has shown that in a batch reactor study using Fe3(CO)12
as a catalyst and methane as a source of hydrogen, viscosity of
a heavy oil was reduced from 500 to 1.3 Pa.s and sulphur was
reduced by 14%. Our target is to design a catalyst (or catalysts)
that will do better.
Today, everyone’s talking about climate
change and global warming. Where
do you see the next big scientific
challenge?
It is not easy to predict where the scientific community will
turn in the future. This is because whatever issue is considered
to be a ‘big scientific challenge’ will be determined not only by
18

Policy-makers are the main
audience that scientists must
convince that cutting-edge
research is important.
From my experience of other
countries, policy-makers
decide what the priorities of
a country are and whether or
not scientific research is part
of those priorities.
scientists, but also by politicians and policymakers. As far as
I can see, the next big issues will be in food production and
distribution, water resources and the control of the Internet.
Food can be produced in many places, but can it be equitably
distributed to areas of high demands? There is increasing
pressure on our scarce fresh water sources. How should the
demand-supply disparity be addressed? The Internet has been
designed to be free from political encumbrance. But as recent
political upheavals show, there must be checks and balances
to be able to achieve the long-term benefit of the Internet. In
all these areas, a new scientific paradigm is urgently needed.
Do you see any particular challenges for
research in Oman?
We must build capacity to make sure we have the people we
need to work in scientific research. This is the real challenge
right now - we must make sure we have the right people in
place at all levels from technical support staff to researchers.
How can we communicate the
importance of research to the general
public?
In my opinion, it’s not the general public we need to focus
on. The policy-makers are the main audience that scientists
must convince that cutting-edge research is important. From
my experience of other countries, policy-makers decide what
the priorities of a country are and whether or not scientific
research is part of those priorities.
Is there anything that we probably
won’t understand no matter how much
research we do?
No. The human mind can understand anything, but it needs
the necessary background and sometimes paradigm change.
The challenge is that there is an infinite number of things
that a human may want to understand. So, scientific research
is ever-evolving - with new questions and new perspectives.
For example, at one time science wondered what constituted
matter. When atoms were identified as the basic building
blocks of matter, one of the new questions was why different
atoms behaved differently. Then subatomic particles, their
interaction and role combination among atoms became a
fascinating scientific issue.
Today, with the availability of new tools and the evolving field
of nanosciences, scientists are trying to understand areas of
biology that were hitherto unexplored. So, the human mind
understands, but then asks a different set of questions.
19

Meet the Entrepreneurs
Salma and Aisha Al Hajri are Muscat-based chocolatiers.
The aunt and niece team specialize in premium handmade
chocolates that use local ingredients – from honey and
zatar to rose water and lemons – local produce drives
their business.
Where did the idea for a chocolate start-
up come from?
We had the idea of doing something together for quite some
time - we tried a couple options before but we never really
managed to take them forward.
This time though the timing just seemed right in terms of our
lives and our careers. We looked at the market and looked at
what we thought would work - and the chocolate idea seemed
the perfect fit. We’ve always liked chocolate and enjoyed
experimenting with it in the kitchen at home and we could see
a gap in the market for the kind of thing we wanted to do. The
opportunity to combine our passion for chocolate with our
idea to start up a business together seemed perfect.
Do you both work full-time in Salma’s
Chocolates?
No we don’t. Aisha works full-time at a bank and I’ve taken
a year’s leave of absence from my post at Sulatn Qaboos
University to focus on the business and really get it off the
ground. This is working well for us - the idea of giving up our
jobs wasn’t something either of us felt was a wise thing to do.
What were your first steps to getting the
business up and running?
We were lucky enough to be able to travel to Europe and took
courses in chocolate making - we wanted to learn the trade
- to know how it works - we didn’t want someone else to do
that for us. We wanted it to be our business in every sense.
We surveyed the market to see what our competition would
be and how we could be diferent - what we could do to stand
20
out. We also saw a trend for autheticity sweeping the world -
people are looking for special expereinces in the things they
buy - there seemed to be two strands to this people wanting
something unique and also people really appreciating local
produce - it means a lot in this world of mass manufacturing.
There’s a rise in small batch manufacturing in all kinds of
things from chocolate and chutney to T-shirts and jewellery -
people want something unique, something different.
The ‘Just-Food’ global market review of premium chocolate
says the 2011 global premium chocolate market grew from
US$6.95billion in 2007 to US$12.9billion in 2011. So it looks like
our instincts were in the right place.
So that’s the reason for the focus on
local ingredients?
Local produce is at the heart of our business - it makes us
unique - it makes us stand out from the other chocolate
companies. Our ingredients are locally sourced as far as
we possibly can and reflect our culture and traditions. Our
ingredients have real people behind them, they each have
a story and they’re part of the fabric of our business. For
example, our zatar is sourced from two elderly women - they
climb up the mountainside for two hours to harvest it. These
tracable local ingredients differentiate us in the market.
We’re passionate about all things local - not only are they
wonderful but we can guarantee the quality when things are
sourced from our doorstep. We can be sure of trading ethically
and by buying locally we support our community and help
other businesses along the way.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve
faced since you set up Salma’s
Chocolates?
Funnily enough it’s our success. Once we started to take off
and become popular we faced our biggest challenge - that
was one meeting the volume of orders we received. That’s in
terms of production and sourcing ingredients. But that’s not
necessarliy the worst kind of problem to have!

21
We’re very aware that we need
to be realistic about growth
rates and how quickly it is safe
to grow. We need to be realistic
about growth rates. We want
to focus on delivering on our
promise and our brand values.
Did you have a business plan? Have you
followed it? Have things turned out as
you expected?
Yes, we had a business plan. The demand for our product
soared in a short space of time so our predictions for growth
were underestimated and that brought multiple challenges
from packaging and production to just finding the time to
do the administration - the volume of paperwork a business
generates is incredible. It’s the kind of thing you don’t really
consider when you start out.
How do you see your business
developing?
We’ve established a brand and many people are now aware of
it and we have to maintain our brand value. The most
important thing for us is to deliver a premium product. So,
right now, we’re entering a period of consolidation.
We’re very aware that we need to be realistic about growth
rates and how quickly it is safe to grow. We’re not looking to
expand much more at this point - hopefully that will come
later. We want to focus on delivering on our promise and our
brand values.
Have either of you got a business
background?
Not per se. We’ve no formal business training but we did do
our research and reading - we’ve been very thorough.
Was there a particular moment you
would define as a turning point for your
business?
I think there have been two things that you could call turning
points. The first has to be the significant help and advice we’ve
received from the Minsitry of Commerce and Industry. It’s
made a world of difference for us.
This led to the second turning point which was Eid Al Fitr
this year when we had our promotion at the Sulatn Centre in
Qurum. It was a huge success. That’s definitely the point when
things really started to take off. We do have to thank Omran
for their supprt and assistance in the promotion. That was
invaluable.
Around the same time, we put a promo film made for us by
local film-makers Jamal and Anwar Al Asmi of Reality CG
on YouTube. In just about a week it had over 40,000 views
- that really got our name known! Social media has been a
tremendous tool for us especially as we don’t really have a
marketing budget.
Tel: +968 95 08 58 81
www: salmaschocolates.com
Al Athaiba

22
Young Researchers’ Corner
Here are some great tips
to get you started...
Do you want to be an inventor?
Generally speaking, inventions solve problems in everyday life.
So look around you. Use your skills of observation.
Being aware is the first step on the road to discovery!
Start taking a note pad
everywhere you go so you
can jot down your ideas
and observations on what
you see.
Think about the things that annoy
you, the things you’d like some
help with, things that might be
useful for your family or someone
you know.
Make a list in your note pad.
Draw your invention. Think about how it’s going
to look. Sketch the back and sides as well as the
front.
How will the different parts fit together? How
will all the parts work together? What about the
inside? Label your drawing. Make notes about
the different pieces.

23
Remember you don’t have to invent
something new. Can you improve on
something that already exists? Can you
add something to it?
Once you have
a list of ideas
choose one or
two to focus on.
Use your note pad again - make a list of
all the things you’ll need. Think about
where you can get them and, if you
have to buy them, how much they’ll
cost.
Make a list of people you’ll need to ask
for help and advice.
What tools and equipment will you
need? Can you borrow them?
Think about how your idea
will work. A good idea is one
thing but unless you know how
it’s going to work, it’s going
to stay as an idea - it won’t
become an invention.
Use old things for inspiration. Look
at old things and think what they
could become - how could they
be different? How could they be
better? What else could they do?
When you try to make your
invention get an adult to check
everything you want to use is
safe before you start.
Check if you’ll need an adult to
supervise while you’re making
your invention.
Remember:
simple ideas
are often
the best ideas.
Good Luck
and
Happy
Inventing!
To be a successful inventor
a good idea alone isn’t
enough - you’ll need to
make a model of your
invention.

www.trc.gov.om
towards an effective
national innovation system
PO Box 1422
Muscat 130
Sultanate of Oman
Tel: +968 24 50 98 00
Fax: +968 24 50 98 20
info@trc.gov.om
Contact Us

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