Information and Knowledge Management using ArcGIS ModelBuilder

Ghassan Kbar
2. Partnership and VC project funding in KSA
In order to identify the problems facing the technological entrepreneurship projects at KSA, a survey
has been conducted through contacting companies' managers in Saudi Arabia as shown in Figure 1.
According to this survey, the most critical obstacles facing the VC project funding are related to lack of
skills (61%), education programs (54%), research capability (51%), and management (37%), which all
contributes to lowering the trust among investors and funders. There are other obstacles associated
with funding constraints that are caused by the lack of knowledge and good incentive program to
attract partners through a fair partnership models. There are some other obstacles associated with
acquiring knowledge, existing regulations and confusing procedures and company processes. These
results give an indication to the main obstacles facing the development countries, where skills,
experiences and knowledge are the main factors in slowing down the creation of knowledge based
economy compared to the existence of funding. This will reduce the trust among VC organizations to
involve in the partnership and to support the development of technological projects.
Figure 1: Obstacles and difficulties facing technological entrepreneurship projects at KSA
3. Fair partnership models
Two categories of partnership models and fair methods for sharing the benefit of IP and the Return of
Investment ROI are described in this section. These categories are based on development and
investment. In both partnership models, the following methodology describes how to reach a effective
fair partnership. First, the involved parties have to be determined. Then, their direct and indirect
contributions to the shared project would be identified, and finally the formulas that calculate the value
of the project at a particular time and how profit or loss can be distributed fairly among partners need
to be done. The partnership development model includes the following parties, the owner of the idea,
the funding partner, and the operational partner. Up on completion of the development, these 3
parties would share the value of IP that is based on the stage of innovation and partner’s
contributions. Where there are 4 innovation stages which include novel idea, proof of concept,
prototype, and advance prototype. The following presents the percentage contribution of each party,
and the calculation of the development partnership model that is based on the bellow assumptions:
D = Total expense of development (for the period of the projects)
P = Partnership development contribution = D/X, where 1/X is the percentage of contribution
K = Science Park development contribution = D(1 – 1/X)
V = Value of IP
Idea Owner share = O
R = Residue of share = V – O
Partner share of V = [(1/X)*100]% of R = y of R
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