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Stellar, a newly established independent education solutions provider, marked its official launch with two private events in Riyadh and Jeddah. Emerging from Emkan Education’s Cambridge department, Stellar represents a new chapter in delivering innovative, reliable, and impactful education services to empower learners, educators, schools and institutions across the Kingdom.

The launch events celebrated Stellar’s mission of “Education Beyond Limits,” a vision deeply aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which emphasizes educational transformation and the development of a globally competitive workforce.

Prominent figures attended the events to lend their support to this milestone. In Riyadh, Dr. Ahmed Al-Aqeel of Downe House, Dr. Ibrahim Alfarhan, general manager of international education at Ataa Educational Company, and Dr. Asmaa Al-Qadi from Al-Tarbyah Al-Islamyah Schools, joined the celebration, commending Stellar’s efforts to bridge gaps in knowledge and create opportunities for success.

The Jeddah event welcomed Arwa Alkheriji of Al-Andalus Education Company, Wafa Ashmawi of Maarif, and Siham Ouri, education adviser at the US Consulate, who highlighted the value of global collaboration in fostering local educational advancements.

Stellar builds upon Emkan Education’s decade-long journey and values of empowering schools, educators, and learners. Now an independent entity, Stellar is poised to expand its reach as a partner who can provide comprehensive, tailored support across every aspect of education. A wide range of services will be offered that cater to the unique needs of schools, teachers, and students, with the support of expert partners who share the same values.

Central to Stellar’s success is its strong network of partnerships, including collaborations with renowned organizations such as Cambridge International, Aanaab, and Transform International.

During the events, Stellar recognized the contributions of its four ambassadors: Ann Philip from Reigate Grammar School Riyadh, Asma Al-Qunaisi from AlKuttab Company, Wafaa Ashmawi from Maarif Education Company, and Mohammed Eissa from AlKhandaq International School. Their heartfelt testimonials highlighted Stellar’s profound impact on their institutions and its role in driving educational excellence. Activities such as storytelling sessions and networking opportunities further enriched the celebrations, emphasizing the values of collaboration, leadership, and continuous improvement.

Khulood Eshaq, Stellar’s CEO, said during the launch: “Stellar is not just a provider; we are a trusted partner committed to education beyond limits. Our work aligns with the Human Capital Development Program, contributing to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by driving excellence and inspiring lifelong learning.”

The Stellar launch events concluded with an invitation for schools, educators, and stakeholders to join its mission of transforming education.

Ahead of the LEAP 2025 conference in Riyadh, Cisco announced findings from its latest AI Readiness Index, which reveals that 72 percent of organizations in the Kingdom have a strategy to deploy AI powered solutions in their organization. The report highlights that despite increasing urgency in deployment and investment, businesses in Saudi Arabia face challenges in adopting, deploying, and fully leveraging AI, amid the rapid market evolution and the significant impact AI is anticipated to have on business operations.

The index is based on a double-blind survey of 7,985 senior business leaders from organizations with 500 or more employees across 30 markets, including Saudi Arabia. These leaders are responsible for AI integration and deployment within their organizations. The AI Readiness Index is measured across six pillars: strategy, infrastructure, data, governance, talent, and culture.

Key findings include:

Acting with urgency

AI has become a cornerstone for business strategy, and there is an increasing urgency among companies to adopt and deploy AI technologies. In the Kingdom, nearly all (98 percent) report an increased urgency to deploy AI in the past year, primarily driven by the CEO and leadership team. Nearly all (86 percent) companies say they only have 18 months to start demonstrating the impact of AI. More than half (60 percent) give it only 12 months.

Rising investment

Over the past year, AI has been a priority spend for organizations in Saudi Arabia, with 50 percent allocating 10-30 percent of their IT budgets to AI projects. AI investments have focused on three strategic areas: IT infrastructure (51 percent), cybersecurity (40 percent), and data management (38 percent). The top three outcomes they aim to achieve include improving the efficiency of systems, processes, operations, and profitability; the ability to innovate and remain competitive; and creating a better experience for customers and partners. 

Infrastructure gaps

Networks are yet to be equipped to meet AI workloads. There are gaps in compute, data center network performance, and cybersecurity, among other areas. Only 31 percent of organizations have the necessary GPUs to meet current and future AI demands and nearly a third (34 percent) have the capabilities to protect data in AI models with end–to–end encryption, security audits, continuous monitoring, and instant threat response. In Saudi Arabia, 62 percent rated improving scalability, flexibility, and manageability of their IT infrastructure as their top priorities, showing they are aware of the gaps that need to be addressed.

Skills development

A lack of skilled talent is a top challenge for companies in Saudi Arabia, underscoring the critical need for skilled professionals to drive AI initiatives. Only 46 percent of Saudi organizations claim their talent is at a high state of readiness to fully leverage AI, and 39 percent say their organizations lack in-house talent necessary for successful AI deployment.

Salman Faqeeh, managing director, Cisco Saudi Arabia, said: “Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of embracing AI as a catalyst for digital transformation. The findings of Cisco’s recent AI Readiness Index highlight the significant strides organizations in the Kingdom are making, with clearly defined strategies and increasing investments in AI. At Cisco, we are committed to empowering organizations with cutting-edge technologies and expertise to realize the full potential of AI.”

He added: “Our participation at LEAP 2025 under the theme ‘Cisco Connects and Protects the AI Era,’ underscores our dedication to promoting innovation and collaboration in the country, in alignment with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.”

This year, Cisco’s participation at LEAP 2025 centers around connecting and protecting businesses in the AI era. Visitors will have the opportunity to engage with subject matter experts at Cisco’s booth and explore innovative solutions designed to transform data centers to power AI workloads, modernize workplaces for seamless collaboration, and enhance digital resilience with advanced security and observability.