Virgin Hyperloop One and Saudi Arabia sign MoU for Transport Technology

Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Urban Transport News): The California-based hyperloop company, Virgin Hyperloop One (VHO) on October 31, 2019, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kingdom’s renowned King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) for development of transport and technology in Saudi Arabia.

After signing the MoU both Virgin Hyperloop One (VHO) and KAUST have committed to working together on fostering the exchange of scientific and technological knowledge to further support the development of Saudi Arabia's technology and transportation sector. The MoU was signed at the VHO pavilion in Riyadh between Jay Walder, Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Hyperloop One and Dr. Tony Chan, President at KAUST. Excited about the new partnership, Sultan bin Sulayem, Chairman of Virgin Hyperloop One, said:

Saudi Arabia’s vision and willingness to embrace new technology is unrivalled. Having the opportunity to partner with one of the country’s most prestigious research universities such as KAUST is a significant collaboration for us. Together we hope to spur the development of the regional technology and transportation infrastructure for a connected Gulf.

In 2017, Virgin Hyperloop One had started its journey through technology collaboration with Saudi Arabia's MiSK Foundation, through which the company welcomed a select group of Saudi students to its Los Angeles Innovation Campus. The purpose of the collaboration was to further the knowledge exchange between Virgin Hyperloop One and young, aspiring Saudi students. Representing KAUST at the signing, Dr. Tony Chan, President at KAUST, said:

Partnering with one of the most innovative technology companies in the world presents us with great opportunities. Having visited the first VHO test site in Las Vegas myself, I believe the hyperloop technology is hugely impressive and will truly transform the way passengers and goods are being moved in the 21st century. I have a high expectations that this partnership will be mutually beneficial, given KAUST’s talent pool of top faculty, students and research scientists, as well as our world-class research facilities, and the wealth of knowledge possessed by the 200+ strong engineering team at VHO. Fully aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, we see this as a unique opportunity to support our leadership’s vision.

Recently Virgin Hyperloop One and King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) have published their findings on the feasibility of creating a VHO Centre of Excellence, which includes the world’s first full-speed testing track and manufacturing facility from which Hyperloop parts would be exported to other markets. Commenting on the Centre, Jay Walder, said:

With Virgin Hyperloop One’s technology, we are transforming inspiration into practical innovation. We have developed patented technology and are building a strong network of public and private partners committed to making hyperloop the catalyst of a transportation revolution in years to come.