Dr. Khulood Almani

Dr. Khulood Almani is a global AI tech leader. She is the Founder and CEO of HKB Tech. Under her leadership, HKB Tech is delivering pioneering projects across a spectrum of emerging technologies. These areas include Generative AI, RAG tech, Conversational IoT, Deep Tech, Omniverse and Digital Twins, and more expansive sectors like Metaverse, AR/VR, and Blockchain. Her company also delves into critical innovations within BioTech/HealthTech, CleanTech/ClimateTech, and sustainability initiatives aimed at achieving Net Zero goals.

Beyond her corporate achievements, Dr. Almani is a respected professor and expert in digital transformation, AI systems, entrepreneurship, innovation, and startups, bringing over 15 years of experience to her roles. Her academic and professional work has made her a prominent Saudi figure and a globally recognised leader in AI and technology.

Dr. Almani is an Ambassador for Peace with the United Nations and holds the distinction of being the first Saudi appointed as the Senator of the G20-World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF), representing Saudi Arabia. She is also a board member of the World Smart Cities Economic Development Commission and the Global Science, Technology & Innovation Committee operating under the G20-WBAF auspices.

Dr. Khulood is also the Country Chair of the G100-Women Economic Forum (WEF), where she advocates for Female CEOs and leadership in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, she is a board member of the Global Women Tech Leaders (GWTL), reflecting her commitment to empowering women in technology sectors globally.

Dr. Almani founded VTA, a UK-based virtual tech accelerator that connects innovators with resources, funding, and partnerships. Moreover, she is an investor with Forward Angel Investment, collaborating with investors from Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries to provide financial and strategic support to digital entrepreneurs and startups around the world. 

Almani is a professor and expert in digital transformations in AI systems, entrepreneurship, innovation and start-ups, and a founding member of the Saudi Association for Engineering Innovation and Research at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.

Born in the US, she completed her early education in California and part of her middle schooling in Virginia.

Almani obtained a Ph.D. in computer science from Loughborough University in the UK. In 2018, in cooperation with the university’s research center, she created a Virtual Tech Accelerator digital platform for SMEs.

She is a founding member and investor in Forward Angel Investment along with a group of partners from Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf. The venture provides financial support, training and partnerships to digital entrepreneurs and startups worldwide.

She also worked for several years as a professor at King Saud University and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh.

Almani’s company, HKB Tech, has reportedly partnered with a foreign company that has pedigree in implementing AI projects, smart cities, virtual reality, augmented reality, and metaverse technology.

Dr. Khulood Almani recently became the first Saudi to be appointed as a senator of the World Business Angels Investment Forum, an affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion.

Dr. Khulood Almani's vision is centered around harnessing the transformative power of emerging technologies to drive global innovation and sustainable development. She is deeply committed to fostering a future where technology not only accelerates economic growth but also addresses critical societal challenges such as healthcare, climate change, and energy sustainability. Through her leadership roles, Dr. Almani aims to cultivate a diverse and inclusive tech ecosystem that empowers entrepreneurs, particularly women, and encourages cross-border collaboration to innovate solutions that have a profound and positive impact on communities worldwide. Her vision extends to creating a digital economy that is accessible to all, promoting peace, and ensuring prosperity through strategic partnerships and a relentless pursuit of technological advancement.