The IdeaBank platform
A workspace for challenges, opportunities, evaluation and projects, connecting decisions with their supporting reports.
Research expertise. A connected platform. Managed delivery.
R&D and Innovation as a Service
A product to develop. An operational problem to solve. A technology ready to find its market. HOTS brings research expertise, a connected platform and managed delivery into one service, turning a broad question into a clearly defined project.
We are a Saudi company connecting businesses, manufacturers and government organisations with relevant experts, labs and technologies. We start with what you want to achieve, then shape the route together.
Knowledge is everywhere. What matters is what works for you.
A promising idea is only the start. A sound decision needs relevant expertise, a test that answers the right question and a clear view of implementation.
- 01
Quality demonstrated through testing.
We agree acceptance criteria and assess the evidence against them.
- 02
Spending matched to the need.
Expertise and work are commissioned for the agreed scope.
- 03
Progress you can follow.
Research, selection and delivery have clear stages and responsibilities.
From the outset, we agree what to measure: technical results, cost and time to a decision.
A platform to organise. A team to coordinate. Experts to deliver.
Choose the services your project needs, brought together within a clear scope.
Managed innovation
Team and partner coordination, delivery planning and reviews at each stage.
Specialist R&D
Applied research, laboratory testing and prototypes to assess whether a solution is fit for use.
You may need a workspace for your team, project management or a specific technical discipline. We define the required work together before delivery starts.
What's included?
- Platform: Workspace configuration and agreed functions for challenges, evaluation and tracking.
- Managed delivery: A work plan, expert and partner coordination, and stage and decision reviews.
- Specialist work: Defined research, testing or prototyping assignments with specified technical outputs.
The proposal specifies platform access, specialist work and any required licences. It also defines responsibilities, information-security requirements, confidentiality, rights and commercial terms.
Your expertise is the starting point. The opportunity goes further.
Our approach is open innovation: connecting your team's knowledge with external expertise and technologies, while exploring new markets and uses for your own innovations.
Bring relevant technology in.
Find a solution to test, adapt and license for your needs.
Develop together.
Combine operational insight with specialist research.
Find a route to market.
Explore applications, partners and licensing opportunities for your innovation.
Every opportunity starts with its intended use, readiness and rights, followed by clear roles for the collaboration.
Expertise network
We look for research centres, labs, researchers, specialist firms, technologies, solutions and IP relevant to the challenge. Suitability, available capacity and use rights are checked before work is commissioned.
Start where your project is today.
Each stage has a question to answer, work to complete and an outcome to review together. Select a stage to explore it.
Governance applies at every stage: clear authority, budget and decision approvals, review of rights, confidentiality and risks, and records of work and evidence. Measurement is defined from the outset; results are consolidated and reviewed in stage six.
Shape the idea
Define the need and qualify the opportunity.
- The question
- What is the actual need?
- The work
- Understand the user or operation, requirements and assumptions.
- Output
- An opportunity brief and initial evaluation criteria.
Governance applies at every stage: clear authority, budget and decision approvals, review of rights, confidentiality and risks, and records of work and evidence. Measurement is defined from the outset; results are consolidated and reviewed in stage six.
- 01 · Shape the idea — What is the actual need? Understand the user or operation, requirements and assumptions. Output: An opportunity brief and initial evaluation criteria.
- 02 · Research and test — Can the solution work? Select relevant expertise, facilities and tests; develop a prototype when needed. Output: Technical evidence for a continuation decision.
- 03 · Intellectual property — What rights are needed? Review ownership, existing rights and use conditions with specialists. Output: A route for protection, licensing or a development agreement.
- 04 · Industry and production — What does production require? Review processes, materials and required capabilities with specialists. Output: A readiness assessment and a plan for the remaining work.
- 05 · Reach the market — How will the solution reach use? Evaluate sale, licensing and internal adoption against the need, rights and feasibility. Output: A commercial or industrial route with agreed next steps.
- 06 · Measure the impact — What has been achieved? Compare results with the agreed baseline and acceptance criteria. Output: A report on realised value, lessons and the next decision.
- Governance applies at every stage: clear authority, budget and decision approvals, review of rights, confidentiality and risks, and records of work and evidence. Measurement is defined from the outset; results are consolidated and reviewed in stage six.
Your organisation sets priorities and budget and approves scope and acceptance. HOTS manages the programme, coordination and delivery reviews. Specialists perform the commissioned technical work. Confidentiality, permissions and decision records apply throughout.
Explore an industrial example
Illustrative example: A manufactured component has a recurring defect. The team describes it, gathers baseline data and sets acceptance criteria. A relevant specialist is selected for a focused test. Technical results and implementation cost are reviewed before the next step is approved. Project data and testing establish the actual outcome.
See your project more clearly.
In IdeaBank, the challenge comes first: what are we trying to solve? Options, evaluation criteria, responsibilities and delivery updates connect back to that question.
The workspace helps your team understand the project's progress, the evidence to review and the next decision. In your demonstration, we explore the functions, permissions and integrations relevant to your workflow.
Compare solutions & plans
How will you resource your next challenge?
Compare both approaches against the same scope and required technical outcome.
In-house R&D
Build and operate internal capabilities
R&D with HOTS
Services and expertise scoped to the work
R&D with HOTS
- SpendingServices and expertise scoped to the work
- People and facilitiesCoordinate relevant specialists and labs
- Starting pointAn idea, research or technology to develop
- Route to a solutionWe coordinate research, selection and testing with you
- Oversight and decisionsA platform, coordination and agreed reviews
- Rights and controlAgreed roles, rights and permitted uses
Compare in detail
In-house capability suits sustained research that benefits from dedicated teams and long-term use of assets. HOTS provides a service scoped around a project's needs, disciplines and stages. Compare relevant labour, facilities, coordination and licensing costs, alongside time to a technically accepted result. A project may begin with existing knowledge or technology that needs further development; the work is defined after its readiness is assessed. Agreements establish each party's rights and permitted use of the results.
- Spending
- In-house R&D: Build and operate internal capabilities
- R&D with HOTS: Services and expertise scoped to the work
- People and facilities
- In-house R&D: Manage your teams, labs and partners
- R&D with HOTS: Coordinate relevant specialists and labs
- Starting point
- In-house R&D: Your existing knowledge and assets
- R&D with HOTS: An idea, research or technology to develop
- Route to a solution
- In-house R&D: Your teams lead research and development
- R&D with HOTS: We coordinate research, selection and testing with you
- Oversight and decisions
- In-house R&D: Your internal processes and tools
- R&D with HOTS: A platform, coordination and agreed reviews
- Rights and control
- In-house R&D: Your policies and agreements
- R&D with HOTS: Agreed roles, rights and permitted uses
AI organises the information. Expertise guides the decision.
The AI Innovation Agent is designed to help your team structure a challenge, suggest relevant expertise and solutions, compare options, identify missing information and summarise progress.
Consider a simple request: “We need to address a recurring production defect.” The work begins with a structured brief, followed by options to investigate and a clear next step. Specialists review the evidence; your organisation approves the key decisions.
- Your teamRequest“Address a recurring production defect”
- AgentStructured briefProblem, available data and gaps
- AgentOptions to investigateRelevant expertise and tests to compare
- SpecialistsReviewEvidence and next step assessed
- Your organisationApprovalDecision by authorised people
Explore the agent's role
The agent supports four tasks: structuring inputs, suggesting relevant options, summarising comparisons and evidence gaps, and preparing progress summaries for review. Functions and data sources are defined within the service scope. Authorised people approve testing, spending, rights, contracting and transitions into delivery. The demonstration shows what is available and how it applies to your project.
Local understanding. Relationships for collaboration.
HOTS connects the needs of organisations and businesses with research and technology expertise in Saudi Arabia and internationally.
Across sectors, organisations have been served through the wider HOTS service portfolio.
Explore our relationships and work
KAUST · King Saud University · Monsha'at · Ministry of Education · Petro Rabigh · MEPCO · AECOM · NEOM · Abdul Latif Jameel · Toyota · Hilton · SPL
The company profile shows a HOTS IdeaBank introduction on Tawakkalna, presenting its research and innovation services.
Which challenge should we start with?
Start with one priority. In our first conversation, we understand the need, demonstrate the platform and identify what merits further investigation. Together, we then define the scope, team, budget and required outcomes.
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