Dr. Selwa Al-Hazzaa

Professor Selwa Al-Hazzaa is a pioneering Saudi physician, scientist, and technology entrepreneur recognized for her transformative contributions to ophthalmology, artificial intelligence, and women’s empowerment in Saudi Arabia. She founded SDM in 2019 after earning her MS in Medical Management and Artificial Intelligence from University of Southern California. SDM became the first company in the region to utilize advanced automated retinal image analysis for the early diagnosis of chronic diseases through AI-driven healthcare solutions. Under her leadership, the company has been incubated and accelerated by leading Saudi innovation entities including MCIT, KACST, The Garage, KAUST, Saudi FDA, NTDP, SNIH and RDIA. • Beyond her achievements in technology and medicine, Professor Al-Hazzaa has played a historic role in advancing women’s leadership in Saudi Arabia. She became the only female physician to serve as attending ophthalmologist to the late King Fahad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. In 2013, through a Royal Decree, she was appointed as one of the first female members of Al-Shura parliamentary Council, marking a historic milestone in the inclusion and empowerment of women within Saudi Arabia’s formal advisory body. • Her international influence includes serving as an Executive Member of the International Council of Ophthalmology in 2002-2008, and as Senior Advisor to the Saudi Minister of Health in 2009 and to the President of KACST in 2023. Academically, she holds 3 fellowships from USA, UK, KSA, distinguished appointments at King Abdulaziz University and Alfaisal University, and previously served as Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Southern California. • Professor Al-Hazzaa has received numerous prestigious honors throughout her career. Forbes named her among “The Most Powerful Arab Women” in 2005. In 2024, she received the “Most Influential Woman” award at Amazon Women in Tech for her groundbreaking integration of artificial intelligence and healthcare in the Middle East. Most recently, she won the Gold Medal with Distinction and Congratulations of the Jury, the highest honor awarded at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2026, in addition to a special award from Taiwan recognizing the scientific and applied value of her innovation for early diagnosis of chronic diseases. Her pioneering work has led to a Saudi breakthrough redefining the future of AI-powered diagnosis and becoming one of the first AI-powered diagnostic solutions to receive Saudi FDA licensing for clinical use. • She has made significant impacts in the technology sector through groundbreaking innovation and has introduced revolutionary ideas, products, and services that challenge the status quo and drove positive change in the industry. She has demonstrated exceptional creativity, risk-taking, and leadership in pushing boundaries and reshaping the technological landscape. Prof. Al-Hazzaa continues to advance the fields of medicine and Al, advancing equitable access to healthcare contributing to innovative health solutions and academic excellence.