Dr. Ryan Lefers is co-founder and CEO of Saudi-based Red Sea Farms, a company focused on delivering sustainable agriculture systems by using two of the world’s most abundant natural resources: salt water and sunlight. Ryan is a part-time Professor of Controlled Environment Agriculture at Texas A&M University in the United States and a research scientist with the Water Desalination and Reuse Center at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

Ryan was born into a farming family in South Dakota, United States. As a child, his curiosity and fascination with water and agriculture led him outdoors and into the Dakota summers, where he would spend his days playing in the dirt and fields. Ryan went on to pursue a BS and MS in Agriculture Engineering, and later a PhD in Environmental Engineering. As a licensed professional engineer, Ryan has consulted on numerous engineering projects. As a researcher, Ryan has focused his efforts on systems that serve to advance water and food security, primarily in the area of controlled environment agriculture.

Red Sea Farms is an exciting technology spinout success story of KAUST and has won several awards and competitions since its founding. Come meet Ryan and learn more about his journey in founding one of the region’s most promising innovation companies.