Building Oman’s First Data Community: A Look Inside the Data Bite Movement
There’s a quiet revolution brewing in Oman — one that’s happening not in oil fields or government halls, but in tech labs, classrooms, and late-night meetups. It’s a movement fueled by passion for data, AI, and community. And at the center of it is Rihal’s Data Bite.
On the surface, Data Bite might look like another industry meetup. But take a closer look, and you’ll see something far more ambitious: the foundation of Oman’s first true data community.
Why Data Bite?
Let’s be honest — Oman’s tech talent has long deserved more. More spaces to connect. More exposure. More opportunities to collaborate, grow, and lead.
There was no dedicated data community in Oman — so we decided to build one.
Data Bite was born from a simple but powerful belief: if we want to lead the future of data and AI in this region, we need to start by bringing people together. Across companies, across roles, across career stages. No competition, no gatekeeping — just shared growth.
What Happened at Our First Event?
Our first Data Bite night was a full house — over 70 data professionals filled the room to listen, share, and connect.
Some of the highlights:
- 62% of attendees were hands-on data professionals: engineers, analysts, backend specialists, and GenAI developers.
- 17% were in leadership — directors, heads of data, and even CEOs shaping data strategy at the highest level.
- 15% were students, future innovators who are already showing signs of the game-changing ideas they’ll bring into Oman’s data space.
- One attendee came all the way from Sohar, traveling over 200 km just to be part of the experience.
- And yes, we even had a “Space Executive” in the room.
Most importantly, the night gave a platform to some of the brightest minds in Oman’s AI scene, including Saud Al Zakwani and Firas Al Wadhahi, who shared insights not just about tools and trends, but about what it means to build responsibly and ambitiously in the world of AI.
It’s Not a One-Off — It’s a Movement
We’re not stopping at one event. Data Bite is an ongoing initiative. We’re committed to making it a regular space where Oman’s data talent can gather, learn, and grow — together.
Our long-term vision goes beyond networking. We want to foster:
- Peer-to-peer knowledge sharing
- Cross-sector data collaboration
- Opportunities for mentorship
- Exposure for young talent
- A unified voice for Omani data professionals
How You Can Be Part of It
If you’re a data professional, leader, student, or just someone curious about AI, we invite you to join us. Data Bite is open, inclusive, and community-driven. Whether you’re based in Muscat or miles away, your voice is needed in building the future of data in Oman.
This isn’t just about events. It’s about a mindset shift — about proving that Oman can be more than just a consumer of global tech trends. We can be creators, leaders, and innovators.
The data community we want doesn’t exist — yet. But thanks to Data Bite, it’s starting to.