The Middle East claimed Steve Jobs as one of their own, after all, who wouldn't want to claim one of the world's most well-known technology innovators? With his birth father's Syrian origins, the claim was technically legitimate, although Jobs never met him or lived in the region.

Outside of Jobs, there are numerous other tech innovators who hail from the MENA region. We decided to make a list of seven that we find particularly inspiring.

1) Tony Fadell, Nest Labs. Lebanon/America.

Born in America to Lebanese parents, Fadell was on the Apple team  that created the iPod and iPhone, earning him the catchy nickname, "Mr. iPod." Since leaving Apple, the Lebanese-American went on to found Nest Labs, a smart home tech company that was recently acquired by Google for $3.2 billion. And while that might have other entrepreneurs resting on their laurels, Fadell is indefatigable. His goal? Sleek, efficient home products like a thermostat that can be controlled by the iPhone.

2. Firouz Naderi, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Iran/America.

Naderi was born in Shiraz, Iran and moved to the United States to attend university. He received his MS and PhD from the University of Southern California and joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1979. Currently he serves as the director for solar system exploration at JPL, overseeing robotic solar system missions in the planning, development and operational phases. In 2000 he became the head of JPL's Mars Exploration Program, which he lead successfully for five years overseeing the successful landing of the rovers Spirit and Opportunity on Mars. He has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to science and technology.

3. AbdulRahman Tarabzouni, Google-MENA. Saudi Arabia.

By age 25, Tarabzouni had already worked with Microsoft, Oracle, Blueprint, Morgan Stanley, Atos Origin and Saudi Aramco. In 2012, he was included in MIT Technology Review's list of 35 innovators under 35 for co-founding Syphir, which created the algorithm MailRank, which auto-sorts email, keeping unwanted mail from clogging inboxes. Syphir also won the 2009 MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Business Plan Competition. He now works for Google as the Head of Android BD & Partnerships in MENA.

4. Hind Hobeika, Instabeat. Lebanon.

An avid swimmer, Hobeika noted the absence of a heart rate monitor designed specifically for swimmers. As a contestant on the Qatar-based reality show Stars of Science, Hobeika made sure this problem was addressed by creating Butterfleye, a technology that allows swimmers to see real-time data in their goggles while they swim. As the winner of the 2012 MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Business Plan Competition, she was able to launch her start-up, now called Instabeat . Her product was also tested by 15 Olympic swimmers during the 2012 London Oylmpic games.

5. Gholam Peyman, LASIK. Iran/America.

Also hailing from Shiraz, Iran, Peyman moved to Germany at age 19 to study medicine. He completed his MD and medical internship in Germany and went on to move to California in the early 1970s. He holds 149 patents for a wide range of novel medical devices. However, his most widely known invention is LASIK eye surgery. He has received the United States' highest honor for technological advancement, the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, delivered to him by President Barack Obama in 2012.

6. Sami Khoreibi, Environmena. Palestine.

As the CEO and one of the founding partners of Environmena Power Systems, Khoreibi is an entrepreneur focusing on carbon-neutral, clean, alternative energy projects within the MENA region. His company was incorporated in 2007 in Abu Dhabi and since then, he has overseen its growth to become the largest solar developer in MENA. Khoreibi has received numerous international and regional awards for his innovative work including recognition as a Young Global Leader at the 2012 World Economic Forum.

7. Rachid Yazami, Lithium Ion Battery. Morocco/France.

Originally from Fes, Morocco, Yazami is noted for his research on fluoride ion batteries and also on lithium ion batteries, having invented the graphite anode, which is the negative pole of lithium ion batteries. Yazami has received numerous awards for his work and research including awards from NASA and NATO. He also founded CFX Battery, Inc, which later became Contour Energy Systems, Inc and also is the founder of KVI PTE LTD. He and three others were awarded the 2012 Draper Prize by The National Academy of Engineering for their work in developing the modern lithium ion battery.

StepFeeders – any other Arab tech innovators we are missing? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.