Riyadh is rapidly positioning itself as a globally-competitive innovation hub, built on a foundation of bold economic transformation and strategic public-private alignment. With the backing of Vision 2030, the city is scaling a new generation of high-growth startups and inviting global companies to co-create in one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
Saudi Arabia’s large domestic market - $1.1 trillion GDP, 36+ million people, and the GCC’s biggest B2B purchasing base - makes it a unique testbed for startups. Demand spans sectors including Fintech, Cybersecurity, Energy, Logistics, Edtech, and Digital Health. Enterprise buyers across government, healthcare, and infrastructure are accelerating their technology adoption, creating powerful early customer pipelines for founders.
At the forefront of ecosystem development are this year’s Global Startup Ecosystem Support sponsors: the National Entrepreneurship Committee, championing entrepreneurship policy across the Kingdom, and the Saudi Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (SVCPEA), which convenes investors to fuel startup growth. Together, these institutions represent Saudi Arabia’s commitment to building a vibrant, founder-first economy.
The impact is clear: Riyadh has seen a sharp rise in both deal volume and startup density. Over $2.6 billion in VC funding has flowed into the market since 2018, driven by government-backed funds such as SVC, Jada, and the PIF.
As global corporates establish regional headquarters in Riyadh, and local success stories begin to scale globally, Saudi Arabia is no longer viewed as an emerging innovation player. It is defining what the next frontier of innovation leadership looks like – one that is state-enabled, capital-backed, and commercially grounded.
