On the edge of Riyadh, rows of lettuce grow under LED lights in a cooled greenhouse, their roots dangling in a flow of nutrient-rich water. Outside, the desert bakes at 45°C. Inside, a Saudi startup is proving that farming can be reinvented for one of the harshest climates on earth.
Across the Middle East, founders are trying to answer the same question: how do you feed millions of people when fertile land and water are running out?
From scarcity to opportunity
The region imports more than 80% of its food. Supply shocks during COVID-19 and the Ukraine war exposed how vulnerable that dependence can be. For governments chasing Vision 2030 and similar national strategies, AgriTech has shifted from a nice-to-have to a matter of survival.
“Food security is no longer an abstract policy goal — it touches every family’s table,” said an official at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA).
Saudi-based Arable is one of the new faces of desert farming. Its hydroponic kits can be set up in weeks instead of months, cutting water use by up to 90%. “We want to prove that fresh food can be grown locally, not flown in,” the founders told TechScoop after closing a $2.55 million seed round.
Others are trying different angles: liquid clay sprayed into sand to help it retain water, AI sensors that predict crop disease before it spreads, or vertical farms in cities like Dubai that bring harvests within walking distance of consumers.
Sunbolah: the Kingdom’s AgriTech nursery
Behind these founders stands a program quietly shaping the sector: Sunbolah (Sanabelah). Run by MEWA , it is part accelerator, part incubator — and part lifeline for startups tackling one of the hardest problems in the region.
Over a 17-week journey, Sunbolah offers mentoring, access to labs, investor introductions, and, crucially, regulatory guidance. The program has two tracks: one for early-stage entrepreneurs with just an idea, and another for seed-stage companies preparing to scale. Selected startups in the foodtech incubator track can also receive grants of up to SAR 150,000.
In its most recent cohort, more than 130 companies applied; 13 were chosen, hailing from eight countries. Collectively they have secured more than $26 million in funding since joining. Sessions take place not only in Riyadh but also in Paris, giving founders exposure to international markets.
“Sunbolah is where global expertise meets local urgency,” said one program mentor. “We tell startups: don’t copy solutions from Europe. Engineer for 45-degree heat, scarce water, and desert winds.”
Some alumni are already piloting their technologies in Saudi farms. Hydroponics startups are supplying produce to supermarkets, food waste platforms are working with local municipalities, and biotech teams are preparing for regulatory approvals.
By lowering barriers — especially licensing and policy support — Sunbolah has become a bridge between ideas and the market. But the challenges are real: high energy costs for cooling, pressure to prove profitability, and the task of convincing consumers to embrace food grown in novel ways.
A bet on “green gold”
Despite hurdles, the momentum is unmistakable. Sovereign wealth funds and family offices are beginning to eye AgriTech. For investors, the logic is clear: solving food security in the desert isn’t just a social good, it’s a trillion-dollar market.
“If even a handful of these startups scale, they’ll rewrite the economics of food here,” said a Riyadh-based investor. “That’s why programs like Sunbolah matter. They give founders the confidence to take on impossible problems.”
For now, the lettuces in that Riyadh greenhouse are more than salad greens. They’re a symbol of what the region calls its next treasure: not black gold, but green gold.
How Hydroponics, AI and Sunbolah Are Reshaping Agriculture in the Saudi Desert