Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia tech ecosystem and Vision 2030

Region123 articles

123 articles

Sort by:

Saudi Aramco's LAB7 is looking for the next big idea in chips and AI

AB7, its innovation arm based in Dhahran, Aramco has teamed up with the World Economic Forum to run a global startup challenge focused on semiconductors and industrial AI, two areas sitting right at the center of the biggest technology race of our time.

MoFeb 202 min read

FintechFintech

Airwallex launches POS to take on Stripe and Square globally

Airwallex, the Australian fintech that spent a decade building global payments infrastructure, is moving into in-person commerce. The company is launching a point-of-sale product it says rivals like Stripe and Square cannot yet match across borders.

James Whitemore1h ago2 min read

Airwallex launches POS to take on Stripe and Square globally

Retail TechDigital Transformation

RedCloud's $30M Saudi deal targets a $9.4 billion supply chain problem

RedCloud Technology has signed a $30 million deal in Saudi Arabia to address a $9.4 billion supply chain gap, bringing its open commerce platform to one of the Gulf's fastest-digitalizing economies. The move signals a major push to connect manufacturers, distributors, and independent retailers through technology built for the real complexity of emerging markets.

Emily Carter2d ago2 min read

RedCloud's $30M Saudi deal targets a $9.4 billion supply chain problem

AI & MLEgypt & North Africa

Anthropic temporarily banned OpenClaw's creator and every Claude developer should take note

Anthropic's temporary ban of OpenClaw's creator is a small story with large implications, and the developers building AI-powered tools across MENA on third-party model APIs should read it carefully, because the structural risk it reveals does not get smaller as the ecosystem grows.

Mira Sen3d ago2 min read

Anthropic temporarily banned OpenClaw's creator and every Claude developer should take note

Funding & VCVenture Capital

Why CVCs are different and how to get them to write you a check

Corporate venture capital can open doors that no financial investor can match, but only if you understand what corporate investors are actually buying. Unlike traditional VCs, firms like Aramco Ventures, STC Ventures, and e& Capital are not writing checks for returns alone — they are investing in strategic relevance, and founders who pitch without understanding that distinction rarely make it past the first meeting.

Irfan5d ago2 min read

Why CVCs are different and how to get them to write you a check

PropTech & Real EstateGovernment & Policy

Saudi Arabia launches regulatory sandbox for municipal and housing innovation

Saudi Arabia's Real Estate General Authority has approved a regulatory sandbox framework designed to give technology companies and innovators a controlled, flexible environment to test and develop digital solutions for the real estate and housing sector. Backed by the directives of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and chaired by the Minister of Municipalities and Housing, the initiative reflects the Kingdom's growing commitment to driving meaningful, technology-led transformation in one of its most vital sectors, all in alignment with the broader goals of Vision 2030.

Irfan6d ago2 min read

Saudi Arabia launches regulatory sandbox for municipal and housing innovation

Funding & VCStartup Ecosystem

What MENA investors actually want — the unwritten rules nobody puts in their thesis

We sat with five investors across Karachi, Dubai, and Riyadh and asked them to be honest. What came back wasn't the standard pitch advice. It was the stuff they talk about after you leave the room.

James WhitemoreApr 92 min read

What MENA investors actually want — the unwritten rules nobody puts in their thesis

Investor IntelligenceGulf Region

The math of ownership: what founders actually keep after raising money

Most founders know dilution is coming. Few understand how fast it compounds. By the time you reach Series B, the cap table you started with looks nothing like the one you have now — and the difference is not just the rounds you raised.

IrfanApr 82 min read

The math of ownership: what founders actually keep after raising money

NewsDigital Transformation

Maison Safqa raises $620K pre-seed to bring luxury overstock discreetly to GCC shoppers

Luxury brands have a dirty secret. When beautiful handbags and sneakers don't sell, they either sit in warehouses collecting dust or get burned. Literally burned. Burberry once destroyed £30 million worth of products just to protect its image. Three women in Riyadh—Lea Mehaweg, Georgia Mehaweg, and Estelle Nasr—think that's insane. Their startup, Maison Safqa, just raised $620,000 to build a private platform where luxury brands can quietly sell overstock at discounts. No fire. No cheap discount racks. Just smart, discreet selling. In less than a year, they've signed 50 brands and grown sales 20x. Luxury doesn't have to mean waste. They're proving it.

IrfanApr 72 min read

Maison Safqa raises $620K pre-seed to bring luxury overstock discreetly to GCC shoppers

Funding & VCVenture Capital

The complete fundraising timeline 12 weeks from first meeting to investment

Successful MENA startups typically close funding rounds within 12 weeks of initial investor contact, though Saudi deals extend to 16 weeks due to regulatory requirements. This comprehensive timeline breaks down each phase from first meetings through deal closing.

IrfanApr 62 min read

The complete fundraising timeline 12 weeks from first meeting to investment

Funding & VCStartup Ecosystem

The real numbers behind MENAP venture capital: A founder's field guide

A comprehensive analysis of venture capital ecosystems across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Pakistan, revealing fund sizes, check ranges, decision timelines, and sector preferences that founders need to navigate regional fundraising successfully.

IrfanApr 12 min read

The real numbers behind MENAP venture capital: A founder's field guide

Incubators & AcceleratorsStartup Ecosystem

King Saud University enters the startup game with Riyadh Valley

King Saud University's investment arm has partnered with SparkLabs to establish a venture fund and four-month accelerator program launching in April. The move marks a significant shift in how major Gulf research institutions approach commercialization of academic research and represents a direct challenge to private venture firms dominating early-stage funding in Saudi Arabia.

MoFeb 252 min read

King Saud University enters the startup game with Riyadh Valley

Mobility & LogisticsVision 2030

PIF-backed Lucid Motors cuts 800 jobs to turn profitable

Lucid Motors, the California electric vehicle maker backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, laid off roughly 800 salaried employees on Friday

MoFeb 202 min read

PIF-backed Lucid Motors cuts 800 jobs to turn profitable

PropTech & Real EstatePropTech

Dubai’s Stake secures $31 million in series B, eyes Saudi and U.S. markets

Digital real estate investment platform Stake has closed a $31 million Series B funding round led by banking group Emirates NBD, bringing its total venture capital raised to approximately $58 million and marking continued global expansion.

RazaFeb 172 min read

Dubai’s Stake secures $31 million in series B, eyes Saudi and U.S. markets

FintechFintech

Saudi fintech Madfu bags $25.5M to accelerate BNPL growth

Saudi BNPL startup Madfu has raised $25.5 million to expand its fintech footprint across the Kingdom, accelerating growth in digital payments and consumer finance under Vision 2030.

RazaFeb 162 min read

Saudi fintech Madfu bags $25.5M to accelerate BNPL growth

HealthTechHealthTech

Swvl deepens Saudi presence with new $1.5M healthcare contract

Swvl has expanded its operations in Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector after securing a new $1.5 million contract, strengthening its position in enterprise mobility and institutional transport services in the Kingdom.

RazaFeb 162 min read

Swvl deepens Saudi presence with new $1.5M healthcare contract

StartupsDigital Transformation

Saudi tech firm Solidrange bags $2.4M series A funding

Saudi startup Solidrange has raised $2.4 million in a series A investment round as it scales its technology driven solutions across the Kingdom’s growing digital economy.

RazaFeb 162 min read

Saudi tech firm Solidrange bags $2.4M series A funding

FintechFintech

Saudi payments startup CASHIN closes $16M series A

Saudi fintech CASHIN has raised $16 million in a Series A round led by Impact46, as it scales its digital cash management and payment infrastructure across Saudi Arabia.

RazaFeb 162 min read

Saudi payments startup CASHIN closes $16M series A

Media, Gaming & Creator EconomyCorporate Innovation

Saudi's SAVVY eyes $6B moonton acquisition in gaming consolidation play

ByteDance is negotiating to sell Shanghai Moonton Technology to Saudi Arabia's Savvy Games Group for between $6 billion and $7 billion

MoFeb 152 min read

Saudi's SAVVY eyes $6B moonton acquisition in gaming consolidation play

AIArtificial Intelligence

Aramco and Microsoft Partner on Industrial AI Deployment

Saudi Aramco has signed a deal with Microsoft to deploy artificial intelligence across its oil and gas operations, aiming to improve efficiency while keeping data inside the Kingdom. The partnership signed on February 12 focuses on four areas: digital sovereignty, operational efficiency, building a local tech ecosystem, and developing AI solutions that could be sold globally.

MoFeb 142 min read

Aramco and Microsoft Partner on Industrial AI Deployment

1 / 7

Browse Tags

Startup Ecosystem93 Artificial Intelligence88 Gulf Region82 Seed Funding75 Venture Capital68 Digital Transformation67 Series A+62 UAE58 Corporate Innovation49 Fintech46 Events & Conferences35 Vision 203031