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StartSmart Hub announced the names of 40 teams that have qualified to participate in the 2025 StartSmart competition. This comes as part of a journey that began in September with the launch of the ninth edition of the competition, supported by Community Jameel Saudi Foundation, with the aim of supporting startup ideas powered by artificial intelligence. Over the next two months, the selected teams will take part in an intensive training bootcamp designed to build their entrepreneurial skills and help turn their ideas into real, successful projects.

During the application period, the competition attracted 1,000 applicants. Nine introductory sessions were held across several cities in the Kingdom, as well as online, to raise awareness among Saudi entrepreneurs and reach the widest possible group of AI-based startup founders. From this large number of applications, 40 innovative ideas were selected across a wide range of sectors, including health, sports, social impact, logistics, entrepreneurship, finance, e-commerce, planning, management, data analysis, lifestyle management, and digital platform management. The full list of qualified ideas can be viewed on the StartSmart website (https://www.startsmartsaudi.com/community/alumni).

The StartSmart competition dates back to 2016, when it was first launched with the support of Community Jameel Saudi under its former name, the “MIT Enterprise Forum Startup Competition.” Since its launch, the program has empowered more than 10,000 entrepreneurs. Today, the competition continues its journey in its ninth edition, targeting early-stage Saudi entrepreneurs, especially in technology and artificial intelligence, from all regions of the Kingdom.

Over the coming two months, participants will join an intensive bootcamp focusing on product development, building prototypes, designing business models, go-to-market strategies, scaling, marketing, as well as operational, administrative, and financial aspects. The program will also include specialized mentoring sessions led by experienced experts from the entrepreneurship ecosystem, helping participants prepare to turn their ideas into scalable business models that meet market needs.

Commenting on this, Dr. May Taibah, Board Member at Community Jameel Saudi, said: “At Community Jameel Saudi Foundation, we believe that real innovation starts by providing a supportive environment and valuable opportunities for entrepreneurs, enabling them to play an active role in building a knowledge-based economy, driven by technology and innovation. That’s why we organize entrepreneurial and tech-focused competitions and events throughout the year to empower innovators.”

Mohammed Abdulghaffar, Senior General Manager of Initiatives at Community Jameel Saudi, added: “This year’s StartSmart competition comes in response to the rapid growth of artificial intelligence technologies. Our goal is to make the most of these developments by empowering innovators to turn their ideas into practical solutions that address today’s challenges.”

Each year, the competition concludes with a major forum, organized by the foundation to celebrate participants. During the final stage, teams compete for cash prizes totaling SAR 100,000, awarded to the top three startup ideas, supporting their launch into the market and contributing to a stronger and more innovative startup ecosystem.