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Building on the strategic collaboration between Community Jameel Saudi Foundation and Savola World Foundation, the StartSmart Hub for Entrepreneurship, an initiative of Community Jameel Saudi, successfully concluded the Environmental Startups Empowerment Initiative yesterday at Savola World HQ in Jeddah.

The closing event featured final presentations by participating startups, who showcased the business models they developed throughout the initiative; demonstrating their readiness to transition from early-stage ideas into fully operational, market-ready ventures.

The initiative brought together three promising startups, including Nakhlaoy, EcoStream, and Portable Power Stations, all winners of the Environmental Track of the StartSmart Competition 2024. Savola World awarded a total of SAR 65,000 in prizes to the participating teams, reflecting its commitment to supporting environmentally driven innovation.

Following their success in StartSmart Competition 2024, the startups underwent an intensive capacity-building program designed to accelerate their growth and strengthen their entrepreneurial capabilities. The program included 29 hours of specialized training, delivered by 10 expert mentors across multiple business disciplines. Key focus areas included business strategy development, marketing and branding, financial planning, customer segmentation, and iterative product testing to ensure strong market fit and scalability.

Commenting on the initiative, Mohammed Abdulghaffar, Senior Manager of Initiatives at Community Jameel Saudi Arabia, said: “What we witnessed today is not merely the conclusion of a training program, but the beginning of a new generation of entrepreneurs capable of integrating innovation with sustainability. At StartSmart Hub, we see environmental challenges as powerful economic opportunities. The remarkable transformation achieved by the participating teams toward profitability and market readiness affirms the strength of our methodology in empowering entrepreneurs. We remain committed to supporting these startups as they grow into impactful contributors to the national economy and the environmental sector.”

In turn, Dr. Bandar Arab, CEO of Savola World Foundation, stated: “This initiative has delivered tangible and exceptional outcomes, successfully transforming innovative ideas into viable, revenue-generating startups. The participating teams launched high-quality products and solutions that address real environmental challenges. The program strengthened their business models, increased operational agility, and enhanced their competitiveness. Hence, positioning them for sustainable growth and future expansion driven by a clear strategic vision.”

This initiative forms part of Community Jameel Saudi’s broader efforts to support entrepreneurship and build effective cross-sector partnerships with nonprofit and private organizations that contribute to advancing Saudi Arabia’s innovation ecosystem. Through impactful programs and strategic collaborations, the Foundation continues to empower entrepreneurs to transform ideas into scalable ventures; Thusly, supporting economic development and reinforcing startups as a cornerstone of sustainable environmental innovation in line with Saudi Vision 2030.