Latest News

After two eventful days, the StartSmart Investment Forum 2026 (SIF) concluded its agendas in the capital, Riyadh. The forum was organized by the Community Jameel Saudi Foundation and in a strategic partnership with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), with the aim of bringing together promising startups with investors and innovation and deep technology-empowering organisations. The forum was being held at “The Garage” Innovation Incubator and Accelerator, with the participation of more than 1,000 visitors, 100 investors, seven key stakeholders from the Saudi entrepreneurship ecosystem, and 107 startups specializing in deep technology. It also hosted more than 24 speakers from within and outside the Kingdom, alongside featuring the signing ceremonies of 12 cooperation and partnership agreements among participating organisations.

 

The forum was attended by H.R.H Prince Fahad bin Mansour bin Nasser Al Saud, H.E. Dr. Munir M. Eldesouki, President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; H.E. Dr. Khalid Al-Dakkan, Senior Vice President of Innovation Oases at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; and the leadership of Community Jameel Saudi, the founder and organizer of the forum. The event was overseen by Mr. Hussein Jameel, Director of Entrepreneurship Relations for SMEs at Abdul Latif Jameel United Finance; Dr. Ibrahim Badawood, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the foundation; Dr. May Taibah, Member of the Board of Trustees; and leaders from Abdul Latif Jameel.

The forum focused on promising deep technology sectors whose growth contributes to the Kingdom’s technological and economic transformation into a knowledge-based economy, including artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, digital health, smart cities, and infrastructure. This focus aligns with the Kingdom’s direction toward supporting the digital economy, enhancing the readiness of vital sectors, and accelerating the adoption of future technologies. Among the forum’s objectives is to create high-quality investment opportunities that strengthen the Kingdom’s position as an investment destination, support the flow of international investments, and attract entrepreneurial ventures at both the local and global levels.

 

The forum also provided a professional platform for the exchange of expertise and knowledge between investment experts and entrepreneurs, showcasing best practices in building startups and highlighting inspiring success stories that have transformed ideas into impactful and promising ventures, particularly in sectors aligned with the Kingdom’s national priorities for research, development, and innovation, as announced by His Royal Highness, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Research, Development and Innovation.

 

Over two days, the forum delivered a series of specialized panel discussions featuring leaders and experts in investment, startup founders, venture capital funds, and angel investors. It also included enrichment sessions presenting the latest trends in innovation and technology, as well as growth and expansion strategies. In addition, the forum facilitated direct meetings between investors and startup founders to enable partnerships and fund projects with economic impact.

 

On this occasion, Mr. Hussein Jameel commented: “The StartSmart Investment Forum 2026 represents a strategic platform aligned with the Kingdom’s ambitions to building a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation and future technologies. It contributes to empowering entrepreneurs, connecting them with smart capital, and opening new horizons for startups to scale their businesses, accelerate growth, and contribute to advancing development and prosperity.”

 

Dr. Khalid Al-Dakkan, Senior Vice President of Innovation Parks at KACST, added: “KACST’s participation in the forum stems from our ongoing commitment to supporting the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Kingdom and creating an attractive investment environment. The forum serves as a platform to connect entrepreneurs with investors and represents a practical step toward enhancing societal impact, contributing to the creation of new economic opportunities, empowering national talent, improving quality of life, and strengthening the Kingdom’s economic competitiveness.”

 

As part of the forum’s activities, participating organisations announced 12 cooperation agreements aimed at launching new programs and initiatives to support the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. These include the launch of the second edition of the Jameel DeepTech Initiative, which will focus on transforming research outputs into successful startups in the health, energy, and environmental sectors. This follows the significant success of the initiative’s first edition in 2025, where three distinguished research teams won awards totaling SAR 2,250,000. Registration for the initiative will be available on the social media accounts of Start Smart Saudi Initiative.