GITEX Future Stars to Host Saudi Accelerator Day
Saudi Arabia gears up to drive startups to the next level at the Middle East and Africa’s largest startup conference
Ecosystem heavyweights Wa’ed Ventures, Badir and more join 250 of the world’s leading venture capitalists and innovation champions to redefine global startup agenda
With Saudi Vision 2030 now well underway, GITEX Future Stars is geared to host Saudi Accelerator Day with strategic participation of key members of the Kingdom’s start up ecosystem to help reinforce the on-going diversification and expansion of the kingdom’s entrepreneurship drive and agenda.
According to latest reports by Wamda, the number of entrepreneurship support organizations in Saudi Arabia, including funds, co-working spaces, incubators and accelerators, has nearly tripled in the period between 2011 and 2015.
The event is scheduled feature an engaged panel of prominent speakers to dive deeper into the Kingdom’s accelerating start up scene at the GITEX Future Stars Unbox Lounge at Za’beel Hall from 14:00- 14:45
Wa’ed Ventures, the venture capital arm of Saudi Aramco Entrepreneurship Center, with its landmark USD 200 million venture capital fund, will join the ranks of the most elite group of global investors and venture capitalists at GITEX Future Stars, to seek out and engage the most ground-breaking startups from across the world. Tasked with the vision of igniting the spirit of entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia, the organization is known to catapult early stage companies onto a fast track for success through direct equity investment, collaboration and learning. Wa’ed Ventures will join an esteemed panel of international venture capitalists looking for the next big opportunity and innovation through GITEX Supernova Challenge pitch competitions.
Trey Goede, Head of Portfolio and Investment Management at Wa’ed Ventures said, “Over the last four and half years, Wa’ed Ventures has worked tirelessly to support the Kingdom’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and general socio-economic development through our ventures and investments. We are extremely excited to be a part of a bold, new platform that seeks to redefine the global startup agenda through unique GITEX programs and look forward to drawing out the best innovations and ideas from across the world. GITEX Future Stars gives us the perfect opportunity to engage with our peers, inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs and outline new opportunities to complement our portfolio of successful ventures while seeking to empower our national agenda and accelerate the strategic direction for the global innovation roadmap.”
With the aim to advance, promote and support technology innovation and entrepreneurship across Saudi Arabia; key executives from Badir, a technology incubator and accelerator program launched by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in 2007 will leverage GITEX Future Stars to outline opportunities for engagement with emerging startups to accelerate and empower technology entrepreneurship across multimedia, smartphone applications, bio-technology, in addition to, advanced manufacturing and many more.
STC InspireU Program, the Kingdom’s First corporate startup incubator/accelerator focused on ICT and digital innovation joins GITEX Future Stars with an activated agenda to showcase its holistic program and offering for aspiring techpreneurs and will also use the opportunity to highlight the third batch of “intake” startups geared to present their awe-inspiring ideas and thinking at a global stage.
“GITEX Future Stars extends the perfect mesh of opportunity and learning; offering our startups the key platform for seeking out and attracting like-minded investors but also engaging with their peers to help bring a global adaptation to a locally-born idea. Historically, we have believed that ideas are born of necessity and as the market continues to change, so does the thinking. Today, innovation is desired across every facet of life and at STC InspireU, we believe that our role as agents of change, requires us to work with a new generation of entrepreneurs to activate strategic thinking, inspire new ideas and empower breakthrough innovation. We look forward to being at GITEX Future Stars and defining a new chapter in the global entrepreneurship agenda through open collaboration, technology enablement and most importantly, outlining access to an international ecosystem,” Feras S. Alheraish, Program Head, STC InspireU
GITEX Future Stars will see a host of impressive Saudi startups take center stage at the event, representing the ambitions and rapid success of the Nine Tenths Startup Accelerator, a program run in partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) Entrepreneurship Center and designed to foster startups and support entrepreneurs with revolutionary ideas. With mobile commerce representing dominant growth opportunities, the program will bring six early stage startups from the Kingdom to showcase and present their breakthrough ideas and potential, enabling rich opportunities for networking and engagement with some of the world’s most prominent investors and venture capitalists. The event will enable champions from the Nine Tenths Startup Accelerator program, like Saydl, Cura, Ajeer, Munjiz, Serviis and Labayah, to showcase their innovative ideas on a global stage to help launch and scale the new Saudi ventures.
Held alongside GITEX Technology Week from October 8-12, 2017 at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC); GITEX Future Stars is the Middle East and Africa’s largest startup conference and will redefine the global startup agenda through a holistic program that features prominent keynote sessions, tailored conference tracks, networking and engagement opportunities.
