The Start Smart Entrepreneurship Center, an initiative by the Community Jameel Saudi Foundation, has officially launched its 2025 competition, aiming to empower the next generation of Saudi entrepreneurs. To kick off the ninth edition, the center concluded an extensive roadshow, holding nine introductory sessions across eight cities in the Kingdom, in addition to a virtual session, engaging a total of 266 aspiring founders and SME owners.
A Renewed Focus on Artificial Intelligence
Formerly known as the “MIT Enterprise Forum Competition,” the Start Smart competition has been a cornerstone of the Saudi ecosystem since 2016. This year’s edition places a strategic focus on early-stage, innovative ideas in the field of Artificial Intelligence. The program is seeking to attract Saudi founders whose pre-MVP concepts address real-world challenges in key sectors such as health, education, energy, logistics, and government services.
The objective is to equip participants with the tools to build commercially viable prototypes that leverage AI to enhance service quality, boost operational efficiency, and create new products capable of competing in both local and global markets.
From Idea to Market-Ready Product
The competition will select the top 40 ideas to join a two-month virtual acceleration program. During this intensive period, founders will receive specialized training in prototype development, go-to-market strategies, and product development. The program also features individual mentorship sessions with local and international experts, enabling participants to test their business models and validate their market applicability.
The ultimate goal is to elevate the participants’ operational skills and guide them from the idea phase to launching a saleable product. The program culminates in a final Demo Day, where the startups will be prepared to pitch their projects to potential investors. The top three winning ideas will share a prize fund of SAR 100,000 to help them enter the market and scale their ventures.
Driving Vision 2030 Objectives
The competition’s mission is closely aligned with the Kingdom’s national development goals. Dr. May Taibah, a board member of the Community Jameel Saudi Foundation, commented, “The ninth edition of the competition reflects Start Smart Center’s commitment to enhancing economic development and contributing to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. Our programs aim to increase the contribution of small and medium enterprises to the national economy, develop the digital economy, and create quality economic opportunities for Saudi youth.”
Mohammed Abdulghaffar, Senior General Manager of Social Initiatives and Entrepreneurship at Community Jameel Saudi Foundation, added, “This competition is more than just a training program; it is an integrated platform that seeks to build startups capable of competing locally and internationally, in line with the aspirations and objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.”
Registration for the Start Smart 2025 competition is currently open to all interested Saudi entrepreneurs and innovators with tech-based ideas until November 30th.
About Start Smart Competition
The Start Smart Competition, an initiative by the Start Smart Entrepreneurship Center under the Community Jameel Saudi Foundation, is a leading platform for fostering innovation and supporting early-stage entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. Since its inception in 2016, the competition has benefited over 10,500 individuals and awarded prizes totaling SAR 2.4 million, playing a significant role in developing the Kingdom’s startup landscape and contributing to its digital transformation.
Source: Sabq
