In a significant move to bolster Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning gaming sector, Savvy Games Group and NEOM have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a seamless pathway for local gaming startups. This joint initiative aims to unify the journey from early-stage incubation to high-growth acceleration, strengthening the Kingdom’s end-to-end gaming ecosystem in line with the National Gaming and Esports Strategy under Saudi Vision 2030.
A Coordinated Approach to Growth
The new agreement formalizes a coordinated pipeline between Savvy’s Nine66 Incubator Program and NEOM’s ‘Level Up’ Accelerator. The partnership is designed to ensure that startups graduating from Savvy’s incubator are equipped with the necessary training, resources, and support to transition efficiently into NEOM’s accelerator program.
This collaboration aims to create a more robust and direct route for promising studios, ultimately cultivating a stronger pipeline of investable gaming companies within the Kingdom.
Building on Proven Success
Both programs bring a track record of success to the partnership. Savvy’s Nine66 Incubator Program has been instrumental in helping early-stage studios validate their prototypes, establish foundational business capabilities, and prepare for investor engagement. The program focuses on getting startups ready for the critical next stages of development and scaling.
NEOM’s Level Up Accelerator provides the funding and mentorship required to scale these incubated studios into self-sustaining businesses. Since its inception in 2023, the accelerator has supported over 45 Saudi startups, deployed 15 investments, and impressively achieved a 100% survival rate within its portfolio. The program has also facilitated the creation of more than 170 jobs and enabled a historic milestone: the Kingdom’s first international publishing deal for a domestic startup, signed between Fahy Studio and UK-based publisher Kwalee.
A Strategic Vision for the Ecosystem
Leaders from both organizations highlighted the strategic importance of aligning their efforts to better serve the startup community.
Amr Sager, Group Chief of Staff at Savvy Games Group, said: “As the games industry continues to grow at a rapid pace in Saudi Arabia, there is an increasing number of programs and initiatives designed to help emerging studios and entrepreneurs to build, run, and scale their businesses. This momentum is encouraging, and the next step would be to create stronger synergy and alignment across these efforts, so that the journey is smoother and clearer for startups to identify and source the support they need.”
Toby Evan-Jones, Executive Director and Head of Gaming at NEOM, added: “NEOM Gaming is proud to play a role in nurturing the Kingdom’s gaming ecosystem, in line with the National Gaming and Esports Strategy. From sparking interest within high schools, to investing into young gaming studios via the Level Up accelerator, it’s immensely satisfying to see the green shoots of a viable self-sustaining industry appear. We share a joint view, with Savvy Games Group, that increasing coordination around the startup journey shall benefit all parties, not least the young game makers which we support.”
About Savvy Games Group
Savvy Games Group was formed with a mission to drive long-term growth and innovation in the games and esports industry. Backed by its shareholder, the Public Investment Fund, Savvy deploys capital over long-term horizons through acquisitions, investments, and business ventures. By expanding its portfolio and growing the games and esports ecosystem, it is shaping the future of the sector on a global scale. As Saudi Arabia’s National Champion for Games and Esports, Savvy is also focused on developing the sector’s domestic ecosystem.
About NEOM
NEOM is an accelerator of human progress and a vision of what a New Future might look like. It is a region in northwest Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea, being built from the ground up as a living laboratory. It will be a destination and a home for people who dream big and want to be part of building a new model for exceptional livability, creating thriving businesses, and reinventing environmental conservation. As a hub for innovation, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and companies will come to research, incubate, and commercialize new technologies and enterprises in groundbreaking ways.
Source: Zawya
