Saudi Arabia’s stc Group has launched colab, a dedicated arm focused on innovation and building startups, as it expands its approach to developing new digital businesses in local and regional markets.
The company announced the launch on the sidelines of LEAP 26. According to the announcement, colab will use stc’s assets, expertise and capabilities to identify market opportunities, test new technologies and business models, and turn promising concepts into scalable ventures.
The new unit adds a third pillar to stc Group’s startup investment ecosystem. InspireU focuses on accelerating startups, while tali ventures makes strategic investments in promising technology companies. colab will focus on building new ventures from their early stages.
Moutaz Alangari, stc Group’s chief investment officer, said the integrated model would help the group develop and accelerate new businesses while supporting the Kingdom’s growth ambitions.
The group said InspireU has helped accelerate more than 150 startups. It also pointed to STC Bank as an example of its venture-building capabilities. The business began as the digital wallet stc pay, later became a fintech company valued at more than SAR1B, and then evolved into a fully licensed digital bank. STC Bank now serves more than 8 million customers and generated over SAR1B in revenue in 2025, according to the announcement.
Source: Maaal
