The third day of the Biban 2025 forum, organized by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at), marked a significant milestone with the announcement of 11 new agreements and 7 strategic launches. These initiatives collectively represent over SAR 7.6 billion (approximately $2 billion) in new financing portfolios and support programs aimed at bolstering the Kingdom’s entrepreneurial projects and SME sector.
Over SAR 7 Billion in New Financing Portfolios
A substantial portion of the day’s announcements focused on injecting fresh capital into the ecosystem. Monsha’at signed several key cooperation agreements to establish joint financing programs that will enhance growth and sustainability for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
The agreements include a SAR 4 billion portfolio with Tarmeez Financial Company and a SAR 3 billion portfolio with Al-Tayseer Arabian Company for Financing. An additional SAR 600 million agreement was signed with Alpha Arabian Finance to further expand access to capital for Saudi entrepreneurs.
Strategic Partnerships for Sector-Wide Growth
Beyond direct financing, Monsha’at forged a series of partnerships designed to foster skills and market access across various sectors. An agreement with the Al-Hiraf Association will launch three training camps to improve artisans’ access to raw materials and develop their craft.
In collaboration with the Ektifaa Association, Monsha’at will support social entrepreneurship through the “My Project 3” initiative. A partnership with Golf Saudi aims to integrate MSMEs and artisans into major sporting and entertainment events. Additionally, a collaboration with Jahez on the “Your Project is Ready” initiative will provide training and technical support to help entrepreneurs launch and scale their e-commerce ventures.
Fostering Innovation from Academia to Tech Hubs
To cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset at the foundational level, Monsha’at signed agreements with Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University and the Arab Open University. These partnerships will focus on raising awareness of entrepreneurship through specialized workshops and training programs.
Furthering its commitment to innovation, Monsha’at also entered into an agreement with the King Salman Science Oasis to stimulate investment and development in the technology and entrepreneurship domains.
New Initiatives and Development Finance
Several new programs were launched to address specific needs within the SME ecosystem. The Sulaiman Abdulaziz Al Rajhi Foundation for Developmental Finance, in cooperation with the General Authority for Awqaf, announced a dedicated financing product for beneficiaries of the Jana Fund. This initiative will support productive families with loans ranging from SAR 60,000 to SAR 200,000.
The Saudi Company for Finance introduced a program for financing tax declarations, providing operational funding of up to SAR 750,000 for MSMEs through a rapid digital process. In the creative economy, a new hackathon focused on the culture sector was launched to empower entrepreneurs to build innovative solutions and establish new startups, aligning with efforts to diversify the national economy.
About Monsha’at
The General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at) was established in 2016 to organize, support, develop, and sponsor the SME sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It works to increase the productivity of SMEs and raise their contribution to the GDP from 20% to 35% by 2030 by implementing and supporting programs and projects that promote a culture of entrepreneurship, innovation, and SME growth.
Source: Alweeam
