Saudi Arabia’s Small & Medium Enterprises General Authority, Monsha’at, has released a comprehensive report titled “Biban 2025: A Destination of Ambition in a Nation Rich with Opportunities”. The report, which coincides with the launch of the Biban 2025 forum, provides a detailed data-driven overview of the Kingdom’s booming economic landscape, revealing staggering growth in SME employment, startup funding, and key strategic sectors aligned with Vision 2030.
The Scale of Saudi’s SME and Startup Boom
The report paints a picture of a rapidly expanding and formalizing economy. By the end of the third quarter of 2025, the Kingdom had 1.7 million active commercial registrations. This growth is underpinned by a robust workforce, with SMEs employing over 8.4 million people as of August 2025.
Key indicators from the report underscore the nation’s successful economic diversification efforts:
- Startup Funding: Saudi startups attracted 3.2 billion SAR in venture capital during the first half of 2025 alone.
- Ecosystem Growth: The Kingdom ranked first globally in the growth of its innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in 2025.
- Female Participation: The labor market participation rate for Saudi women reached 34.5% by the end of Q2 2025, highlighting the success of economic empowerment programs.
- Non-Oil Exports: Non-oil exports demonstrated strong growth, rising by 22.1% in June 2025.
A Surge in SME Financing
Access to capital has been a critical component of this growth. The report highlights an unprecedented 20% year-on-year increase in the value of financing provided to SMEs during the second quarter of 2025.
The total financing portfolio for micro, small, and medium enterprises has reached 420.7 billion SAR. Commercial banks are the primary drivers of this liquidity, accounting for 96% of all financing granted.
The funding is distributed across enterprise sizes:
- Medium Enterprises: Received 49% of total financing (206 billion SAR).
- Small Enterprises: Received 37% of total financing (154 billion SAR).
- Micro Enterprises: Received 14% of total financing (60 billion SAR).
Spotlight on High-Growth Sectors
The Monsha’at report goes beyond general metrics to detail the explosive growth in key strategic sectors.
Tourism: The Kingdom has firmly established itself as a global tourism powerhouse, ranking first worldwide in international tourism revenue growth. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, Saudi Arabia welcomed 9.6 million foreign tourists , who contributed 52 billion SAR in spending.
E-sports and Gaming: The e-sports sector recorded a massive 72% growth in activity during Q3 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. There are now 9,603 active commercial registrations in the gaming sector. With a goal of contributing 50 billion SAR to the national GDP by 2030 , the Kingdom is backing this ambition with major events like the E-sports World Cup 2025, which featured over 262 million SAR in prizes.
Real Estate: The real estate sector is undergoing a major transformation, with 47,286 off-plan units licensed in Q3 2025. The total value of real estate loans extended to individuals and companies reached 932 billion SAR by the end of Q2 2025.
Biban 2025 A Global Hub for Opportunity
The report is anchored by the upcoming Biban 2025 forum, set to run from November 5-8, 2025, under the slogan “A Global Destination for Opportunities”. The event is one of the world’s largest gatherings for entrepreneurship and SMEs.
Following the success of Biban 24, which attracted over 182,000 visitors and generated 35.4 billion SAR in agreements, the 2025 edition has even more ambitious goals:
- 10,000+ opportunities
- 1,000+ local and international exhibitors
- 200+ expert speakers
- 150+ participating countries
The forum is structured around key themes, or “doors,” including Empowerment, Startups, Fast-Growing Enterprises, Finance and Investment, E-commerce, and Franchise, providing a comprehensive platform for networking, learning, and deal-making .
About Monsha’at
The Small & Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha’at) was established in 2016 to organize, develop, and support the SME sector in line with global best practices. Monsha’at aims to enhance the productivity of the private sector through various initiatives and programs that provide administrative, technical, and financial support, as well as marketing and human resource services. Its vision is for the SME sector to be a key pillar for economic development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, enabling the achievement of Vision 2030 and beyond.
Source: Monsha’at
