Saudi Arabia’s Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority, Monsha’at, has announced the 13 winners of the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) during the grand finale held at the Biban 2025 forum in Riyadh. The global competition, organized in partnership with the Misk Foundation and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), awarded a total of $1.5 million in cash prizes to startups from around the world.
The winners were crowned by H.E. Dr. Majed bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, Minister of Commerce and Chairman of Monsha’at, in a ceremony attended by key figures including Monsha’at Governor Sami bin Ibrahim Al-Husseini and Misk Foundation CEO Dr. Badr Al-Badr.
A Record-Breaking Global Competition
This year’s EWC saw record participation, attracting 10,354 entrants from 169 countries. The competition involved a rigorous multi-stage filtering process, narrowing the field through expert judging panels specializing in innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment.
The initial pool was first reduced to 1,000 competitors, then to the top 250, who underwent an intensive training program in collaboration with Spain’s Esade University. From there, the top 100 startups were selected to pitch to investors and experts at Biban 2025, with the field ultimately narrowed down to 24 finalists who competed for the top prizes.
The Winners Circle
Thirteen startups were awarded across four distinct categories, showcasing a diverse range of innovative solutions.
In the Early Stage category, Swijin AG secured first place with a $250,000 prize. MabLab followed in second place ($200,000), while Saudi-based SARsatX took third place ($150,000). Aruna Revolution ($100,000) and DATAYOO ($50,000) placed fourth and fifth, respectively.
The Growth Stage category saw Brelyon win first place and a $175,000 prize, with DeafTawk coming in second place with $100,000.
In the Idea Stage category, Tasmanion was awarded first place ($50,000), and KLORA took second place ($25,000).
A special Space Tech track awarded four companies with $100,000 each: Stitch3D (Mining), SpaceMap (Public Safety), Sytemap (Smart Construction), and eAgro (Crowd Management).
Fueling A Thriving Economy
Ahmed Al-Sharif, Director of the Innovation Solutions Department at Monsha’at, highlighted the competition’s role in advancing the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. He stated that the initiative directly supports the “thriving economy” pillar by creating opportunities for entrepreneurs in the Kingdom.
Beyond cash prizes, the EWC provides winners with in-kind support, including training programs and a dedicated program to facilitate market entry into Saudi Arabia for interested international startups.
About The Entrepreneurship World Cup
The Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) is one of the world’s largest and most diverse startup pitch competitions and support programs. Organized by Monsha’at in partnership with the Misk Foundation and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), it provides entrepreneurs at all stages with tools, resources, and opportunities to launch and scale their ventures. The platform offers a chance to win life-changing prizes, including cash awards and access to a global network of mentors and investors.
Source: Mubasher
