In a significant boost to Saudi Arabia’s green-tech ecosystem, the StartSmart Entrepreneurship Center, an initiative by Community Jameel Saudi, and the Savola World foundation have concluded their joint initiative to support and accelerate environmental startups. The program culminated in a closing ceremony in Jeddah, where participating teams showcased business models ready for market entry.
The initiative highlights a growing commitment within the Kingdom to foster ventures that merge innovation with sustainability, addressing pressing environmental challenges through viable economic opportunities.
Spotlight on the Winning Startups
The program exclusively featured three high-potential startups that secured top positions in the environment track of the StartSmart 2024 competition. The cohort included Nakhlawi, Eco Stream, and Mobile Power Stations.
As a result of their participation and progress, the teams were awarded a total of SAR 65,000 in prizes from Savola World to fuel their next stage of growth.
From Idea to Market-Ready Venture
To prepare the startups for commercial success, the initiative provided an intensive post-competition training program. Over 29 hours, 10 specialized mentors guided the founders through critical business-building modules.
The curriculum was designed to develop a comprehensive entrepreneurial skill set, covering business strategy, marketing, financial planning, and target audience segmentation. A key focus was placed on iterative testing methodologies to refine products and ensure a strong product-market fit.
A New Generation of Sustainable Entrepreneurs
Mohammed Abdulghaffar, Senior General Manager of Initiatives at Community Jameel Saudi, commented on the program’s impact: “What we witnessed today is not just the conclusion of a training program, but the launch of a new generation of entrepreneurs capable of integrating innovation with sustainability. We at StartSmart believe that environmental challenges hold promising economic opportunities, and the qualitative transformation of the participating teams towards profitability and market readiness confirms the success of our methodology.”
Dr. Bandar Arab, CEO of Savola World, added, “This training initiative has yielded exceptional and tangible results, successfully transforming the teams’ ideas into active startups. It has also helped mature their business models, enhancing their competitiveness and preparing them for future expansion based on a clear strategic vision.”
About StartSmart
StartSmart is the entrepreneurship center of Community Jameel Saudi, dedicated to empowering and supporting entrepreneurs in the Kingdom. Through competitions, training programs, and strategic partnerships, it aims to help founders transform innovative ideas into scalable and sustainable businesses, contributing to Saudi Arabia’s economic development.
About Savola World
Savola World is the non-profit foundation established by the Savola Group. The foundation is committed to creating a positive social impact by investing in initiatives focused on community development, empowerment, and innovation. Through strategic collaborations, Savola World aims to contribute to building a more sustainable and prosperous future.
Source: Sabq
