Saudi Arabia Jumps 60 Places Globally in Ranking of Emerging Startup Ecosystems

Riyadh – BETH

Saudi Arabia has achieved a new milestone in the field of entrepreneurship, with Riyadh advancing 60 positions over the past three years to reach 23rd place globally in the “Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2025” issued by Startup Genome, in collaboration with the Global Entrepreneurship Network.

📈 Rapid Growth… and a Strong Enabling Environment

This remarkable progress reflects the Kingdom’s accelerating development in its startup ecosystem, particularly in indicators such as:

Venture capital growth

Innovation capacity

Investment in emerging technologies

The achievement is also driven by robust government support, notably from the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at), through its wide range of programs and initiatives aimed at fostering a comprehensive entrepreneurial environment and increasing the contribution of SMEs to the national GDP — in alignment with Vision 2030.

🌍 Regional Leadership… and Global Impact

According to the report, Saudi Arabia:

Ranks 2nd highest performer in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region

Ranks 3rd globally in investment efficiency (value vs. impact)

Ranks 4th globally in talent availability and skill depth

These results reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a magnet for entrepreneurial talent and innovation.

🧠 High-Potential Sectors Driving the Surge

The report highlighted several high-growth sectors that played a key role in the Kingdom’s rise, including:

Artificial Intelligence

Fintech

Cybersecurity

Smart Cities

Infrastructure

Digital Health

These sectors are fundamental to Saudi Arabia’s broader economic transformation strategy.

📊 A Data-Driven Global Benchmark

The findings are based on data analysis from over 5 million startups across 350+ ecosystems worldwide, offering insight into key investment trends and policy frameworks supporting entrepreneurship and innovation at the international level.