While March 6th has been marked by MITEF Saudi as the day on which the winners of the Saudi Startup Competition are announced, it also marks the second edition of the Startup Investment Forum, which is set to take place between the 4th and 6th. In only its second annual year, the annual three-day event - this year going fully digital - has one simple yet lofty ambition: to help develop KSA’s ecosystem into one of the most desirable markets for innovators and entrepreneurs around the world.

Open to all and any startup from across the world, organisers MITEF Saudi, Bab Rizq Jameel and the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology will look to achieve this by inviting attending startups to also explore the country’s investment landscape, while affording them insights and ideas via the StartSmart Conference, which is held alongside the forum.

Ultimately, the key is fostering a dialogue between the global ecosystem and a local network made up of investors, business people and governmental agencies, which all feeds very neatly into the Saudi Arabia 2030 Vision.

“We believe in the role startups play in enhancing economic growth,” said Bayan Abdullah Alghamdi, Head of Entrepreneurship Programs at MITEF Saudi. “We are, thus, keen to work hand in hand with all public and private entities to support the goals of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2030 Vision and enhance the contribution of small and medium enterprises to the gross domestic product.”

For more on the Startup Investment Forum, click here.