Saudi-based Badir Launches New Startup Programme at GITEX

Seeking to strike collaborations between the Saudi ecosystem and regional players, the Badir Program for Technology Incubators - a Saudi national program under King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) - has just launched a new Soft Landing Program to attract business startups across GCC countries and the Middle East, as well as the US, UK, and East Europe, Malaysia and Singapore.

The Soft Landing Program, which was announced at the Gitex Tech Week 2017, will work closely with local partners in KSA who have experience in assisting overseas companies with market feasibility and market orientation in Saudi Arabia. "The soft-landing ensures that any foreign startups understand business culture and practices in Saudi Arabia through training and orientation," said Nawaf Al-Sahhaf, CEO of Badir Program for Technology Incubators, revealing the programme aims to have 20 percent foreign startups amongst their incubated startups.

Startups who are an established company in its country of origin, with sales track record and a potential to offer knowledge transfer and employment to Saudi nationals, can apply for the programme, as long as they have the potential to offer technology, product and service transfer. "Badir tends to gather technologies and innovation talents from around the world to create a win-win situation between the local and foreign participants in its entrepreneurial hubs," Al-Sahhaf explained, indicating the company already has a pipeline of 10 foreign startups - one of which is an incubated Kuwaiti startup in the field of Fintech. 

For more information and to apply, download this form and send it to softlanding@badir.com.sa

Main photo: Dubai's drone taxis, presented at GITEX. Credit: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP