- What
- Possible $100,000+ equity investment; $35,000 Phase 1 fee; 12-week Riyadh programme.
- Who
- MENA tech startups with an MVP and early traction; programme held in Riyadh.
- From abroad
- Within the region: Must be a tech startup with an MVP; Must be focused on/serving the MENA region All programmes open to founders from abroad →
- Backed by
- Jada Fund of FundsSanabil InvestmentsSaudi Venture Capital (SVC)
- Latest
- Last cohort Sep 2026 — Sanabil Accelerator Riyadh batch runs 27 Sep – 9 Dec 2026Newest dated item on its own site · checked Oct 2026
- Timeline
- 12-week batches; 2026 batches 5 Apr–1 Jul and 27 Sep–9 Dec ↗As published by the programme itself
Checked · October 2026 · 500.co/mena · How we check ↗
In detail
500 Global Saudi is an accelerator + VC in Saudi Arabia. 500 Global's Saudi Arabia programme, incl. the Sanabil Accelerator by 500 Global, run in partnership with Sanabil Investments. The 10th batch of the Sanabil Accelerator selected nine companies from 735+ applications (500.co/mena).
- Amount
- $100,000+ investment · $35,000 per-startup programme fee (phase 1, excl. travel)
- Terms
- Yes — equity stake
- Eligibility
- Tech startups with an MVP and early traction
- MENA focus
- 12-week programme in Riyadh across three phases
- Sectors
- All tech sectors
- Status
- Between windows — current cohort runs Sep 27 – Dec 9, 2026 in Riyadh; final application deadline was Aug 9, 2026
Is this for you?
Where is your company?
Are you open to giving equity?
We match them against what 500 Global Saudi publishes.
A guide to the published criteria, not a decision — the programme selects.
What the source says
“Focused on the Middle Eastern and North African region (MENA)”
“For selected startups, the journey may also include an equity investment of USD $100,000+ from 500 Global”
“Since 2012, 500 Global has been investing across MENA”
“Out of 735+ applications received, nine promising companies have been selected for their potential to build from MENA to the world.”
“Sanabil 500 MENA Seed Accelerator and fund in partnership with Sanabil Investments.”
“The program Fee for Phase 1 is $35,000 per startup, excluding travel expenses”
Closing soon on the map
No published deadline in the next 30 days · All published deadlines →
Compare accelerators & incubators in Saudi Arabia
| Cost | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 Global SaudiPossible $100,000+ equity investment; $35,000 Phase 1 fee; 12-week Riyadh programme. | $100,000+ | Equity | Closed |
| Antler MENAP$180,000 via SAFE for 11% equity, plus up to $320,000 uncapped follow-on. | up to $320,000 | Equity | Open |
| CODE — Center of Digital EntrepreneurshipCoworking spaces, business services, incubation and acceleration programmes. | not published | Not published | Active |
| Falak Flagship ProgramDirect funding of up to SAR 375,000 plus soft landing and technical enablement. | up to SAR 375,000 | Equity | Dormant |
| FinspireUp to SAR 100,000 development funding, earmarked rather than paid as cash. | up to SAR 100,000 | Equity via SAFE, capped at 5% | Closed |
| Flat6Labs RiyadhSAR 500K in cash seed funding plus SAR 2.4M in follow-on funding. | SAR 2.4M | Equity | Closed |
| inspireU by stcGeneral track (3 months, grants) or Advanced track (6 months, invitation-only, funding). | not published | Not published | Active |
| NEOM Level Up (Gaming Accelerator)Funding for gaming studios. | not published | Not published | Closed |
| Newlab Riyadh — Mining Innovation StudioTargeted investment. | not published | Targeted investments | Active |
| Orbit Ventures (formerly Orbit Startups)$80,000–$100,000 invested in every startup over a 4-month batch. | not published | Equity | Closed |
| Princess Nourah University – University Startup AcceleratorUniversity accelerator with financial and in-kind grants; PNU invests in top startups. | not published | Not published | Active |
| TAQADAMUp to $140K: $40K base grant plus up to $100K follow-on for top teams. | up to $140K | No equity | Closed |
| The GarageIncubator, accelerator and Bridge programmes with free workspace; no funding figure published. | not published | Not published | Active |
| VMSSeed funding and grants plus investor access. | not published | Not published | Active |
| EWAx Sedrah — Environment AcceleratorSupport programme for environment-sector startups. | not published | Not published | Closed |
| GEA Entertainment Accelerator3-month accelerator with workshops, mentors, co-working and investor access; no direct funding. | not published | Free to participate; no direct funding | Closed |
| impactU by stcImpact incubation programme. | not published | No equity | Dormant |
| KAUST ScaleXLab access, faculty consultation and market-entry support in Saudi Arabia; no direct funding. | not published | Free to apply; no direct funding | Closed |
| KSU Aspiring Entrepreneurs Program (Riyadh Valley Company)KSU founder programme: top 3 projects compete for SAR 500,000 initial funding. | SAR 500,000 | Not published | Active |
| SDAIA GAIA ProgramA 10-week generative-AI accelerator with SAR 150,000 in grants from NTDP. | SAR 150,000 | Not published | Dormant |
No programmes match these filters.
Highest amount in each programme’s own “What” line. Other currencies converted for sorting only (Gulf pegs; KWD, EUR, GBP approximate).
All accelerators & incubators in Saudi Arabia → · Across the Gulf →
Questions founders ask
What does 500 Global Saudi offer?
Possible $100,000+ equity investment; $35,000 Phase 1 fee; 12-week Riyadh programme.
Does 500 Global Saudi take equity?
Equity — direct stake taken.
Can founders from abroad apply?
Within the region: Must be a tech startup with an MVP; Must be focused on/serving the MENA region.
Is it open now?
No — it is currently closed. The status on this page follows the programme’s own site.
How do I apply?
Through its own application form — the Apply button on this page goes straight there.
Sources
Primary source · 500.co/mena · LinkedIn · linkedin.com/company/500global · Checked October 2026