- What
- General track (3 months, grants) or Advanced track (6 months, invitation-only, funding).
- Who
- Early-stage ICT and digital startups; more mature startups by invitation.
- From abroad
- Open to companies from outside Saudi Arabia All programmes open to founders from abroad →
Checked · October 2026 · stc.com/en/inspire-u/apply-now.html · How we check ↗
In detail
inspireU by stc is a corporate accelerator in Saudi Arabia. The first ICT accelerator in Saudi Arabia, launched by stc group in 2015 — 130+ startups accelerated. Two tracks: a 3-month General track and a 6-month Advanced track (by invitation only). Programme cadence runs through the ncubex portal (login required).
- Amount
- Grants (General, 3 months)
- funding (Advanced, 6 months, by invitation)
- amounts not published
- Terms
- Not published — grants (General program) and funding (Advanced program)
- Eligibility
- Early-stage startups (General program, through application); more mature startups (Advanced program, by invitation only)
- Sectors
- ICT and digital innovation
- Status
- Active
Is this for you?
Where is your company?
Are you open to giving equity?
We match them against what inspireU by stc publishes.
A guide to the published criteria, not a decision — the programme selects.
What the source says
“Beyond the GCC, startups from around the world have found in our programs a powerful launchpad into Saudi Arabia, where international founders are equipped to make their mark.”
“inspireU has empowered over 130 startups to contribute to Saudi Arabia's economy”
“launched by stc group in 2015, inspireU has empowered over 130 startups to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s thriving digital economy, aligned with Vision 2030.”
“the kingdom’s first accelerator for ict and digital innovation”
“a program for early stage startups that offers mentorship, access to inspireU academy, exposure، and grants helping founders build a strong foundation for growth.”
“a selective program for more mature startups, offering funding, tailored consultation from subject matter experts, mentorship, and more to help founders scale and grow with impact.”
Closing soon on the map
No published deadline in the next 30 days · All published deadlines →
Compare accelerators & incubators in Saudi Arabia
| Cost | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| inspireU by stcGeneral track (3 months, grants) or Advanced track (6 months, invitation-only, funding). | not published | Not published | Active |
| 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 |
| 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 inspireU by stc offer?
General track (3 months, grants) or Advanced track (6 months, invitation-only, funding).
Does inspireU by stc take equity?
Terms not published — grants listed as benefits.
Can founders from abroad apply?
Open to companies from outside Saudi Arabia.
How do I apply?
Through its own application form — the Apply button on this page goes straight there.
Sources
Primary source · stc.com/en/inspire-u/apply-now.html · Checked October 2026