The map·Saudi Arabia·Grants & prizes

RDIA — Saudi Innovation Grants

Research, Development and Innovation Authority — national RDI funding across four priorities: health and wellness, sustainable environment, energy and industrial leadership, and economies of the future.

What
Innovation grants of up to SAR 4 million per project (Saudi Innovation Grants Program).
Who
Saudi SMEs, and university researchers commercialising IP together with SMEs.
Cost
No equity — ownership retained
From abroad
A company in Saudi Arabia is required — Saudi small and medium enterprises, or university researchers in the Kingdom working with SMEs All programmes open to founders from abroad →
Status
Closed

Checked · September 2026 · rdia.gov.sa · How we check ↗

In detail

RDIA — Saudi Innovation Grants is a government grants in Saudi Arabia. Research, Development and Innovation Authority — national RDI funding across four priorities: health and wellness, sustainable environment, energy and industrial leadership, and economies of the future. Grant programmes route through the Saudiminds portal. The Saudi Innovation Grants Program (SIGP) funds SMEs and academic entrepreneurs in two stages: proof of concept (6–12 months) and proof of value (18–24 months).

Amount
Up to SAR 4 million per project (Saudi Innovation Grants Program)
Terms
No equity — grants without giving up ownership or intellectual property rights
Eligibility
Saudi SMEs with their own R&D, SMEs collaborating with academic institutions, and university researchers commercialising intellectual property together with SMEs
Sectors
  • Health and Wellness
  • Sustainability and Essential Needs
  • Energy and Industrial
  • Economies of the Future (smart cities, space technologies, advanced digital technologies)
Status
Closed — the last Saudi Innovation Grants call took pre-proposals until 1 May 2025; all 17 challenges on Saudiminds carry that deadline and no new call is posted (checked September 2026)

What the source says

“Empowering Saudi Small and Medium Enterprises to Deliver Innovative Solutions for National Challenges”

“هيئة تنمية البحث و التطوير و الإبتكار (Research, Development and Innovation Authority)”

rdia.gov.sa · seen September 2026

“Four priority cards: 'Health and Wellness' — 'Address prevalent health and therapeutic challenges in the Kingdom'; 'Sustainable Environment and Supply of Essential Needs'; 'Energy and Industrial Leadership'; 'Economies of the Future'”

rdia.gov.sa/en · seen September 2026

“'Saudi Innovation Grants Program' links to https://saudiminds.rdia.gov.sa/account/sigp-about; 'researchers grants' links to https://saudiminds.rdia.gov.sa/account/national-priorities”

rdia.gov.sa/en/programs/funding · seen September 2026

“Financial Support: Funding up to 4 million Saudi Riyals to support research and development commercialization.”

“Financial Grant: Obtain grants without giving up ownership or intellectual property rights.”

Closing soon on the map

Cultural Development Fund (CDF)

Grant · Saudi Arabia
Up to SAR 500,000 non-repayable per project, capped at 20 projects total.
No equity — grant
29 Sep 2026closes

Finspire

Accelerator · Saudi Arabia
SAR 100,000 development funding, earmarked rather than paid as cash.
Equity via SAFE, capped at 5%
4 Oct 2026closes

QSTP Incubation

Accelerator · Qatar
In-kind support: Doha workspace and housing for a four-week Sprint, talent and investor access.
Equity — 1.5% deferred SAFE-style stake
1 Nov 2026closes

All published deadlines →

More grants & prizes in Saudi Arabia

Cultural Development Fund (CDF)

Grant · Saudi Arabia
Up to SAR 500,000 non-repayable per project, capped at 20 projects total.
No equity — grant
29 Sep 2026closes

Misk Foundation

Grant · Saudi Arabia
Zero-equity grants up to SAR 1M through the Challenge for Change programme.
No equity — grant

NTDP — National Tech Dev Program

Grant · Saudi Arabia
Non-dilutive grants and debt from a SAR 2.5B programme; LendTech loans up to SAR 8.5M.
No equity — grant

All grants & prizes in Saudi Arabia →  ·  Across the Gulf →

More programmes that take no equity →

Sources

Primary source · rdia.gov.sa · Checked September 2026

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