The map·Saudi Arabia·Government programmes

Government programmes in Saudi Arabia

12 government programmes in Saudi Arabia, 5 taking applications today. What you get, who can apply, what it costs — each one checked against its own website.

CMA FinTech Lab (ExPermit)

Government · Saudi Arabia
Regulatory permission to test products live; no funding provided.
No equity — service or permission

KAUST University

Government · Saudi Arabia
R&D grants plus equity investment.
Equity or convertible note

MCIT — Ministry of Communications

Government · Saudi Arabia
Access to CODE programmes and national financing.

MISA — Ministry of Investment

Government · Saudi Arabia
Investor registration, RHQ programme access and Startup Saudi services.
No equity — service or permission

Premium Residency — Entrepreneur Track

Government · Saudi Arabia
Residency for founders with a round of SAR 400K+ (20% share) or SAR 15M+ (10% share).
No equity — one-time fee SAR 4,000

Cloud Computing SEZ

Government · Saudi Arabia
OECD-compliant tax treatment, expat-levy exemption and electricity at $0.05/kWh.
No equity — service or permission

MEWA

Government · Saudi Arabia
Programme support, plus a debt route via the ADF.

Monsha'at

Government · Saudi Arabia
Loan guarantees and programme support for SMEs.

PIF Startup Ecosystem

Government · Saudi Arabia
Not a direct-application fund — invests in funds rather than startups.
Indirect — invests in funds, not startups

SAMA FinTech Sandbox

Government · Saudi Arabia
Regulatory permission to test fintech and insurtech products.
No equity — service or permission

SDAIA

Government · Saudi Arabia
Access to a $160M AI fund with $40K per GAIA cohort startup.

SHIFT Innovation Center Riyadh

Government · Saudi Arabia
Clinical testing access and MoH regulator connections.
No equity — service or permission

Government programmes elsewhere in the Gulf