Riyadh jumps 60 ranks to join top 25 emerging startup ecosystems worldwide
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Saudi Arabia is gaining ground in global entrepreneurship, with Riyadh now standing out as a leading hub for startups. The capital city climbed 60 places in just three years to rank 23rd among the world’s top 100 emerging startup ecosystems, according to the "Global Startup Ecosystem 2025" report released by Startup Genome in collaboration with the Global Entrepreneurship Network.
The Kingdom now holds the second-highest position in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It ranks third globally in funding volume and investment impact and fourth in terms of talent availability.
The report attributes this progress to the Kingdom’s focus on key sectors such as artificial intelligence, fintech, cybersecurity, smart cities, digital health and infrastructure—fields that are central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification strategy.
The report also highlights Saudi Arabia’s marked improvement in venture capital activity and the maturity of its entrepreneurial infrastructure. Government-backed initiatives—particularly those spearheaded by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha’at)—have played a crucial role by offering funding support, regulatory reforms and capacity-building programs aimed at nurturing startups.
The Startup Genome findings are based on data from over 5 million startups across 350 ecosystems globally. The report identifies the key investment trends and innovation policies that shape success in the global startup landscape.
