i2i launches toolkit for startups looking to enter Saudi market
In a LinkedIn post, i2i CEO Sarah Munir said the toolkit is a practical, founder-tested guide based on months of primary and secondary research as well as conversations with founders who have taken their companies to Saudi Arabia.
'It breaks down everything – from business setup and legal compliance to GTM (go-to market strategy), hiring, and budgeting — into clear, actionable steps,' she said.
'This toolkit is not just meant to be a resource, it's a roadmap designed to remove the guesswork and help founders scale with clarity and confidence,' she wrote, adding: 'If you're eyeing Saudi, this is your starting point.'
According to its website, the toolkit will include information on the Saudi market landscape, including growth trends, funding flows and policy changes.
It also has information on how to set up a business, including details on documentation, visas and timelines, as well as details about regulation, taxation, and financial planning, along with relevant events and accelerator lists.
Saudi Arabia is fast becoming an important market for businesses.
According to an April report by Grant Thornton, it 'is rapidly emerging as a powerhouse in the global startup ecosystem, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship to build the next generation of billion-dollar companies.'
'With a strategic vision, robust economic reforms, and increasing investment in technology and infrastructure, the Kingdom is positioning itself as a leading hub for startups aspiring to scale into unicorns,' the report noted.
The Saudi government is promoting innovation and entrepreneurship through various initiatives, including the Vision 2030 plan, which aims to diversify the economy and create a more vibrant startup ecosystem.
The Kingdom is attracting both local and international investors, with the government providing funding and support through various programs, like the Saudi Unicorns Program and Tech Growth Financing.
Reports also state Saudi Arabia's location is a major advantage, serving as a gateway to Asia, Africa, and Europe, offering potential for international growth and expansion.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
Upgrade by Moody's
EDITORIAL: The painful and prolonged path of attaining economic stability continues. The recent upgrade of Moody's rating by a notch is testimony to it. However, there is still a long way to go, and many more such baby steps are required. Pakistan's debt rating by Moody's has increased from Caa2 to Caa1 with a stable outlook. That is good, but the rating is still in the deep junk category; it remains below the levels needed to attract foreign investment and debt at cheaper rates. The government, therefore, may now think about issuing debt in the international debt market. The finance minister has already shown intentions of reaching out to China's Panda Bond market, which is to be followed by issuing fresh Euro or Sukuk bonds. The plan is to issue both in the current fiscal year. However, rates may not be the best at the current credit rating. The government hopes the US Fed will start slashing interest rates as there are signs that this may happen. This is expected to bring the absolute rates for Pakistan to lower levels while keeping the same risk premium. That, in turn, would help improve the credit rating further and reduce the fragility of the external accounts. However, the situation is still very fragile, and any internal or external shock can take away all the gains. The problem is not as fluid as it was in 2023, with no immediate risk of default, but there is no room for complacency. The issue is that although stability is here, there are no signs of attaining growth and generating much-needed employment. The forex reserves build-up is slow and contingent upon managing the current account. Last year, the conversion of informal to formal remittances created some space, but similar growth is not expected this year. Export growth is constrained too, and general exporters are not expecting any significant jump in exports to the US after getting the deal as other competitive issues still very much persist. An axe continues to fall on imports, and without letting imports grow freely, economic growth will remain elusive. However, there is a marginal pickup in imports, and that stirs the foreign exchange market. What the country needs is an uptick in foreign investment. There are no signs of this. The stock market is making records, but foreigners remain net sellers. They are not buying the story. They usually see a growth story and invest based on that. The behaviour of FDI (foreign direct investment) is similar. Investors seek long-term stability, as investment returns typically come with a lag. The historic trends are not encouraging. Banking and telecom companies that invested during the boom of 2002–07 have either exited at a loss or are still in search of a profitable bottom line in USD terms. The mantra of getting tens of billions of US dollars of investment from friendly countries in the Middle East is fizzling out. Even Saudi investment in Reko Diq is not happening. The second round of the CPEC is still in talks, as was the case five years ago. Now the authorities are eyeing the US to invest. The romance of Pakistan's authorities is growing with the Trump administration, which is partially due to the latter's anger towards India. The strategic goals of the US are aligned with India, which raises questions about the sustainability of good US relations with Pakistan. The real gain is to have foreign investment based on economic fundamentals. For that, the ratings have to be in the investment grade. Until that happens, the action will continue to miss, while the rating improvement is nothing more than a headline. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistan, KSA ink $121m deals for health, energy projects
Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki on Friday reaffirmed Riyadh's unwavering support for Pakistan's development journey. Speaking at a ceremony marking the signing of consulting services contracts to support development projects in Pakistan - financed by the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) - Al-Malki said the projects would provide vital services, boost economic growth, and contribute to the well-being of the Pakistani people. The Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) has signed consultancy service contracts for three major projects in Pakistan — the King Salman Hospital in Tarlai and the Shounter and Jagran hydropower projects in Azad Jammu & Kashmir — with a combined financing package worth $121 million. The King Salman Hospital will be funded through a $20 million grant from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while the Shounter and Jagran hydropower projects will receive concessional loans of $66 million and $35 million respectively.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Business Recorder
Meta, Shopify and PayPal: Saudi wealth fund sold its stakes in Q2
BANGALORE/DUBAI: Saudi Arabia's almost $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund sold its stakes in several US-listed companies - including Meta, Shopify and PayPal - in the second quarter, according to securities filings released on Thursday. The Public Investment Fund also sold its stakes in Alibaba Group, Nu Holdings and FedEx, the 13F filings show, during a quarter in which US stock markets rebounded from an April drop tied to US tariff policies. The filings showed that PIF no longer held any shares in Meta, Shopify, PayPal, Alibaba, Nu Holdings and FedEx. Its previous filing showed that, at the end of March, the fund had 667,996 class A shares in Meta, 1.25 million class A shares in Shopify, 1.76 million shares in PayPal, 6.83 million shares class A shares in Nu Holdings, 1.61 million in Alibaba sponsored ADS, and 498,164 common shares in FedEx. PIF's total exposure to US equities, which include call options that give the state investor a right to buy an underlying asset at a specified price within a specific time period, was valued at $23.8 billion at the end of the second quarter, versus $25.5 billion at the end of the first quarter. Tasked with spearheading Saudi Arabia's economic diversification under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 plan, PIF has moved well beyond its early holdings in Saudi public equities and infrastructure. In recent years, the fund took high-profile stakes in global brands, such as Uber and Lucid Motors, while also backing sports ventures including LIV Golf and English soccer club Newcastle United. At home, it has poured billions into giga-projects such as NEOM, the futuristic city on the Red Sea, and sectors like tourism, logistics, and clean energy.
