Ghada Ismail

Around the world, technology has become a catalyst for inclusion, transforming how people with disabilities engage with the economy, access education, and participate fully in society. From AI-powered communication tools to digital accessibility platforms and supported employment systems, innovation continues to dismantle barriers that once constrained opportunity.

In Saudi Arabia, this global wave of accessibility tech is gaining unique momentum. With Vision 2030 emphasizing social inclusion, human empowerment, and digital transformation, there’s a growing recognition that technology must work for all citizens, including the millions who live with disabilities. What was once mainly the responsibility of public institutions and NGOs is now increasingly being advanced by startups and mission-driven organizations harnessing technological solutions to improve the quality of life and economic participation for people with disabilities.

This article examines the evolving Saudi accessibility tech landscape, highlighting key innovations, market dynamics, real-world examples, regulatory and social context, and the road ahead.

Market Overview: Accessibility Innovation in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s accessibility ecosystem still sits at an early but accelerating stage. Traditional assistive solutions—like mobility aids and localized special education tools—are now converging with digital services, AI-driven platforms, and inclusion-focused solutions designed for broad scalability.

Across the spectrum:

• Digital accessibility is becoming a priority as more services move online.
• Assistive technology empowerment is expanding beyond hardware into software and training.
• Employment and skills programs are pairing digital tools with economic integration.

Despite this progress, challenges persist. These include limited local datasets for Arabic-native accessibility AI models, a scarcity of venture funding specifically earmarked for assistive technology, and ongoing gaps in awareness among private sector adopters. Yet Saudi Arabia’s digital-first trajectory, coupled with supportive government frameworks, creates fertile ground for further innovation.

Startup and Organization Profiles: Leaders in Accessibility

Advanced Access 

Advanced Access is a Saudi company dedicated to making digital platforms—websites, apps, and services—fully inclusive and usable by people of all abilities. Its core offering is digital accessibility auditing and consulting, combining automated and manual testing to identify barriers and guide organizations toward international accessibility standards. Beyond compliance, Advanced Access supports strategy development, training, and continuous improvement to ensure digital services are equitably accessible to users with visual, motor, cognitive, or sensory impairments. 

Importantly, Advanced Access aligns with Vision 2030’s goal of building a truly inclusive national digital ecosystem, positioning Saudi Arabia as a leader in digital accessibility. 

Tawasal Association for Assistive Technologies 

Tawasal is a pioneering association in Saudi Arabia focused on harnessing modern devices and software to improve everyday life for people with disabilities. Licensed by the National Center the Non-Profit Sector, the organization provides assistive devices, technology project support, and consultation tailored to individual needs and functional impairments. 

Rather than functioning solely as a product vendor, Tawasal acts as an integrator, connecting users with adaptive technologies (like communication devices or smart mobility aids), offering training, and facilitating community awareness about tech adoption. Its mission, “Better Technology, Easier Life,” reflects a holistic approach where technology meets real-world needs, especially among individuals who may struggle to access mainstream solutions otherwise.

Qaderoon Foundation 

While Qaderoon is a nonprofit rather than a classic tech startup, it plays a crucial role in the accessibility ecosystem by marrying digital inclusion with workforce integration. Based in Jeddah, Qaderoon focuses on rehabilitation, training, and employment opportunities for people with disabilities, equipping them with the skills and tools necessary to thrive in the modern job market. 

Its services include job placement portals, professional training programs, and workplace readiness initiatives that emphasize not just employment but sustained participation and independence. Qaderoon acts as a bridge between talent and opportunity, ensuring that accessibility tech and inclusive employment go hand in hand. 

Technological Innovations in Accessibility

Across these initiatives, specific technological threads are emerging:

• Accessibility Standards and Digital Audits: Tools and processes that evaluate and fix digital barriers, ensuring compliance with accessibility guidelines and making online content usable for screen readers and adaptive interfaces.
• Assistive Devices and Software: Adaptive technologies—from communication aids to mobility supports—are central to Tawasal’s mission, enabling users to overcome physical or functional barriers in daily life. 
• Web and App Usability Enhancements: Modern UX design infused with accessibility considerations (contrast modes, keyboard navigation, alternative text protocols) helps digital services become universally accessible. 
• Employment Tech Platforms: Digital recruitment and training systems support economic inclusion, bridging gaps between talent and opportunity for people with disabilities. This model is central to Qaderoon’s operations. 

Although AI-specific tools for people with disabilities (e.g., sign language recognition or predictive text for communication disorders) are not yet prominently developed by these organizations, the foundation they are building—especially in accessible digital frameworks—sets the groundwork for future AI-driven solutions.

Social and Regulatory Environment

Saudi Arabia’s regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly. National strategies and quality-of-life programs emphasize inclusion, accessibility, and technology empowerment. Digital platforms used by the government are increasingly expected to meet accessibility standards, creating demand for services like those offered by Advanced Access.

Meanwhile, nonprofits like Tawasal and Qaderoon benefit from government recognition and licensing, an indicator of institutional support for inclusive initiatives.

Social attitudes toward disability are also shifting. Where access was once framed primarily as a welfare issue, it is now increasingly positioned as a matter of civil inclusion and economic participation. This cultural change—amplified by awareness campaigns and visibility of people with disabilities in public life—creates a more fertile environment for accessibility innovation.

Future Outlook: Growth Ahead

Looking forward, Saudi Arabia’s accessibility tech sector is poised for expansion in several key directions:

• AI-Driven Accessibility Tools: As data ecosystems grow, there’s potential for AI models tailored to assistive use cases (e.g., Arabic-language speech recognition or predictive text for alternative communication).
• Accessible Government Services: With digital transformation underway across the public sector, accessibility compliance could become a basic requirement, boosting demand for auditing and consulting services.
• Inclusive Employment Platforms: Digital platforms linking people with disabilities to jobs—and supporting employers in creating accessible work environments—could proliferate alongside Saudi labor reforms.
• Cross-Sector Innovation: Integrations between healthtech, smart mobility, and digital inclusion promise hybrid solutions that enhance independent living.

To sustain this momentum, collaboration will be key. Startups, nonprofits, government agencies, tech giants, and investors must work together—sharing data, co-developing solutions, and scaling what works.

Conclusion

Technology’s potential to empower people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia is no longer theoretical; it is tangible, actionable, and growing. Organizations like Advanced Access, Tawasal, and Qaderoon demonstrate how digital inclusion can intersect with real-world impact, from accessible websites to assistive technologies and inclusive employment.

By continuing to invest in technology built with and for people with disabilities, Saudi Arabia can not only close persistent gaps in accessibility but also unlock new avenues for dignity, independence, and participation for all.

Noha Gad

The e-commerce sector in Saudi Arabia has settled into a stable, high-growth era, driven by increased opportunities for e-commerce players and a continued rise in consumer preference for innovative new payment methods, ranging from Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) to crypto and digital wallets. According to the latest report released by the Ministry of Commerce, the e-commerce sector experienced a 5% increase in existing registrations during the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, reaching 41,816 registrations, compared with 39,769 in Q3-24. Another report published by Modor Intelligent indicated that the e-commerce market size in Saudi Arabia reached $27.9 billion in 2025, and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9% between 2026 and 2031. The re-commerce sector emerged rapidly across the Kingdom, transforming the way consumers buy and sell pre-owned goods. Fueled by a large, connected youth population and a booming e-commerce ecosystem, buying and selling pre-owned goods through specialized applications and online platforms moved from a niche practice to a mainstream economic activity. 

Digital marketplaces are redefining value for Saudi consumers, offering access to high-quality secondhand electronics, fashion, furniture, vehicles, and real estate units with unprecedented convenience and security. This tech-driven sector not only unlocks significant economic value for individuals and entrepreneurs but also aligns with national priorities by promoting a more circular economy and sustainable consumption patterns in alignment with Vision 2030.

Resale in Saudi Arabia primarily refers to the informal buying and selling of pre-owned goods through digital platforms, such as Haraj, Soum, Kayishha, Syarah, Dubizzle, and OpenSooq, where transactions rely on personal trust, direct negotiation, and minimal platform intervention. This model dominates for everyday items, such as used furniture, cars, and mid-range fashion, often lacking formal quality checks or warranties.

The re-commerce market in Saudi Arabia is expected to grow annually by 15.8% to record $1.75 billion in 2025. According to a recent report published by ResearchAndMarkets, the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.3% between 2025 and 2029 to reach $2.88 billion by the end of 2029. This growth will be fueled by a mix of economic drivers, policy support, and digital infrastructure and payment readiness. 

Rising living costs amid aspirational spending made pre-owned goods a practical choice for electronics, fashion, and appliances, especially as new luxury items strain budgets for the Kingdom's young urban professionals. This shift is evident in the rapid growth of electronics trade-ins and fashion resale, where affordability meets desire without compromising perceived quality. Additionally, re-commerce aligns perfectly with Vision 2030’s circular economy targets by extending product lifecycles, appealing to a rising eco-conscious demographic that views resale as both sustainable and patriotic.

High smartphone penetration, advanced logistics, and widespread digital wallets enabled key players in the Saudi market to offer seamless transactions. Trust mechanisms such as escrow, buyer protection, and cash-on-delivery (COD) options bridge cultural preferences for secure deals. This infrastructure, combined with social media's influence, accelerates peer-to-peer (P2P) and B2C models, making Saudi Arabia a frontrunner in regional re-commerce maturity.

Saudis have long embraced resale through trusted informal channels, but digital platforms now focus on structure, quality assurance, and scale to evolve the market.

 

Key players in the Saudi market

• Haraj: Established in 2007, Haraj is a Saudi marketplace for all goods, cars, real estate, and electronics. It initially focused on cars, then moved to real estate, and ended up being the one-stop shop for all classifieds in the Kingdom. Receiving over half a million visitors daily, Haraj applies the world's latest technologies at the back-end to provide developers with a great environment to learn and empower entrepreneurs to build a strong base before expanding the market.
• Soum: One of the leading marketplaces for secondhand electronics in Saudi Arabia that enables users to buy, sell, and discover various products, including desktops, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, cameras, headphones, and more. This first-of-its-kind unified national application enables both small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and individuals to sell in its marketplace, leveraging its wide network that covers over 150 Saudi cities.
• Kayishha: A reliable car buying company in Saudi Arabia that helps car sellers sell their used cars in a hassle-free manner, regardless of their make, model, age, or condition. Using a safe and transparent car-selling process, Kayishha enables sellers to sell their cars in just 30 minutes.
• OpenSooq: The leading mobile-first classifieds marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region that allows users to buy, sell, and trade a wide variety of goods and services. It enables user-to-user real-time chat and allows each user to build their own profile.

Saudi consumer engagement with the resale market is a significant and growing trend, primarily driven by a generational shift where younger buyers prioritize value and sustainability over pristine newness. Tech-savvy youth are the primary adopters of digital resale platforms, using them for value-driven purchases and to generate side income. In the context of high costs for new vehicles, electronics, and branded goods, the resale market serves as a strategic channel for cost-conscious consumers to access quality products. However, quality and counterfeiting fears persist, particularly for fashion and tech. 

The resale market in the Kingdom faces several distinct challenges that affect its scalability, trust, and user experience. Major challenges include:

• Lack of standardization: In open-market platforms, product grading, condition descriptions, and imagery are not standardized, leading to buyer-seller disputes and hesitation.
• Counterfeit and misrepresented goods: Particularly in high-value segments like luxury fashion, electronics, and automotive parts, verifying authenticity and accurate condition descriptions remains a significant hurdle.
• Seller accountability: Ensuring reliable seller behavior, honest representation, and safe transaction completion can be difficult on P2P platforms without robust mediation systems.
• Returns and refunds complexity: Establishing fair and clear return policies for used items is a persistent operational and customer service challenge.
• Consumer protection gaps: The legal framework for disputes in private online sales is less clear than for registered e-commerce businesses, potentially leaving buyers and sellers vulnerable.

Additionally, challenges center on building systematic trust, streamlining complex operations, and changing deep-seated consumer habits. Addressing these issues through technology, standardized services, and clear regulations is instrumental for the Saudi resale market to mature from a popular informal exchange into a structured, high-growth segment of the retail economy.

Finally, Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce landscape is advancing on two dynamic fronts: the mature expansion of traditional e-commerce and the rapid emergence of re-commerce. Together, they are fundamentally reshaping the Kingdom’s retail economy, driven by digital adoption, youthful demographics, and alignment with Vision 2030's economic diversification and sustainability goals. The re-commerce sector evolved from informal P2P trading into a structured, high-potential market projected for significant growth. Digital marketplaces are driving this shift, moving the market toward greater convenience, trust, and scale. As these marketplaces continue to innovate and integrate stronger trust mechanisms, they will not only capture greater market share but also redefine sustainable consumption for a generation.

Ghada Ismail

In a competitive digital landscape, grabbing attention and keeping users engaged is tougher than ever. Traditional marketing tactics alone often fall short in capturing long-term interest. This is where gamification—the practice of applying game mechanics to non-game experiences—comes in. By making interactions fun, interactive, and rewarding, gamification transforms ordinary campaigns into experiences that motivate, engage, and create loyalty.

What is Gamification?

Gamification involves integrating elements like points, badges, levels, challenges, leaderboards, and rewards into marketing, apps, or digital platforms. It leverages human psychology by tapping into natural drivers such as achievement, progress, recognition, and competition. When users feel motivated by these triggers, they are more likely to take the actions you want as a business owner, including signing up, sharing content, purchasing, or returning regularly. In short, gamification is about making engagement both enjoyable and purposeful.

1. Understand Your Audience

Not all users respond to the same incentives. Some are motivated by competition and social recognition, while others seek personal achievement, mastery, or tangible rewards. Startups need to research and segment their audience to understand these motivations. By aligning gamification mechanics with user preferences, you create experiences that feel meaningful rather than gimmicky, increasing the likelihood of consistent engagement.

2. Set Clear Objectives

Gamification should be integrated into a broader marketing strategy, not treated as a standalone tactic. Every gamified element should tie back to specific business goals. For example, if your aim is to grow your email list, the gamification should reward sign-ups or referrals. If your goal is repeat purchases, points, or progress tracking tied to buying behavior can encourage loyalty. Clearly defined objectives also allow you to measure success, adjust strategies, and ensure your gamification delivers tangible results.

3. Incorporate Game Mechanics Thoughtfully

Choosing the right mechanics is essential. Gamification tools like points, badges, levels, challenges, leaderboards, and progress bars can all enhance engagement, but only if they are implemented thoughtfully. Points and rewards incentivize specific actions, while badges and levels recognize achievement and create a sense of progress. Leaderboards foster healthy competition, challenges encourage ongoing interaction, and progress bars visually track advancement, keeping users motivated and invested over time.

4. Make It Social and Shareable

Humans are inherently social creatures, and gamification thrives on social interaction. When users can share achievements, invite friends, or compete with peers, engagement naturally increases. Social features also amplify the reach of your campaigns, turning users into organic promoters of your brand. Encouraging friendly competition or cooperative challenges can transform a passive marketing experience into an interactive, community-driven journey.

5. Tie Rewards to Real Value

Rewards are only effective when they feel worthwhile. They don’t always need to be financial; recognition, early access, exclusive content, or digital perks can be equally compelling. The key is that rewards align with user interests and reinforce desired behaviors. When users perceive genuine value in the rewards, they are more likely to participate and remain engaged.

6. Test, Measure, and Iterate

Gamification is not one-size-fits-all. Continuous monitoring, testing, and refinement are essential to maintain effectiveness. Startups should track engagement metrics, experiment with different mechanics, and respond to user feedback. Iteration ensures that gamified experiences evolve alongside user behavior and market trends, keeping your marketing strategy relevant and impactful.

Wrapping Things Up…

Gamification can transform traditional marketing into interactive, engaging experiences that drive meaningful actions and foster loyalty. For startups, it offers a cost-effective way to increase user engagement, encourage repeat interactions, and differentiate your brand. By focusing on audience motivations, setting clear goals, thoughtfully implementing game mechanics, creating social interactions, providing meaningful rewards, and iterating based on feedback, startups can use gamification to deliver campaigns that are both fun and results-driven.

Ghada Ismail

Saudi Arabia’s push to diversify its economy under Vision 2030 has brought several sectors into sharp focus, but few are as strategically significant as biotechnology. Once viewed largely as a research-driven niche, biotech has now become a national priority—one that sits at the intersection of healthcare resilience, economic diversification, food security, and advanced manufacturing. At the heart of this shift is a growing cohort of startups working to translate scientific research into scalable, locally relevant solutions.

While Saudi Arabia’s biotech startup ecosystem remains relatively young compared to established global hubs, momentum is building quickly. Government-backed accelerators, evolving regulatory frameworks, and stronger collaboration between academia, hospitals, and industry are laying the foundations for a homegrown life sciences sector with regional—and potentially global—reach.

Why Biotech Matters to Saudi Arabia

Biotechnology holds a unique position in Saudi Arabia’s long-term economic planning. Beyond innovation, it addresses structural national challenges. The Kingdom faces a high prevalence of chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and inherited disorders, while remaining heavily dependent on imported pharmaceuticals and biologics—an exposure highlighted during recent global supply chain disruptions.

In response, Saudi Arabia launched its National Biotechnology Strategy in January 2024, aiming to localize biopharmaceutical manufacturing, strengthen research and development capabilities, and attract global partnerships. Closely aligned with Vision 2030, the strategy supports broader goals, including knowledge transfer, high-value job creation, and non-oil GDP growth.

Startups play a central role within this framework. Unlike large pharmaceutical companies, early-stage ventures are inherently agile, able to experiment with novel technologies and address niche or underserved health needs. In Saudi Arabia, many are focusing on solutions tailored to regional disease profiles, giving them both local relevance and long-term competitive potential.

The Rise of Saudi Biotech Startups

Although still limited in number, Saudi biotech startups are expanding rapidly in scope, spanning diagnostics, therapeutics, genomics, regenerative medicine, and antimicrobial innovation. Many have emerged from university research environments or were founded by Saudi scientists returning from abroad with international experience.

One of the most closely watched areas is diabetes innovation, driven by the Kingdom’s high disease prevalence and the strategic need to localize essential treatments. Plansulin, a Riyadh-based startup founded in 2020, is developing plant-based insulin as an alternative to conventional biologics manufacturing. By using plants as biofactories, the company aims to reduce production costs, lower environmental impact, and improve the sustainability of insulin supply. Plansulin is part of the inaugural cohort of startups selected for the Ministry of Health’s Biotech Accelerator, reflecting its alignment with national healthcare and innovation priorities.

Another startup attracting attention is cellNUA, which operates at the intersection of nanomedicine and immunotherapy. The Saudi arm of the Ireland-based company draws inspiration from natural immune mechanisms—particularly those found in honeybees—to inform its therapeutic development. Through its Beemar platform, cellNUA explores comparative genomics and bio-inspired nanomolecules to develop next-generation vaccines, antivirals, and immune-modulating therapies. While still in early development stages, the company exemplifies the type of science-driven innovation policymakers are keen to nurture.

Vaccine development is also gaining traction. SAGEbio is working on next-generation vaccine and therapeutic protein platforms designed to improve efficacy and scalability. Its novel antigen platform, co-developed with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), aims to enhance vaccine manufacturing and delivery. The startup’s lead COVID-19 vaccine candidate is advancing toward Phase 1 clinical trials, highlighting efforts to build local capabilities for future pandemic preparedness.

Genomics and Precision Medicine Take Center Stage

Genomics has emerged as one of Saudi Arabia’s most promising biotech verticals, supported by initiatives such as the Saudi Genome Program, which is building one of the region’s largest population-specific genetic databases. This infrastructure is creating fertile ground for startups focused on precision diagnostics and personalized medicine.

Novo Genomics, founded in 2022, is one such company. Based in Riyadh, it specializes in advanced genetic diagnostics, including circulating tumor DNA testing and polygenic risk scoring tailored to Saudi and Middle Eastern populations. By grounding its technology in local genomic data, Novo Genomics addresses a key limitation of imported diagnostic tools that are often trained on non-representative datasets.

Similarly, NanoPalm is developing advanced delivery technologies, including lipid nanoparticle systems that improve the effectiveness of genetic and RNA-based therapies. As global biotech increasingly shifts toward gene-based treatments, delivery mechanisms have become as critical as the therapies themselves, making NanoPalm’s focus particularly timely.

Early detection is another growing focus. KaRama Bio is working on early-stage disease detection technologies, reflecting a broader shift toward preventive and predictive healthcare. Early diagnosis remains one of the most effective ways to reduce long-term healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes, particularly in oncology and chronic disease management.

Regenerative Medicine and Novel Therapeutics

Beyond diagnostics, Saudi biotech startups are also exploring regenerative medicine and alternative therapeutic approaches. MammoStem focuses on stem cell-based solutions aimed at tissue regeneration and recovery, particularly following surgical or chronic conditions. While regenerative medicine is complex and heavily regulated, it holds significant long-term potential as populations age and demand for restorative therapies increases.

Antimicrobial resistance represents another strategic frontier. With antibiotic resistance widely recognized as a global health threat, PhageTech is developing bacteriophage-based solutions as alternatives to conventional antibiotics. Although phage therapy remains relatively niche, renewed global interest suggests that local innovation in this space could position Saudi Arabia as a regional leader.

Building the Ecosystem: Accelerators and Institutions

Biotech startups do not operate in isolation, and Saudi Arabia has begun addressing one of the sector’s biggest barriers: ecosystem support. A major milestone was the launch of the Kingdom’s first dedicated Biotech Accelerator by the Ministry of Health in partnership with global life sciences incubator BioLabs. Announced at the BIO International Convention, the accelerator provides mentorship, lab access, commercialization guidance, and global networking opportunities.

Earlier-stage support has also come from the Badir Biotechnology Incubator, under King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), which has played a foundational role in translating research into viable biotech companies through funding, technical support, and industry connections.

Complementing these initiatives, Dammam Valley launched its Biotech Startups Programme to bridge the gap between research and commercialization. Developed in partnership with Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, Saudi Aramco, multiple ministries, the Future Investment Initiative Institute, and Sadara Petrochemical Company, the program supports startup creation, technology localization, and access to investment aligned with the National Biotechnology Strategy.

On the manufacturing front, Saudi Biotechnology Manufacturing Company (SaudiBio) is laying the groundwork for scalable biopharmaceutical production. The company operates the Kingdom’s first GMP-certified sterile fill-and-finish facility for biologics, including insulin and biosimilars, enabling startups to transition from lab-scale innovation to commercial readiness.

Private capital is also beginning to play a larger role. Founded in 2024, Biotech Innovations Co (BIC) represents a new wave of private-sector investment into biologics, vaccines, and gene therapy R&D, helping anchor startups within a broader industrial value chain.

Regulatory Progress and Remaining Challenges

Despite rapid progress, Saudi Arabia’s biotech ecosystem still faces structural challenges. Biotechnology is capital-intensive, with long development timelines and complex regulatory requirements. Access to late-stage funding, particularly for clinical trials, remains limited, and navigating approvals can be challenging for first-time founders. Talent availability is another constraint, as advanced biotech R&D requires specialized expertise that is still developing locally.

These challenges, however, are not unique to Saudi Arabia. What distinguishes the Kingdom is the scale of state commitment to addressing them through coordinated policy, funding, and international collaboration.

Looking Ahead: From Emerging Market to Regional Hub

Saudi Arabia’s biotech startup scene may still be emerging, but its trajectory is clear. With strong government backing, growing private-sector involvement, and a focus on locally relevant health challenges, the Kingdom is laying the foundations for a sustainable life sciences economy.

Over the next decade, success will depend on startups’ ability to scale, attract long-term investment, and integrate into global biotech value chains. If these conditions are met, Saudi Arabia could evolve from a consumer of biotechnology into a regional—and eventually global—contributor to life sciences innovation.

In that sense, biotech startups represent more than another Vision 2030 initiative. They signal a deeper shift in how the Kingdom approaches health, science, and economic resilience.

Noha Gad

Emerging technologies are reshaping the future of agriculture and farming in the Middle East. Advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision, and IoT-powered sensors, are pivotal in transforming crop scanning speeds and harvest precision, addressing challenges including water scarcity, labor shortages, and arid conditions. In Saudi Arabia, autonomous farming robots are used to sow, fertilize, and apply pesticides in a single pass, enabling round-the-clock operations while cutting labor costs, aligning with Vision 2030's push for innovation.

Farming in the Kingdom is becoming more efficient and sustainable than ever before, thanks to AI-powered technologies. For instance, predictive systems could help farmers avert up to 30% of crop losses due to pests and disease before an outbreak goes out of control, according to a report released by Tanmeya Capital. In high-tech farms, AI-powered robots have increased harvesting efficiency by 50% and broader AI-driven automation has reduced labor costs by up to 35%, addressing the Kingdom’s labor shortages and rising operational expenses.

The agricultural autonomous robots market in Saudi Arabia is seeing significant growth, triggered by the urgent need for enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability. According to recent estimates released by Mobility Foresight, one of the global market research firms specializing in mobility and tech domains, the market size is valued at nearly $100 million and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 20% over the next five years. In 2028, the Saudi market is anticipated to hit $250 million, driven by the integration of AI and machine learning into agricultural robots, which will ultimately enhance their capabilities, making them indispensable for modern farming operations. 

This growth will be fueled by increasing investments in agricultural technology (agri-tech), and the adoption of innovative farming practices will play a vital role in ensuring food security and economic diversification.

The increasing amount of data generated by autonomous systems paves the way for developing analytics platforms that help farmers make informed decisions based on real-time data. Additionally, supporting startups and companies that focus on innovative solutions in the agri-tech space can yield high returns, especially those that integrate robotics and automation into farming practices.

How autonomous robots revolutionize agriculture and farming in Saudi Arabia

Various types of autonomous robots transform agriculture and farming in Saudi Arabia. For example, drones are used for aerial monitoring, crop spraying, and data collection, while harvesting robots can identify ripe crops and harvest them with precision. IoT-powered sensors can also monitor soil health and nutrient levels, providing valuable data for farmers. Additionally, automated tractors can carry out planting, tilling, and other field operations without human intervention. The use of autonomous robots in agriculture is expected to revolutionize traditional farming methods, leading to sustainable practices, improved crop management, and higher productivity. 

One of the key benefits of integrating smart robotics in agriculture is that it targets labor-intensive tasks, like planting, harvesting, and monitoring, using AI, sensors, and drones to enhance precision in arid conditions. For planting automation, autonomous robots plant seeds at optimal depth and spacing, applying fertilizers and pesticides precisely during sowing, which reduces waste and frees farmers for strategic tasks. They operate 24/7 and adapt to soil data for uniform crop establishment, especially vital in Saudi Arabia's vast farmlands. Robotic harvesters use high-precision visual sensors to identify ripe fruit, navigate trees, and pick without damage, operating continuously to increase output. 

Earlier this year, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) developed a new robotic system designed to automate date palm harvesting, aiming to disrupt the agriculture industry and position Saudi Arabia as a leader in agriculture innovation.  The project, headed by KAUST Assistant Prof. Shinkyu Park, focused on automating critical tasks in date palm cultivation, including harvesting, pollination, and tree maintenance. By integrating robotics with AI, the project is expected to improve efficiency and deliver higher yields of more nutritious dates, fulfilling the need to modernize and automate traditional practices in the date palm industry in the Kingdom.

Crop monitoring drones with cameras and sensors fly over fields to detect pests, diseases, and health issues early, enabling rapid interventions and minimizing losses. Meanwhile, autonomous ground robots are used to analyze soil for nutrients, pH, and moisture, recommending precise fertilizer applications to maximize yields without excess. This data-driven approach enhances soil health in the long term, reducing costs and promoting efficient resource use in Saudi farms.

For Saudi farmers, agricultural robotics can deliver substantial benefits by tackling core challenges, such as water scarcity, labor shortages, and low productivity in arid environments, ultimately advancing food security under Vision 2030. This includes:

• Reducing costs and labor expenses by automating repetitive tasks.
• Conserving water by utilizing precision irrigation systems from robots to deliver water where needed.
• Improving yields through AI-powered monitoring and harvesting.
• Reducing chemical runoff through targeted spraying, which contributes to protecting soil and biodiversity while complying with the Saudi's green initiatives. 

Humans and agricultural robotics

The transition from traditional farming to smart agriculture demands a fundamental shift in the skills base, creating both a challenge of displacement and an unprecedented opportunity for new, high-value employment. 

The automation of repetitive, labor-intensive tasks will inevitably reduce demand for low-skilled seasonal labor. While addressing labor shortages, this shift creates a pressing social and economic imperative: the need for large-scale reskilling and upskilling of the existing agricultural workforce. Government, tech providers, and institutions could offer certified, hands-on training modules, ensuring the current farming community has the required digital literacy to deal with innovations such as tablet-based control systems, dashboards, and software platforms. Therefore, new high-tech agri-tech professions will emerge, redefining what it means to work in agriculture. The sector will no longer employ farmers, but a suite of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals, data analysts, drone operators, agronomy pilots, agricultural robot fleet managers, and agri-tech support technicians.

Finally, the landscape of agricultural autonomous robots in Saudi Arabia is highly competitive and rapidly evolving, driven by a combination of local startups and established global players who develop innovative solutions tailored to the Kingdom’s unique agricultural challenges. By focusing on advanced technologies, like AI, machine learning, and robotics, these companies play a crucial role in creating efficient systems for harvesting, monitoring, and managing crops.

The successful integration of autonomous farming in Saudi Arabia will be measured not only in yield increases and water savings but also in its transition for the workforce. By investing heavily in reskilling programs for today's farmers, the Kingdom can ensure its agricultural revolution builds human capital alongside technological capital. 

Ghada Ismail

For years, the startup world celebrated unicorns—private companies valued at more than $1 billion—as the ultimate success story. Over time, valuations grew, capital became more available, and expectations shifted. This gave rise to decacorns, companies worth over $10 billion.

Now, a much rarer group sits at the very top: hectocorns.

A hectocorn is a company valued at $100 billion or more. The word comes from “hecto,” meaning one hundred, and it describes businesses that have reached an extraordinary level of size and influence. These companies are not just growing fast; they are powerful enough to shape markets and industries.

How rare are hectocorns?

Hectocorns are extremely rare. While there are hundreds of unicorns around the world, only a small number of companies ever reach a $100 billion valuation.

Most hectocorns are global giants that dominate their sectors. Examples often include Apple, Microsoft, Saudi Aramco, Amazon, and Nvidia. Their valuations are so large that they are sometimes compared to the economies of entire countries.

What makes a hectocorn different?

The difference between a $10 billion company and a $100 billion company is not just an extra zero. Hectocorns usually share a few clear characteristics.

They tend to:

• Operate at a global scale, not just in one market
• Serve hundreds of millions, or even billions, of users
• Offer products or services that people and businesses rely on every day

At this level, competition is no longer only about building a better product. It becomes about managing scale, regulations, supply chains, and long-term strategy.

Are there private hectocorns?

Most hectocorns are public companies, meaning they are listed on stock exchanges. Staying private while reaching a $100 billion valuation is very rare.

To do this, a company would need to:

• Dominate a very large global market
• Earn exceptional trust from investors
• Maintain strong growth without public market support

Companies like ByteDance are often mentioned as rare private firms that come close, depending on market conditions. Still, private hectocorns are the exception, not the rule.

Will we see more hectocorns?

As technology, artificial intelligence, and emerging markets continue to grow, more hectocorns will likely appear, but slowly, as reaching a $100 billion valuation requires:

• Long-term resilience
• Global relevance
• The ability to survive multiple economic cycles

Wrapping Things Up…

In simple terms, hectocorns represent the very top of the global business pyramid. They are not defined by rapid growth alone, but by long-term scale, resilience, and influence. While unicorns capture attention and decacorns signal ambition, hectocorns show what happens when a company becomes deeply embedded in the global economy. For most founders, reaching this level is not the goal, but understanding how hectocorns are built helps clarify where real power, value, and impact ultimately concentrate.

Noha Gad

In an era where technological disruption accelerates at remarkable speeds, businesses worldwide are at a crossroads: adapt or fail. Artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as a transformative force reshaping the future of industries, economies, and daily operations.

AI-first business models redefine the way companies operate, compete, and scale by embedding AI at the core of their DNA rather than as a helping tool. These models treat AI as the foundational engine driving innovation, decision-making, and customer value in key sectors such as fintech and startups. Traditional businesses often integrate AI into outdated processes, yielding marginal gains, while AI-first pioneers redesign everything around intelligent systems for exponential advantages. This shift enables hyper-personalization, predictive analytics, and autonomous operations that thrive on data abundance.

How do AI-first business models work?

AI-first business models embed AI as the core engine for operations, decision-making, and growth, enabling radical automation, hyper-personalization, real-time insights, and scalable efficiency through autonomous agents and data-driven feedback loops, fundamentally redesigning organizational structures and workflows around intelligent systems rather than just adding AI as a feature. 

Unlike traditional AI-enhanced approaches, these models reimagine processes from the ground up, prioritizing data flows, automation, and machine learning as core infrastructure to ensure seamless scalability and adaptability in fast-evolving markets. 

Compared to AI-augmented models, AI-first models make intelligence proactive and pervasive, influencing every layer from product development to customer engagement. These approaches treat data as the primary asset for real-time analytics and predictive capabilities, fostering continuous learning loops without heavy human intervention.

Main features 

AI-first business models are defined by characteristics that prioritize intelligence as the central pillar, enabling unprecedented efficiency, adaptability, and value creation across operations. Key features include:

• Automation. AI handles end-to-end workflows autonomously, from transaction processing to compliance checks, reducing human involvement in major processes. For instance, in wealth management, AI-first platforms dynamically rebalance portfolios based on real-time market data and user life events.
• Data-based decisions. Real-time analytics from vast datasets power predictive insights, replacing intuition with probability-based forecasting for agile market responses.
• Hyper-personalization. AI-first models can help companies and startups provide tailored experiences by analyzing individual behaviors, preferences, and contexts to anticipate needs proactively. For example, banking applications deploy conversational AI agents to answer queries and execute actions, such as freezing cards or updating addresses via biometrics, enhancing user trust and retention.
• Scalable infrastructure: Cloud-native AI supports rapid growth and continuous model refinement.

How AI-first models could support startups’ businesses

Along with enhancing decision-making processes and providing hyper-personalized products, AI-first models help startups enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs by automating repetitive tasks, such as customer support via chatbots or inventory optimization. AI-first startups command investor attention due to their proven scalability, data moats, and rapid revenue trajectories. This advantage arises from AI's ability to demonstrate measurable revenue on investment (ROI) quickly, such as predictive models forecasting user acquisition costs.

For product innovation, accelerated prototyping via AI tools eliminates time-to-market from months to weeks and allows startups to test minimum viable products (MVPs) with real user data. AI-first models can also contribute to talent and team optimization since AI handles hiring screening, skill matching, and performance analytics.

AI-first startups can improve their risk mitigation strategies by utilizing AI to forecast market risks, regulatory hurdles, or supply disruptions early.

In summary, the rise of AI-first business models represents a fundamental architectural shift, not a mere technological upgrade. It transforms AI from a tool that supports business into the foundational engine that defines it. For startups and established companies alike, this approach unlocks exponential advantages through radical automation, hyper-personalization, and predictive, data-driven decision-making. 

Ghada Ismail

In the first article, we explored the API Economy as a global shift, but understanding the concept is only the beginning. The real story emerges when we look at how the API Economy takes shape on the ground, inside actual markets.

When a user taps “pay,” links a bank account, or signs into a digital wallet, the experience looks simple. But behind every smooth tap lies a hidden world: API gateways, microservices, integration layers, open-banking rails, and banking-as-a-service components working in perfect coordination. While global conversations highlight Stripe, PayPal, and social media APIs, Saudi Arabia’s reality is driven by a growing network of local firms quietly building the financial infrastructure of the future.

This article maps the local ecosystem, the players powering it, how the architecture works, and why Saudi Arabia’s API economy is becoming a strategic backbone for the region.

Why the API Economy Is Accelerating in Saudi Arabia

The foundations of Saudi Arabia’s API ecosystem are being shaped by three intersecting forces:

1. Regulatory clarity and open banking readiness.
Saudi regulators and banks have laid down frameworks that encourage standardized APIs, account-data access, and safe third-party integrations. This clarity reduces friction for both fintechs and API providers.

2. Rapid consumer adoption of digital payments.
With mobile wallets, tap-to-pay, and online banking becoming mainstream, demand for stable, scalable backend infrastructure has never been higher.

3. The need for speed, cost efficiency, and modular development.
Instead of reinventing infrastructure, fintechs can now assemble it — using APIs for payments, identity, compliance, or card issuance. This modularity is what allows Saudi fintechs to launch fast and scale without massive upfront investment.

Together, these factors have created the conditions for a strong local market of API builders, integrators, and specialized fintech-infrastructure companies.

Who Is Building Saudi Arabia’s API Infrastructure?

Saudi’s API ecosystem isn’t driven by one type of company — it’s a layered network of infrastructure specialists. Below are the key categories and the local firms shaping each layer.

1. Microservices, Cloud & Integration Firms: SkyTech Digital, AusafTech, Tech Polaris

These companies form the technical backbone that many fintechs rely on:

SkyTech Digital

• Designs microservices architectures and cloud-native applications.
• Helps businesses migrate from legacy or monolithic systems to modular, API-driven backends.
• For fintechs, this means faster performance, better scalability, and easier maintenance.

AusafTech

• Specializes in full-stack API integration — from advisory to testing to long-term maintenance.
• Connects systems to payment gateways, CRMs, cloud platforms, and messaging services.
• Plays a crucial role when fintechs need multiple integrations handled reliably.

Tech Polaris

• Offers API development and integration support for businesses building modular services.
• Represents the growing demand for API-first engineering firms in the Kingdom.

These firms make fintech architecture possible: without microservices, cloud-native environments, or integration scaffolding, fintech products simply wouldn’t scale.

2. Fintech-Facing API Platforms: Open Banking, Payments, Cards & Payouts

Beyond general integration, Saudi fintechs rely on API-first firms that offer ready-made financial infrastructure.

Open banking aggregators (e.g., Lean Technologies, SingleView)

• Provide account-data APIs, payment initiation, and bank connectivity.
• Let fintechs fetch transaction data, verify accounts, or build budgeting tools without separate bank integrations.

Banking-as-a-Service & card-issuing platforms (e.g., NymCard)

• Enable virtual cards, user payouts, financing modules, and program management — all via APIs.
• Allow fintechs to launch financial services without building rails from scratch.

Payment service providers and merchant platforms (e.g., Geidea)

• Offer robust payment APIs, checkout solutions, and payment links.
• Let marketplaces, apps, and online merchants embed payments instantly.

When assembled together, these API components create a “plug-and-play fintech stack” — one that allows startups to focus on the product rather than the plumbing.

How These Layers Work Together: A Realistic Saudi Fintech Stack

To understand how this ecosystem behaves in practice, imagine a Saudi fintech launching a digital wallet, BNPL service, or SME-payments tool:

• Backend architecture: A firm like SkyTech builds the cloud-native, microservices-based foundation.
• Payment processing: The fintech integrates Geidea’s payment APIs.
• Cards and payouts: They plug into NymCard’s card-issuing or payout APIs.
• Bank-account connectivity: Lean Technologies or SingleView enables account linking and open-banking flows.
• Additional integrations: AusafTech manages CRM, SMS, cloud services, and other connections.

The result?
A fully operational fintech product built in months — not years — thanks to a layered ecosystem of specialized API providers.

This is the API Economy made real.

Why Local Firms Matter More Than Ever

While global API giants dominate headlines, Saudi fintechs increasingly depend on regional infrastructure firms — for reasons that are both practical and strategic:

• Regulatory alignment: Local providers are built for SAMA compliance and Saudi banking rules.
• Localization: They understand cultural norms, payment behaviors, and Arabic-language user journeys.
• Speed of integration: Proximity enables faster iteration and customization.
• Resilience: Relying only on global providers increases risk; a diverse regional stack is more stable.

These companies are not outsourced vendors; they are ecosystem enablers building national infrastructure.

Implications for Founders, Investors, and Policymakers

For startups and founders:

• APIs significantly reduce time-to-market.
• Modular infrastructure lets teams focus on UX and differentiation.
• Choosing the right integration partners becomes a strategic decision.

For investors:

• API providers are long-term infrastructure bets.
• Their value compounds as the fintech market expands.

For regulators:

• Clear API standards and sandboxes accelerate innovation.
• Supporting local API firms strengthens national digital sovereignty.

Conclusion: Saudi Arabia’s API Economy Has Entered Its Infrastructure Phase

If the first article explained what the API Economy is, this article explains how it is being built in Saudi Arabia — and by whom.

The Kingdom’s fintech growth is not powered solely by consumer-facing apps, but by the invisible architecture behind them: APIs, microservices, integration frameworks, open-banking rails, card-issuing platforms, and PSP gateways. Companies like SkyTech Digital, AusafTech, Tech Polaris, Geidea, NymCard, Lean Technologies, and SingleView are quietly building the rails that make everything possible.

The real story of Saudi fintech is not just about innovation on the surface.
It’s about the infrastructure underneath — reliable, compliant, modular, and fast-evolving.

And as Saudi Arabia accelerates toward a fully digital economy, those who understand and invest in this infrastructure will be shaping not just apps, but the future of finance across the region.

Ghada Ismail 

In the startup world, growth and scaling are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Understanding the difference can save founders time, money, and headaches, and help attract investors who care about leverage and efficiency.

Growth: Getting Bigger

Growing means increasing revenue while increasing resources roughly in proportion. More customers require more support. More features require more engineers. Revenue rises, but so do costs, headcount, and operational complexity. Growth is usually linear: a 40% revenue increase often comes with roughly 40% more expenses.

For early-stage startups, growth is necessary. You hire people to build the product, test features, and serve clients. You experiment with pricing, marketing, and distribution. It’s hands-on, manual, and resource-intensive, and that’s fine at this stage.

Scaling: Getting More Efficient

Scaling means increasing revenue significantly without a matching rise in costs. In other words: more output with minimal additional input. While growth is linear, scaling is exponential.

Scaling depends on leverage: repeatable processes, automation, and systems that allow serving more customers without proportionally increasing overhead. This is why tech and digital startups often scale faster: software, platforms, and automated processes can handle volume at near-zero marginal cost.

In short: growth makes your startup bigger; scaling makes it more efficient.

When to Grow vs When to Scale

Most startups should grow first, scale later.

Grow when:

• You’re building the product and learning from early users
• Your processes are manual or experimental
• You’re testing pricing, positioning, or marketing channels

Growth at this stage is about survival, validation, and assembling the machine.

Scale when:

• You have product-market fit and repeatable demand
• Operations can handle more volume without proportional cost
• Customer acquisition or revenue patterns are predictable

Scaling at the right time multiplies results without multiplying costs — unlocking higher margins and sustainable growth.

Risks of Confusing Growth and Scale

Scaling too early can lead to overspending, inefficient hires, and operational collapse before product-market fit.
Growing indefinitely without scaling leads to overstaffed teams, rising expenses, and stagnant margins, a business that can’t expand without proportional resource increases.

Understanding where your startup sits ensures smarter decisions and clearer communication with your team and investors.

Wrapping Things Up…

• Growth is about size; scaling is about efficiency.
• Startups grow first to validate and learn; they scale to multiply output and impact.
• Confusing the two can waste resources, slow progress, and frustrate teams.

The most successful founders don’t just aim to grow; they aim to scale at the right time, turning a validated product into a business that can expand rapidly, sustainably, and profitably.

Noha Gad

In today’s fast-growing startup landscape, founders face several challenges, most notably securing capital to fuel growth without sacrificing equity or facing rigid repayment schedules. Traditional options like venture capital dilute ownership, while bank loans demand collateral that many early-stage businesses lack. Hence, revenue-based financing (RBF) emerged as a flexible, performance-aligned model that reshapes the way entrepreneurs fund their ventures. 

What is revenue-based financing (RBF)?

Revenue-based financing, or royalty-based financing, allows businesses to raise capital by giving investors a share of their ongoing gross revenues. This model provides founders with fast, non-dilutive capital that aligns with their actual revenue, offering valuable insights beyond just funding to fuel their sustainable growth.

Unlike debt and equity financing, RBF enables investors to receive a regular share of the business's income until a certain amount is paid. This amount is typically three to five times the original investment.

RBF is particularly popular in small to mid-sized companies or Software-as-a-Service (Saas) sectors as it provides an alternative for companies that are unable to secure traditional financing. It is an ideal option for growing online businesses, especially those with predictable, recurring revenue, that need capital for inventory, marketing, or other operational expenses.

How does RBF work?

A company that raises capital through revenue-based financing will be required to make regular payments to pay down an investor's principal. It is distinct from debt financing for several reasons: interest is not paid on an outstanding balance, and there are no fixed payments.

Payments to investors depend on the company’s performance because they vary based on the level of the business's income. For instance, if sales fall off in one month, investors will see their royalty payment reduced. Likewise, if sales in the following month increase, payments to the investors for that month will also increase.  

RBF also differs from equity financing because investors do not have ownership in the business. This is why revenue-based financing is often considered a hybrid between debt financing and equity financing.

Benefits and drawbacks

When considering revenue-based financing as a funding option, it is important to weigh its advantages alongside its limitations. This approach offers a set of benefits that appeal to many growing businesses, but it also has potential drawbacks that may impact suitability depending on the company’s specific circumstances. 

Benefits

• Non-dilutive capital: It allows entrepreneurs to raise funds without giving up ownership or control, which is crucial for founders keen to retain strategic decision-making power.
• Flexible repayments: Payments fluctuate with revenue, reducing financial pressure during slow periods. This eventually helps maintain healthier cash flow compared to fixed loan installments.
• Fast and accessible: Approval processes emphasize actual revenue performance rather than projections or credit scores.

 Drawbacks

• Higher Cost: RBF can be costlier than traditional debt, with repayment caps often ranging from 1.3x to 2.5x the initial amount.
• Revenue dependence: Companies with fluctuating or unpredictable revenue may face extended repayment terms, which can strain long-term financial planning.​
• Not for early-stage startups: RBF generally requires a reliable revenue stream. This makes it less suitable for pre-revenue or high-risk ventures.​

RBF vs. traditional funding options

Revenue-based financing stands out in a crowded funding landscape by offering a middle path between equity-heavy venture capital and rigid traditional debt. Evaluating it against alternatives like VC, bank loans, and venture debt reveals key trade-offs in ownership, repayment flexibility, and accessibility. RBF preserves full ownership without equity dilution, unlike VC, which requires giving up shares and often board seats. Additionally, RBF does not require collateral or personal guarantees, compared to bank loans, which have fixed payments and asset requirements.

RBF avoids interest rates and equity warrants typical in venture debt, offering purely revenue-based terms without fixed schedules, though both target growth-stage firms.

Finally, Revenue-based financing offers a compelling alternative for founders seeking flexible, non-dilutive capital aligned with their business performance. Although it may carry higher costs than traditional debt and requires steady revenue, its scalable repayment and quick access make it an attractive option for growing companies. As startups navigate funding choices, understanding RBF's unique workings can empower smarter decisions for sustainable growth. 

 Shaimaa Ibrahim

The quick delivery services and e-commerce sector in the GCC and the Middle East are undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the development of logistics technologies and changing consumer preferences. In this dynamic landscape, Rabbit emerged as one of the leading models that reshaped the standards of quick delivery services. As it broadens operations across Egypt and Saudi Arabia and adopts a flexible, tech-based operating model, Rabbit plans to strengthen its presence and expand market share in this competitive industry.

In this context, Sharikat Mubasher held an exclusive interview with Shaza Yahia, Regional Marketing Director at Rabbit, on the sidelines of the fourth edition of the HERizon 2025 Summit, organized by Carerha, a leading platform focusing on empowering women across the region to compete in the job market.

The interview discussed the company’s journey since its foundation and its mechanisms to address the real challenges within the delivery sector, in addition to highlighting the competitive edges that boost Rabbit’s expansion across the fastest-growing and evolving markets in the region.

It also underscored the pivotal role of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing operational efficiency, and showcased the company’s achievements and the key challenges it faced to expand regionally, in addition to providing insights on the future of e-commerce in the region amid the rapid transformations that the sector witnesses.

What is the core concept behind Rabbit? And how does it fill the gap in the quick delivery sector in Egypt and the GCC?  

The idea behind Rabbit emerged five years ago when the founders identified common challenges facing consumers in Egypt and the broader region, notably home delivery delays, inaccurate orders, and missing items upon receipt. Hence, the vision was born to establish a platform based on a model that offers a swift and accurate shopping experience, with a firm promise to deliver within only 20 minutes. The focus was to offer a reliable service that customers could trust and integrate seamlessly into their daily lives.

There were several key players in the Egyptian and Saudi markets when Rabbit was launched; however, the company chose to enter the market with a distinct approach centered on reliability, speed, and building long-term relationships with customers. Rabbit delivered clear added value and crafted personalized experiences that accurately meet each customer’s needs. This ultimately fostered strong user loyalty and enabled Rabbit to attract a growing segment of the market.

With this approach, Rabbit seeks to fill a genuine gap in the quick delivery sector in Egypt and the GCC, offering an operational model capable of keeping pace with the rapidly evolving lifestyle of consumers and enhancing the reliability of e-commerce services across the region.

What are the factors and features that give Rabbit a competitive edge over other companies in the Egyptian and Saudi markets?

Since its launch, Rabbit has focused on two core principles at the heart of its operations: convenience and simplicity. Our clear goal is to provide customers with a seamless experience, ensuring orders are delivered quickly and accurately, and offering all essential products at affordable prices, along with daily promotions that add genuine value to users.

Diversity is an integral part of Rabbit’s strategy to foster customer loyalty. As the number of online applications grows, the market experiences intense competition both among e-commerce platforms themselves and between these platforms and traditional stores, which continue to attract a significant segment of consumers, particularly in Saudi Arabia.

What sets Rabbit apart is that it adopts the ‘House of Brands’ model, being a home for brands, while focusing on supporting local products and providing them with a broad platform to reach more customers. Many of these brands have achieved growth through Rabbit that exceeds what they have achieved through global competitors, thanks to joint campaigns and additional marketing within the platform.

Rabbit’s competitive edge relies on multiple factors: quick services, product diversity, affordable prices, and strong support for local brands. Together, these factors enable Rabbit to compete effectively in this dynamic and rapidly evolving market.

How does Rabbit utilize technology and AI to enhance customer experience and improve operational efficiency?

Rabbit relies entirely on an advanced, in-house technology infrastructure, a rare approach in the e-commerce market where ready-made systems or partnerships with external technology providers are more common. At its early stages, the company relied on some partners but quickly developed its own infrastructure, enabling it to create a fully integrated application built on custom-designed systems tailored to meet its operational needs.

This technology infrastructure enables customers to place orders in under two minutes, maintaining a delivery promise of approximately 18 minutes. Internal system development also facilitated rapid responses to customer feedback, significantly improving their experience.

AI became an integral part of Rabbit’s operations. We employ AI in managing operations, data analysis, marketing personalization, and reducing operational costs. The company also integrates AI in content creation and marketing materials design to enhance team efficiency and accelerate marketing campaign development. 

What are the key figures and milestones that Rabbit has recently achieved?

Rabbit achieved remarkable growth in a short period, with over two million customers benefiting from its services, despite its marketing budget being significantly lower than that of its competitors. This reflects how our services meet customers' needs and reaffirms the company’s capability to build long-term relationships with customers.

The platform also enabled several local companies to achieve four- and five-fold growth rates by expanding their customer bases and boosting sales through Rabbit. Some of these companies successfully transformed their products into regional brands and expanded beyond Egypt, thanks to their partnership with the platform.

Additionally, Rabbit provides brands with strategic opportunities to reach new customer segments and showcase their products on a broader scale, unlocking new growth opportunities that were not accessible before.

What were the major challenges that Rabbit faced during the expansion phase, and how did the company overcome these challenges? 

We faced several challenges across various expansion phases, most notably the variance in marketing budgets compared to competitors, which significantly exceeded our resources. We also noticed that customer needs change rapidly, and that each stage of time imposes different priorities and behaviors, which puts constant pressure on companies to keep up with these changes. 

We were able to overcome these challenges thanks to the team’s ability to develop and respond quickly to changes, along with our approach that focuses on continuous testing, whether to measure customer satisfaction or to test new features within the application.

We learned a fundamental lesson from this experience: addressing challenges begins with understanding their nature. Are they temporary and time-bound, or are they fundamental problems that require modifying the business model? Therefore, we are always keen to try new ideas quickly and make the required changes, driven by our belief that flexibility and quick decision-making are key factors to maintain the company’s ability to compete and achieve rapid growth.

What motivated Rabbit to expand into the Saudi market, and what investment opportunities did the company find in the Kingdom?

Since its foundation, Rabbit has had a clear expansion plan, which focused on launching operations in Cairo before moving to Riyadh. We obtained the necessary licenses to expand into Saudi Arabia during the first year of our launch in Egypt; however, we preferred to postpone this step till early 2025 to deeply understand the Saudi market and ensure a strong and balanced entry.

The Saudi market is a highly competitive one, thanks to the emergence of new companies and large investments in growth, as well as intense competition between online applications and traditional stores. This eventually increased consumer awareness of digital services and paved the way for applications that deliver exceptional experiences and added value. 

Despite this intense competition, the Saudi market remains abundant with opportunities for any application offering a high-quality experience and building a genuine connection with the local community.

Rabbit currently focuses its efforts on Riyadh, aiming to provide an experience that the Saudi customer feels is tailored specifically for them, not just a copy of a foreign service.

Does Rabbit plan to expand into new markets beyond Egypt and Saudi Arabia?

Yes, we have clear expansion plans, but we always ensure a thorough study of the target markets before taking any step by analyzing demand size, competition levels, and gaps we can fill to guarantee a successful and sustainable entry.

In the short term, our plans focus on expanding into new cities across Saudi Arabia, following the success we achieved in Riyadh. The Saudi market still holds significant growth opportunities, and expanding into other cities is a pivotal step before moving to new markets beyond Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

How do you see the future of the delivery services and e-commerce sectors in GCC and the Middle East?

The delivery and e-commerce sectors in the GCC and the Middle East are experiencing rapid growth, driven by changing consumer behavior and their increasing reliance on online shopping, both in Cairo and Riyadh. Riyadh, in particular, stands as a model for this transformation, given the high youth population who prefer digital solutions and applications that meet their needs quickly and easily. 

The more companies can offer an integrated experience combining speed, convenience, and a variety of options, the more they will be able to capture larger market shares. Government policies, especially in Saudi Arabia, also accelerate this growth by supporting the adoption of cutting-edge technology and investing in AI solutions to enhance the efficiency of logistics and supply chains.

In light of these developments, the sector is expected to continue expanding, triggered by the entry of new players and increased investment volume. This will ultimately boost market competitiveness and reshape the future of e-commerce in the region.

Translation: Noha Gad

Noha Gad

The entrepreneurship ecosystem is undergoing a profound transformation today, driven by the fast-evolving technological landscape. Traditionally, startups have been launched by visionary individuals or teams sharing complementary skills and a common goal. However, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the future of business, introducing a new paradigm where AI can serve as a full-fledged co-founder alongside human entrepreneurs.

In 2025, several startups are naming AI tools, like GPT-4, Claude, and open-source large language models (LLMs), as co-founders, not just assistants. In many cases, these AI systems ideate, write code, draft pitch decks, analyze markets, and even engage with customers.

The integration of AI as a co-founder democratizes entrepreneurship by leveling the playing field, especially for solo founders or resource-constrained teams. It empowers innovators to accelerate product development, optimize business strategies, and reduce time-to-market, all while fostering smarter, data-driven growth. 

What is an AI co-founder?

An AI co-founder is not a robot CEO. It is typically an advanced AI system, often based on LLMs or custom-trained agents, that supports or drives major startup functions from day one. Unlike human co-founders, AI systems operate tirelessly without requiring salaries, breaks, or rest. They harness vast data, predictive analytics, and machine learning to offer real-time insights, automate complex tasks, and support critical decision-making. This transformative concept is quickly moving from futuristic speculation to practical reality, fundamentally redefining how startups are conceived, launched, and scaled.

What makes AI co-founders different from traditional AI tools is their ability to handle up to 80% of early-stage R&D work that usually takes a lot of time and resources from founders. They keep learning and adapting to a startup's specific needs, becoming more efficient and customized over time. Several factors set AI co-founders apart from regular AI assistants. These include:

• Strategic input: AI co-founders are not just implementing tasks; they propose product directions or market pivots.
• Continuous learning: they adapt to the startup’s data, goals, and team behavior.
• High Autonomy: AI co-founders operate without constant human oversight, having access to APIs, CRMs, design suites, code repositories, and more.

The impact of AI co-founders on the entrepreneurship ecosystem

AI co-founders play a pivotal role in transforming the startup landscape into a more inclusive, efficient environment where human creativity pairs with relentless computational power to drive sustainable growth and broader economic innovation. They significantly contribute to:

     -Democratizing access to entrepreneurship. They lower barriers for solo founders and underrepresented groups, providing expert-level support without the need for large teams or significant funding.

     -Accelerating innovation cycles. AI co-founders enable rapid execution of market research, product roadmaps, and strategy development, reducing weeks of work into minutes and accelerating innovation cycles across industries.

     -Enhancing cost efficiency. These founders foster cost efficiency and lean operations, as they automate repetitive tasks, allowing startups to iterate faster, manage risks through data-driven insights, and achieve quicker time-to-market.

Will AI replace human founders?

AI co-founders do not replace human creativity and leadership; instead, they complement them by automating repetitive and resource-intensive tasks. This partnership enables founders to focus on innovation, strategy, and cultivating the company’s culture. Additionally, AI co-founders complement human strengths through:

    -Automating administrative tasks, data analysis, and routine operations, allowing human founders to prioritize high-level strategy, creativity, and vision.

    -Handling operations without burnout, enabling humans to provide empathy, relationship-building, and ethical judgment, ultimately creating a symbiotic dynamic that enhances innovation and decision-making.

    -Enabling solo founders to achieve what once required full teams, but leadership and cultural nuance remain distinctly human.

    -Shifting hiring toward specialized roles by filling skill gaps, with human-AI collaboration yielding higher-quality solutions.

Finally, blending human ingenuity with machine intelligence can create more accessible, efficient, and innovative ecosystems. From democratizing startup formation and accelerating market entry to fostering symbiotic human-AI teams, these virtual partners empower founders to compete globally without traditional barriers. Entrepreneurs who embrace this collaboration will lead sustainable growth, navigating challenges like regulation and ethics to unlock unprecedented economic value.