Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al Rajhi, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development and Chairman of the Social Development Bank (SDB), inaugurated the second edition of the Entrepreneurship and Modern Business Practices Forum, DeveGo 2025, in Riyadh.

Organized by SDB under the theme “Don’t Start from Zero… Start from DeveGo,” the forum is being held from 21 to 23 December at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, with wide participation from local and international speakers, entrepreneurs, and representatives from public, private, and international organizations.

During the opening, Al Rajhi highlighted that the forum reflects the growing momentum of Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and the progress achieved under the Kingdom’s development vision. He noted a qualitative shift in entrepreneurship and freelance work, enabling young Saudis to enter high-growth sectors such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, advanced technologies, and venture capital.

Al Rajhi pointed out that SDB invests more than SAR 8 billion annually to support businesses, contributing to an increase in employment at SDB-funded enterprises from 12,000 in 2021 to over 140,000 in 2025. He also outlined non-financial support initiatives, including Jada 30 business communities, the Dulani Business Center, and a strategic partnership with UNCTAD, alongside the launch of the Empretec Saudi Fellowship aimed at scaling high-potential startups.