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The Startup Ecosystem of Riyadh

Riyadh has 1,357 startups in our sample database. This represents about 77% of Saudi Arabia’s startups. Riyadh is the highest-ranked startup ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.

CITY RANKING

In 2024, the startup scene of Riyadh developed considerably and increased in the Global Ecosystem Index by 19 spots.

National Ranking

1st
0
In Saudi Arabia

Regional Ranking

4th
+
1
In Middle East

Global Ranking

136th
+
19
Worldwide

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Riyadh Ecosystem Partner logo

Ecosystem

Startup Ecosystem Overview

Startups

Riyadh Top Startup Industries

Fintech icon
Fintech
#67 worldwide

125 startups

Foodtech icon
Foodtech
#74 worldwide

59 startups

Transportation icon
Transportation
#82 worldwide

114 startups

Ecosystem HealthCheck

Riyadh Ecosystem Health Check

The health check tables allow you to look at the performance Riyadh has in each of the parameters that are part of StartupBlink's ranking algorithm. There are five tables, corresponding to the three subscores, the subscore analysis and industry ana...

  • Overperformance
  • Performance equal to global ranking
  • Underperformance
IndustryGlobal rankMomentum YoYNumber of Startups
Global1361357
Fintech6729122
Foodtech74-7457
Transportation8235114
Ecommerce & Retail9214264
Edtech111-11190
Software & Data13929337
Marketing & Sales170-1373

ECOSYSTEM

Browse the startup ecosystem database of Riyadh

Download list
Foodics startup logo
Foodtech | Food Manufacturing
Unranked
Unranked
RedBox startup logo
Transportation | Logistics
Unranked
Zid startup logo
Ecommerce & Retail | Retail
Unranked
d360.com startup logo
Fintech | Financial Technology
Unranked
Rewaa startup logo
Ecommerce & Retail | Retail
Unranked
Fordeal startup logo
Ecommerce & Retail | Ecommerce & Retail-Other
Unranked
Nana startup logo
Software & Data | Enterprise Technology
Unranked
PayTabs startup logo
Fintech | Insurance
Unranked
SallaApp startup logo
Ecommerce & Retail | Retail
Unranked
Moyasar startup logo
Fintech | Insurance
Unranked

Showing 1 – 20 out of 1357

Startup Ecosystem Charts

Startup Funding in Riyadh2017 - 2024

Startup Funding in Riyadh 2017 - 2024

From 2022 to 2023, startup funding in Riyadh has decreased by 13.39%. During this period, the number of deals in Riyadh has decreased by 13.22%. Since 2017, total startup funding in Riyadh exceeded US$ $4.39B.

Average Funding in 2023

$10.41M

Riyadh
Saudi Arabia
-0.19% YoY

Funding in 2023

$1.09B

Riyadh
Saudi Arabia
-13.39% YoY

Deals in 2023

105

Riyadh
Saudi Arabia
-13.22% YoY

USD

Amount of Funding (USD)

Number of Deals

20172018201920202021202220232024$0.00$15.00B$30.00B$45.00B$60.00B04080120160

Ecosystem

The Startup Ecosystem in Riyadh

Our startup ecosystem map for Riyadh includes a sample of 1,357 tech companies. We have identified as unicorns 3 startups that have passed the USD 1 billion valuations. Get the Pro account for unrestricted insights on this ecosystem.

Global Rank

Riyadh is ranked within the top 150 startup ecosystems globally.

Top Industries

Riyadh’s startups excel particularly in Fintech where it ranks 67 and in Foodtech, and Transportation. Find out more

Top Cities for Startups in Saudi Arabia - Ranked by StartupBlink

StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems of more than 100 countries and 1,000 cities. Download our latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
Pro
Pro
Pro
Pro
2024 National Rank CityGlobal Rank
informational icon
Total Score
informational icon
Quantity Score
informational icon
Quality Score
informational icon
Business Score
1st
0
136th
+
19
5.062
0.659
2.518
1.886
2nd
0
378th
+
16
0.921
0.351
0.228
0.342
3rd
0
472nd
+
73
0.547
0.181
0.162
0.204
4th
0
1182nd
new
0.069
0.023
0.020
0.025
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Download CSV file
Pro

Startups

Notable Startups in Riyadh
Foodics startup icon
Foodics
Classera startup icon
Classera
RedBox startup icon
RedBox

ECOSYSTEM

Why should you join Riyadh's Startup Ecosystem?

Overview

Within Riyadh there is an increased attraction for entrepreneurs to set up their startups in industries such as Fintech, Foodtech, Transportation. These three industries represent about 22% of the startups represented on the Startup Ecosystem Map of Riyadh.

1st

National Rank

4th

Regional Rank

Overview

Riyadh is Saudi Arabia's 1st best startup ecosystem and is ranked 4th in Middle East. With a population of 2M - 10M people, Riyadh is ranked 136th in the world. The city has some notable startup success stories including Foodics.

ECOSYSTEM
Startup Infrastructure in Riyadh
With a large variety of initiatives, Riyadh's startup ecosystem stands out from other cities in Middle East. Riyadh offers a number of funding opportunities for entrepreneurs and startups. Below is a list of Riyadh's most prominent support initiatives:

BLOG

Recent Posts

Thu Mar 06 2025

The Impact of Government Support on Startups

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Thu Feb 20 2025

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