Saudi Arabia’s Biban Forum 2025 Secures Over US$10 Billion in Deals Amid Global SME Drive
Four-day event in Riyadh draws more than 100,000 participants and agreement value exceeding SAR 38 billion (approx. US$10.13 billion)
Saudi Arabia’s Biban Forum 2025, organised by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha’at) in Riyadh from 5 to 8 November, drew over 100,000 visitors from across more than 100 countries and generated agreement value exceeding SAR 38 billion (about US$10.13 billion).
On the first day alone, 21 memoranda of understanding and agreements worth over SAR 22.3 billion were signed, followed by 22 additional deals on day two and further partnerships on subsequent days.
The forum, themed “Global Destination for Opportunities,” featured cooperation with international partners from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, India, Sweden and France, and included more than 200 speakers, 80 workshops, 2,150 consultations and 1,000 mentorship sessions.
The breadth of activity underscores Saudi Arabia’s strategy of positioning itself as a global hub for entrepreneurship, startups and small and medium enterprise (SME) growth.
Monsha’at stated that several signature initiatives emerged: major financing agreements with domestic banks to expand SME support, digital and artificial intelligence (AI) tracks for startup acceleration, and structured international innovation partnerships.
One such example: partnerships with Thailand’s National Innovation Agency and Korea’s startup ecosystem bodies to foster tech-startup exchange.
The Biban Forum’s financing and deal-making push align with Saudi Vision 2030 goals of economic diversification and private-sector-led growth.
By convening entrepreneurs, financiers and policymakers in a single forum and delivering multi-billion-dollar deals, the Kingdom reinforces its trajectory toward becoming a global destination for enterprise.
With substantial early-stage commitments now announced, the challenge ahead will be implementation—translating memoranda into operation and ensuring SMEs gain access to capital and growth pathways.
The scale and scope of Biban 2025 set a new benchmark for the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and affirm Saudi Arabia’s ambition to host global investment platforms.
On the first day alone, 21 memoranda of understanding and agreements worth over SAR 22.3 billion were signed, followed by 22 additional deals on day two and further partnerships on subsequent days.
The forum, themed “Global Destination for Opportunities,” featured cooperation with international partners from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, India, Sweden and France, and included more than 200 speakers, 80 workshops, 2,150 consultations and 1,000 mentorship sessions.
The breadth of activity underscores Saudi Arabia’s strategy of positioning itself as a global hub for entrepreneurship, startups and small and medium enterprise (SME) growth.
Monsha’at stated that several signature initiatives emerged: major financing agreements with domestic banks to expand SME support, digital and artificial intelligence (AI) tracks for startup acceleration, and structured international innovation partnerships.
One such example: partnerships with Thailand’s National Innovation Agency and Korea’s startup ecosystem bodies to foster tech-startup exchange.
The Biban Forum’s financing and deal-making push align with Saudi Vision 2030 goals of economic diversification and private-sector-led growth.
By convening entrepreneurs, financiers and policymakers in a single forum and delivering multi-billion-dollar deals, the Kingdom reinforces its trajectory toward becoming a global destination for enterprise.
With substantial early-stage commitments now announced, the challenge ahead will be implementation—translating memoranda into operation and ensuring SMEs gain access to capital and growth pathways.
The scale and scope of Biban 2025 set a new benchmark for the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and affirm Saudi Arabia’s ambition to host global investment platforms.
