A vehicle-sharing app moves Saudi entrepreneurship into high gear

Established by Mohammed Khashoggi, Ejaro aims to soup up the Saudi vehicle rental market and revolutionize the industry across the region. (AFP/File Photo)
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Updated 14 October 2020
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A vehicle-sharing app moves Saudi entrepreneurship into high gear

  • Founded by Mohammed Khashoggi, Ejaro aims to popularize vehicle renting and revolutionize the industry
  • App has already proven popular with Saudis, with 2,500 users and 130 vehicles in its beta phase alone

DUBAI: Young Saudi entrepreneurs have not let the coronavirus pandemic slow them down, judging by the countless fresh ideas that have continued to power ahead.

One of them is Ejaro, the first licensed peer-to-peer vehicle-sharing community in the Arab world.

Established by Mohammed Khashoggi, Ejaro aims to soup up the Saudi vehicle rental market and revolutionize the industry across the region.

“We’re similar to AirBnb, but for cars. It’s a great way for a person to generate an additional source of income,” Khashoggi, 31, told Arab News.

As a vehicle owner himself, who regularly hires cars while traveling in Europe for business, Jeddah-born Khashoggi came up with the idea when he saw a similar venture in the UK.

INNUMBERS

Entrepreneurial investment

 

* $67m Investment in KSA starts in 2019.

* 10 KSA startups in WEF’s 100 ‘most promising’ list.

* 42% Petroleum sector’s share of KSA GDP.

“I thought it was an amazing idea. I did my research and looked for similar ideas in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). There were a couple that were meant to launch in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and didn’t,” he said.

“Licensing is the most important element, and we’re the first ones to be licensed by the Transport General Authority in the Kingdom.”

Growing up in Saudi Arabia, Khashoggi moved to the UK to pursue a bachelor’s degree in architecture. Three years later, he entered the world of business.

“I was in real estate with the family business. I was into that for a good five years,” he said. “My partner from university and I started a … company called the Continental Group in the UK, and from there we created a real estate company, which transacted over SR400 million ($100 million), bridging the gap between Saudi investors and the UK property market.”




Jeddah-born Mohammed Khashoggi came up with the idea for Ejaro when he saw a similar venture in the UK. (Supplied)

During a weekend aboard a luxury yacht in Monaco to watch the Formula 1, Khashoggi struck upon the idea for another venture — C’s 500 Business Club — selling “weekend hospitality packages” to guest members to join a chartered yacht platform during the Abu Dhabi Formula 1.

His endeavors earned him valuable networking opportunities with influential people. “It gave us a great platform to gain more networking for our business,” Khashoggi said.

 

“From there we got into the tech world, and I started my first venture jointly with a German company, which did social trading. That’s where I got into the whole tech business.”

After living in the UK for 13 years, Khashoggi moved back to Saudi Arabia in April 2019. Shortly afterward, Ejaro featured as part of Riyadh Season, receiving special endorsements from Turki Al-Shaikh, a Saudi adviser at the Royal Court and current chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment.

“We’ve done almost zero marketing because being part of Riyadh Season gave us great brand positioning,” Khashoggi said. “Word of mouth also helped, and we’ve seen that people want this kind of service.”

Once users download the app and register, they simply search for a vehicle and book. The owner then accepts or declines, allowing direct communication between both parties to coordinate vehicle pick-up or delivery.

A five-minute check-in process, followed by a vehicle inspection, a few photos and fuel and mileage readings, allows customers to drive off with no worries.

Rigorous background and criminal-record checks are also performed to ensure safety and peace of mind.

A VISION FOR INNOVATION

The Saudi economy is undergoing a massive economic development reformation, spearheaded by the transformation strategy Vision 2030. But for entrepreneurship to thrive, current and future generations in Saudi Arabia will need a stimulating environment. The Kingdom is boosting its startup ecosystem with supportive regulatory frameworks and local venture funds.

Various institutions and initiatives are working toward this end, including the Mohammed bin Salman College, the Saudi Aramco Entrepreneurship Center (Waed), the Public Investment Fund (PIF) Academy, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology’s innovation and economic development department, and the MiSK Foundation. Various government agencies and companies are also supporting the Kingdom’s efforts in this regard, such as the Business Incubators and Accelerators Co., a unit of the Saudi Technology Development and Investment Co. (TAQNIA), in turn owned by the PIF. A number of programs are also working to promote future talent.

The Saudi Young Leaders Exchange Programs (SYLEP) is a three-week program in the US for undergraduate Saudi students or recently graduated university students aged 21-26. The aim of SYLEP 2020 is to “build leadership skills, civic responsibility, appreciation for cultural diversity, and community engagement and volunteerism among Saudi university students.”

The theme of this year’s program is STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Beyond prioritizing technology and innovation, Saudi Arabia has made it easier for international entrepreneurs to obtain licenses to launch startups, as part of an initiative to drive the private sector to 65 percent of gross domestic product from its current 40 percent.

This will involve a blend of growth from foreign direct investment and Saudi-grown entrepreneurship and innovation. Despite the current challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, much of the foundation for future youth entrepreneurship has already been set. Throughout the Kingdom, the effects of this spirit of innovation will be felt for many years to come. Richie Santosdiaz

So far Ejaro has proven popular among Saudis, with 2,500 registered users in the Kingdom and up to 130 vehicles in the beta phase alone.

Owners receive up to 80 percent in their wallet while Ejaro banks 20 percent for its connecting platform.

The team plans to initially focus on the Saudi market before expanding to the GCC and across the MENA region.

 

“Everyone wants an additional source of income. With Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and tourism and travel opening up, there will be more demand for vehicle rental among tourists and locals,” Khashoggi said.

“We have a really fast and more efficient way to supply that demand through existing vehicles on the road, and in that sense we don’t add more congestion to the roads.”




Khashoggi moved back to Saudi Arabia in April 2019. Shortly afterward, Ejaro featured as part of Riyadh Season, receiving special endorsements from Turki Al-Shaikh, a Saudi adviser at the Royal Court and current chairman of the General Authority for Entertainment. (AFP/File Photo)

Although the app is currently in its beta stage, a full launch is planned in the coming weeks. “The pandemic slightly affected us because we’re an early-stage company and because the travel, tourism and transportation industries came to a complete halt,” he said.

“But it gave us a chance to dig deep into our product, enhance it and completely change the user experience, making it much easier and seamless. The lockdown period had its blessings in disguise.”

It also allowed the team to integrate with several government systems to make it more secure and give users further peace of mind.

Khashoggi is optimistic about the road ahead for Saudi entrepreneurs. “I’m in this ecosystem, and there are definitely amazing things going on in the startup ecosystem in Saudi Arabia,” he said.

“We’ll be in the leading countries in the GCC, and hopefully in the world soon, thanks to the Vision 2030 of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the agility and support from the government for SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and entrepreneurs. It will continue to grow and take its place very soon.”

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Twitter: @CalineMalek


KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable

These packages form part of the emergency shelter project in Yemen. (SPA)
Updated 08 November 2024
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KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has delivered dates and winter shelter to vulnerable people in Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.

KSrelief’s volunteers distributed 100 winter bags in Thamud district, Hadhramaut governorate, for 600 individuals from 100 vulnerable families.

These packages form part of the emergency shelter project in Yemen. (SPA)

The aid is a part of the agency’s emergency shelter project in the country.

Meanwhile, 2,459 cartons of dates were delivered in Al-Wadi district, Marib governorate, for the benefit of 14,754 people.


KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan

Updated 08 November 2024
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KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has delivered aid to people most in need in Chad and Pakistan, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

Some 201 food parcels, benefiting 1,206 people, were distributed in the village of Sharkaya, in Hajar Lamis province, as part of the 2024 Food Security Support Project in the Republic of Chad.

Aid has also been given to 10,500 vulnerable people in flood-affected areas of Pakistan as part of the fourth phase of KSrelief’s initiative to provide shelter materials and winter bags to the country.


Saudi agency KSrelief delivers food, hygiene kits in Syria

The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria. (SPA)
Updated 08 November 2024
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Saudi agency KSrelief delivers food, hygiene kits in Syria

  • The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed food and hygiene kits to thousands of vulnerable people across Syria, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.

The agency’s volunteers delivered 750 food parcels and 750 hygiene kits in Al-Hasakah, Syria, benefiting 4,500 people.

The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria. (SPA)

Meanwhile 745 Syrian families, comprising 2,652 people, in Al-Dana, Idlib governorate, received food and hygiene kits.

The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria.


How Google aims to bridge the AI skills gap in Saudi Arabia and the wider region

Updated 08 November 2024
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How Google aims to bridge the AI skills gap in Saudi Arabia and the wider region

  • Backed by local partners, Google will boost AI upskilling for women, youth, migrants, and rural communities
  • The AI Opportunity Initiative aims to equip half a million people across the MENA region with AI skills

DUBAI: As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes industries, job roles and skill requirements, the Middle East and North Africa region is actively embracing advanced technologies and collaborating with tech giants to bridge the skills gap in an evolving labor market.

One such collaboration is with Google’s newly launched AI Opportunity Initiative, which offers training and education opportunities to make AI technologies more accessible and inclusive across the region.

By collaborating with local organizations, the AI Opportunity Initiative seeks to “train half a million people in the next two years,” Anthony Nakache, managing director of Google MENA, told an audience at the recent AI Connect MENA event at Dubai’s Etihad Museum.

To achieve this, Google “will give a grant of $15 million to fund local organizations,” Nakache said.

Najeeb Jarrar, regional director of marketing at Google MENA, told Arab News: “We are very excited about this AI Opportunity Initiative, especially since we are seeing the Saudi community is fully embracing AI both on the consumer side and on the developer and resource side.

“This is an initiative that we have launched globally and we now are bringing to the region. One of the aims of this initiative is how we are leveling the playing field for AI and AI education and skilling across the entire region,” he added, noting that students will learn to use AI more productively, including skills such as prompt engineering.

To bridge the digital divide in the labor market, Google’s AI Opportunity Initiative aims to upskill underserved workers in AI by offering tailored training materials in Arabic, in partnership with the non-profit Manarat, online course provider Coursera, and other organizations.

Google’s largest AI project in the region, the AI Opportunity Initiative will focus on four key areas: AI skills development, research, products, and infrastructure.

DID YOUKNOW?

• The new AI Opportunity Initiative is Google’s largest AI project in the region.

• It aims to equip 500,000 people in the MENA region with AI skills within two years.

• Google is granting $15 million to local organizations between 2024 and 2027.

• The Saudi government is reportedly creating a $40 billion fund to invest in AI.

“We also worked with local NGOs and local players in the market to ensure that we are also reaching out to different partners,” Jarrar said.

Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, has announced plans to contribute $15 million between this year and the end of 2027, providing funding to organizations across the region to ensure accessibility to AI opportunities.

The AI Opportunity Initiative also aims to equip 500,000 people in the MENA region with AI skills in the first two years. This includes students, academics, developers, entrepreneurs and underrepresented groups.

Speaking about the issue of accessibility, Jarrar said: “We wanted to ensure first that this local initiative does not feel like an initiative that is hard to get for the average user.”

Google’s largest AI project in the region, the AI Opportunity Initiative will focus on AI skills development, research, products, and infrastructure. (Supplied)

He pointed out that both language and local partners, such as Injaz and Raspberry Pi Foundation, play a major role in improving accessibility.

“The content is all in Arabic, we have local examples that we are actually able to showcase,” he said. “We are partnering with local partners that know the market and the community very well and are able to reach more people that are beyond what we can initially reach to.”

The AI Opportunity Initiative enables Google to expand the Maharat min Google program, which targets high school and university students, by introducing a new AI curriculum in Arabic.

As part of its mission to support underserved communities, Google.org is funding Village Capital, a non-profit that supports entrepreneurs tackling environmental, social and economic challenges.

Village Capital will equip business support organizations to offer AI upskilling opportunities to underserved workers. 

The program targets women, youth, migrants and rural communities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Lebanon, Bahrain and Iraq. 

The Raspberry Pi Foundation will use grant funding from Google.org to train teachers in AI literacy, equipping students aged 11-14 in the region with AI safety skills to better understand and navigate the challenges of AI technologies.

Opinion

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Speaking at the Google AI Connect Event, Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer for Alphabet and Google, said: “AI is estimated to contribute $320 billion in economic growth for the Middle East by 2030.

“Google is working to ensure that people and communities throughout the region have the skills needed to capture the upside of this emerging technology.” 

She added: “Our local non-profit and university partners will help bring this program to people and communities throughout the region, ensuring that everyone can benefit from the opportunities that AI can deliver.”

 Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer for Alphabet and Google, speaking at the Google AI Connect event. (Photo courtesy of Google)

Since 2005, Google has invested more than $400 million in academic research globally.

The tech giant also announced during its Dubai event the launch of new Arabic AI products, including Gemini Live in Arabic, Gemini for Teens, Imagen3, and Gems on Gemini in Arabic. 

“For the previous year, we have worked hard with partners, with experts globally and from the region, to understand what are the constraints that we need to implement to make this product safer for teens, teens aged 13 to 18,” Jarrar said.

“We worked tirelessly to make sure we have the right guardrails to ensure that we had the right controls and the proper Q and A and testing, and today we are happy to say that Gemini for Teens is available for users and teens here in the region.”

These efforts are expected to support Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become an AI leader, ensuring its population stays aligned with the latest developments in the labor market.

A September report by the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence showed that 75 percent of the Saudi population is familiar with the concept of AI, and 64 percent are aware of its applications.
 

 


Saudi Arabia’s recreational spaces ready for holiday season

Updated 08 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s recreational spaces ready for holiday season

AL-BAHA: Saudi authorities have announced extensive preparations of public recreational facilities ahead of the school holiday season.

The Al-Baha municipality has readied 142 parks and recreational areas, along with municipal squares, public spaces and streets, to welcome visitors and tourists.

According to regional secretary, Ali bin Mohammed Al-Sawat, these facilities span more than 4,188,559.98 million square meters and feature amenities including children’s playgrounds, green spaces, shade structures, lighting, sidewalks, seating areas and parking, and facilities for activities such as walking and cycling.

The Al-Barouqi Tourist Farm in Al-Baha region features agricultural terraces, famous trees and old wells. (SPA)

Meanwhile, the Eastern Region Municipality has completed the preparation of 979 parks and public squares, 18 public recreational parks, 14 waterfront areas and 213 walking tracks.

The facilities are timely as moderate weather conditions and school breaks attract more outdoor activity.

The municipality emphasized its commitment to regular maintenance of these facilities, considering them vital breathing spaces for citizens and residents.
 

Al-Nakheel Park Tabuk region's Haql governorate is more than just a recreational destination. It is a place where residents and visitors can uncover stories of the past, shared by their ancestors. (SPA)