Saudi Arabia’s startup appeal spans across diverse sectors

US-based MoneyHash was stablished in late 2020 by Nader Abdelrazik, Mustafa Eid and Anisha Sekar, MoneyHash. (https://moneyhash.io/)
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Updated 01 October 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s startup appeal spans across diverse sectors

  • Since the beginning of 2024, the Kingdom has seen startups from various sectors initiate their expansion plans

Saudi Arabia’s business landscape has become a magnet for regional and global startups, with numerous growing companies targeting the thriving market.

Since the beginning of 2024, the Kingdom has seen startups from various sectors initiate their expansion plans.

In the artificial intelligence sector, Saudi Arabia has drawn interest from Singaporean startup Dyna.AI, which is currently in the process of registering locally.

With operations in seven countries, Dyna.AI is shifting its focus to the Saudi fintech market, aiming to establish a local presence with a domestic office.

“We are already in the process of securing our registration, which we hope will be completed within the next quarter. The feedback from our partners in Saudi Arabia has been extremely encouraging, and we are looking forward to having a physical presence very soon,” Tomas Skoumal, chairman of Dyna.AI, told Arab News.

The company’s long-term vision aims to influence the Saudi financial services sector, which is poised to benefit substantially from advancements in AI. Dyna.AI’s expansion strategy in Saudi Arabia includes building a strong local presence and working closely with governmental bodies.

Discussing the current market landscape, Skoumal remarked: “The AI sector around the world, and in Saudi Arabia, is still at an early stage. However, the progress of the technology is fascinating, with incredible advances in very short periods.”

When asked about the importance of expanding to the Saudi market, Skoumal said: “AI is expected to create a multibillion-dollar impact on the Saudi economy by 2030, and by investing early in the Kingdom, we believe that we will be well-positioned to empower work and enrich lives.”

Fintech

The Saudi fintech sector has seen its fair share of new entrants during the first quarter of the year, with US-based MoneyHash being the most recent mover. Established in late 2020 by Nader Abdelrazik, Mustafa Eid, and Anisha Sekar, MoneyHash has set its sights on the Saudi market following a successful $4.5 million seed funding round in February.

The company aims to address key challenges in Saudi Arabia’s payment sector, helping businesses recover lost revenue due to payment failures and infrastructure complexities.

In an interview with Arab News, Abdelrazik, the company’s CEO, outlined the firm’s strategy to establish MoneyHash as a frontrunner in this pivotal market. “We are mainly focused on penetrating the market further, relying on our previous success and trusted brand as a payment infrastructure,” Abdelrazik told Arab News.

Abdelrazik aims to deepen the company’s market penetration in Saudi Arabia, leveraging its established reputation and success as a trusted payment infrastructure provider. While the CEO was reticent about sharing specific details, he emphasized the company’s ambitious and high standards, indicating a robust strategy to solidify its regional presence further.

Looking at the long-term vision, MoneyHash seeks to play a defining role in its sector within the Saudi market, Abdelrazik said. Viewing the Kingdom as a pivotal hub, the company plans to develop a comprehensive ecosystem of payment tech solutions and innovations. “We raised $7.5 million to date between our pre-seed and seed funding rounds. We have active customers in Saudi already, including prominent players like Foodics, and the latest investment will help us build a solution hub in Saudi and have a dedicated team for the market,” he added.

The company’s main reason for expanding to the Kingdom is the significant opportunities the market offers. “The Saudi market is rapidly evolving, a large consumer and business market, and has a lot of ecosystem ingredients to drive regional innovation. I believe all companies expanding in MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) will probably anchor Saudi as the hub of its expansion in the next 10 years,” Abdelrazik stated.

“There is a lot happening in payments (in the Saudi market), and a lot will happen. It is a very fast-evolving and complex space, and we are leading the orchestration category in it. We are working on staying in the lead and building a success story in the Kingdom on providing complex and sophisticated tech solutions,” he added.

Ride-hailing

Saudi Arabia’s vibrant business environment has also captured the interest of international companies, with Estonian ride-hailing giant Bolt announcing plans to expand its operations in the country. Established in 2013, the firm has become a prominent player in the global mobility industry, operating in 45 countries and 500 cities. Its current valuation is €7.4 billion ($8 billion).

In an interview with Arab News, Martin Villig, chairman and co-founder of Bolt, expressed his company’s keen interest in the rapidly growing Saudi market.

“We have operated in Saudi Arabia since 2017 completing millions of trips with hundreds of thousands of drivers signed up to the platform. Our business in Saudi Arabia has grown 10 times over in the past three years and we now have operations in all cities across the country,” Villig told Arab News.

“However, we still see room for growth. Our short-term objective is to continue on that growth trajectory and increase both the number of trips completed and the number of drivers signed up to the platform,” he added.

When inquired about the significance of expanding into the Saudi market, Villig responded: “The thriving tourism sector, as well as the increasing presence of business and entertainment hubs, makes Saudi Arabia a prime opportunity for the ride-hailing sector to grow and is emblematic of wider opportunity across MENA.”

He explained: “Over 27 million foreign tourists arrived in Saudi Arabia in 2023 and Bolt is one of the mobility apps that allows these tourists to move around, ensuring that their experience moving around Saudi Arabia is as seamless and pleasant as possible.”

He added: “Private companies like Bolt can play a crucial role in supporting Vision 2030 by aligning its strategies and operations with the Kingdom’s goals and priorities. Bolt can drive innovation and technological advancement by developing and deploying cutting-edge solutions that address the Kingdom’s mobility challenges and opportunities.”

Villig emphasized their company’s extensive experience working with cities across more than 45 countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and beyond, presenting unique mobility challenges. He believes this experience positions them as the ideal partner for Saudi government entities to collaborate with in enhancing the country's existing transport networks.

Villig said: “Doing so, we will create earning opportunities for drivers using the Bolt platform and make it easier and more affordable for people to move around their city.”

The Kingdom’s national vision, strong market conditions, and growing tech infrastructure have been catalysts in bringing these companies and many more like them to the country. Being the largest economy in the MENA region, Saudi Arabia is set to continue attracting regional and global startups to its burgeoning market.

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Dogecoin soars as Trump announces a government efficiency group nicknamed DOGE

Updated 14 November 2024
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Dogecoin soars as Trump announces a government efficiency group nicknamed DOGE

  • Dogecoin got a bump after US President-elect Trump named Tesla’s Elon Musk as one of the heads of a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” which is not a government agency but does have the acronym DOGE

NEW YORK: Wow, much bull market.
Dogecoin, the cryptocurrency whose mascot is a super-cute dog that muses things like “much wow,” has been racing higher in value since Donald Trump won the presidential election last week. It got another bump after Trump named Tesla’s Elon Musk as one of the heads of a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” which is not a government agency but does have the acronym DOGE.
All this makes sense and is maybe humorous for anyone who’s chronically online. For others, here’s some explanation about what’s going on:
What is dogecoin?
It’s a cryptocurrency, whose value rises and falls against the US dollar based on however much people will pay for it.
At first, it was seen as a joke. But over time, dogecoin has amassed a group of fans who have periodically sent its price soaring. Like other cryptocurrencies, supporters say it could be used to buy and sell things on the Internet without having to worry about a central bank or government affecting how many are in circulation.
How much has dogecoin climbed?
One dogecoin — which is pronounced dohj-coin — was worth less than 16 cents just before Election Day. It’s since more than doubled to nearly 38 cents, as of Wednesday afternoon, according to CoinDesk. It briefly got above 43 cents earlier Wednesday.
Why is it climbing so much?
Cryptocurrencies have generally been shooting higher since Trump’s election. Bitcoin, which is the most famous digital currency, has set an all-time high above $93,000 after starting the year below $43,000.
Excitement is racing because Trump has embraced crypto and said he wants the United States to be the “crypto capital of the planet” and create a bitcoin “strategic reserve.”
What does Elon Musk have to do with any of this?
Musk has become one of Trump’s close allies. He’s also been one of the most famous fans of dogecoin. In 2021, Musk played a character on “Saturday Night Live” who went by the nickname, the “Dogefather.”
In 2022, Musk made more headlines when he suggested Twitter should perhaps accept dogecoin as payment for subscriptions.
It all came to a head Tuesday, when Trump announced the “Department of Government Efficiency,” which will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.”
It has the acronym DOGE, which is also the ticker symbol under which dogecoin trades. Musk will lead it, along with former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
This all sounds weird.
Dogecoin’s history is interesting.
In 2021, on April 20, dogecoin fans tried but failed to get its value above $1 on what they were calling “Doge Day.”
April 20 has long been an unofficial holiday for marijuana devotees, and Musk himself has referred to 420 several times in his career, including his tweet in 2018 saying he had secured funding to take Tesla private at a price of $420 per share.
Is the Shiba Inu whose picture is in the meme getting special treats because of all this?
Sadly, no. The dog, whose real name was Kabosu, passed away in Japan earlier this year at 18 years old. Much rest, may she have.


Number of active mining licenses in Saudi Arabia reaches 2,295

Updated 13 November 2024
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Number of active mining licenses in Saudi Arabia reaches 2,295

  • The goal is to transform mining into the third pillar of the national industry and leverage the Kingdom’s vast mineral wealth, estimated at around SR9.3 trillion

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issued 35 new mining licenses in September, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday citing the National Center for Industrial and Mining Information.

These permits included 24 exploration licenses, seven quarry licenses for building materials, three reconnaissance licenses, and 1 mining exploitation and small mine license.

Official spokesperson for the ministry, Jaraah bin Mohammed Al-Jaraah, explained that by the end of September 2024, the total number of active mining licenses in the sector had reached 2,295. The majority of these licenses are quarry licenses for building materials, with 1,461 issued, followed by 566 exploration licenses, 203 mining exploitation and small mine licenses, 42 prospecting licenses, and 23 surplus mineral resource licenses.

Al-Jaraah emphasized that the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources is focused on protecting and enhancing the value of the mining sector in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. The goal is to transform mining into the third pillar of the national industry and leverage the Kingdom’s vast mineral wealth, estimated at around SR9.3 trillion.


Saudi Arabia’s CMA approves regulatory changes to strengthen debt market

Updated 13 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s CMA approves regulatory changes to strengthen debt market

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority has approved its largest regulatory overhaul to date for the sukuk and debt instruments market, marking a significant step in the country’s financial sector development.

The newly approved changes introduce key amendments to the rules on the offer of securities and continuing obligations, particularly related to the issuance of debt instruments.

These adjustments simplify prospectus requirements for public, private, and exempted offerings, streamlining the process and reducing regulatory burdens.

These changes will take effect as soon as they are published and are designed to attract a wider range of issuers and foster deeper investment in the market.

“By facilitating the listing requirements for debt instrument, we are increasing the attractiveness of the local debt capital market to drive increased participation from issuers and investors,” Mohammed Al-Rumaih, CEO of the Saudi Exchange, said.

The amendments to the listing rules of debt instruments mark a significant milestone in the continued development of Saudi Arabia’s debt capital market, further reinforcing our commitment to building a globally competitive and sophisticated debt capital market.”

The reforms aim to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s regulatory framework for debt instruments, creating a more dynamic and accessible market. Notably, the amendments allow the Kingdom’s development funds, sovereign wealth funds, and development banks to issue debt instruments through exempt offerings, subject to specific conditions.

This flexibility will enable these institutions to better align their financing strategies with Saudi Arabia’s broader development goals.

“As we move forward, the Saudi Exchange remains focused on providing a robust platform for debt financing that supports the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions, specifically the Financial Sector Development Program aspirations in deepening the debt capital market,” Al-Rumaih said.

The new regulations also simplify the documentation process for public offerings, reducing prospectus requirements by more than 50 percent.

A dedicated section for public offerings will improve regulatory clarity, ensuring that all material information is disclosed to investors while maintaining investor protection.

In addition to easing public offering requirements, the changes introduce more flexibility for private offerings. The CMA has eliminated the prior requirement for advance notification before launching an offering.

Issuers can now notify the CMA and immediately proceed with their offerings, a change that is expected to expedite the financing process and improve efficiency.

These regulatory enhancements are part of Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to develop its sukuk and debt markets as a crucial funding channel for businesses.

By improving access to financing, the reforms are expected to drive greater economic growth and help position the sukuk and debt markets as central components of the Kingdom’s financial ecosystem.

The reforms align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to diversify the economy and enhance the capital markets. They also reflect the CMA’s ongoing commitment to improving market transparency, protecting investors, and increasing market participation.

In parallel, the CMA recently invited public feedback on amendments to the investment funds regulations, which are also part of efforts to refine the framework for private and foreign investment funds, particularly in retail markets. These changes aim to better protect retail investors, addressing risks that emerged from a 2021 regulation allowing individual retail investments up to SR200,000 ($53,245).

The consultation period for these proposed changes will run for 30 calendar days.

With these far-reaching regulatory reforms, Saudi Arabia is poised to further strengthen its sukuk and debt markets, positioning them as key drivers of economic growth and investment. The CMA’s efforts to enhance transparency and investor protection are expected to boost both domestic and international confidence in the Kingdom’s financial markets.


Saudi PIF to offer 2% of Saudi Telecom Co. shares to investors

Updated 13 November 2024
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Saudi PIF to offer 2% of Saudi Telecom Co. shares to investors

  • Goldman Sachs Saudi Arabia and SNB Capital are acting as joint global coordinators and bookrunners for PIF
  • Remaining shares held by PIF represent 62% of the firm’s issued share capital

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has announced the offering of 2 percent of its Saudi Telecom Co.’s stake, amounting to 100 million shares, to qualified institutional investors locally and globally.

Goldman Sachs Saudi Arabia and SNB Capital, acting as joint global coordinators and bookrunners for PIF, announced that the share price, or offer rate, would be determined through an accelerated book-building process, according to a statement on the Saudi Stock Exchange.

This falls in line with PIF’s vision, which has about $925 billion assets under management, of becoming a global investment powerhouse and the world’s most impactful investor, enabling the creation of new sectors and opportunities that will shape the future global economy, while driving the economic transformation of Saudi Arabia.

The Tadawul statement said that following the completion of the offering, the remaining shares held by PIF in the company, representing 62 percent of the firm’s issued share capital, will be subject to a 90-day contractual lock-up undertaking.

The company will not receive any proceeds from the issuance, and the offering will not dilute the shares of the organization’s additional shareholders.

The statement also said that the final number of offer shares, price, and results will be announced by Nov. 14. 

The sale will be executed through off-market negotiated deals on Nov. 14 before market opening, under the Negotiated Deals Framework stipulated under the Trading and Membership Procedures issued by the Saudi Exchange.

The offering will be available to institutional investors within the Kingdom, qualified foreign institutional backers in line with the Rules for Foreign Investment in Securities, and institutional beneficiaries of swap agreements made with a Capital Market Authority-authorized person to trade shares on the Saudi Exchange on their behalf. 

It will also be open to Gulf Cooperation Council investors, including companies and funds authorized to trade in Saudi shares.


Closing Bell: Saudi Arabia’s TASI closes in red, down 0.97%

Updated 13 November 2024
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Closing Bell: Saudi Arabia’s TASI closes in red, down 0.97%

  • MSCI Tadawul 30 Index declined 15.60 points to close at 1,500.54 points
  • Parallel market Nomu closed the day at 29,205.53 points, reflecting an increase of 95.12 points

RIYADH: The Tadawul All Share Index in Saudi Arabia concluded Wednesday’s trading session at 11,930.45 points, marking a decrease of 117.22 points or 0.97 percent. 

MSCI Tadawul 30 Index also declined 15.60 points to close at 1,500.54 points, a 1.03 percent decrease. 

The parallel market Nomu closed the day at 29,205.53 points, reflecting an increase of 95.12 points, or 0.33 percent.

TASI reported a trading volume of SR5.540 billion ($1.474 billion), with 52 stocks gaining and 178 falling.

The best-performing stock was Shatirah House Restaurant Co., whose share price surged 10 percent to SR20.24.  

Other top performers include Saudi Cable Co. and Alkhaleej Training and Education Co., whose share prices soared by 5 percent and 4.08 percent to SR88.20 and SR30.60, respectively.

Other top performers include Bawan Co. and Middle East Specialized Cables Co.

The worst performer was Ash-Sharqiyah Development Co., whose share price dropped by 5.18 percent to SR19.40.

Other worst performers were United International Transportation Co. and National Medical Care Co., whose share prices dropped by 3.87 percent and 3.33 percent, respectively, to stand at SR79.50 and SR168.60.

Saudi Tadawul Group Holding Co. was another worst performer, whose share price dropped by 3.08 percent to SR232.60.   

On the parallel market Nomu, Leaf Global Environmental Services Co. was the top gainer, with its share price surging by 8.68 percent to SR98.90.

Other top gainers on the parallel market were Fad International Co. and Al Mohafaza Co. for Education, with their share prices surging by 7.24 percent and 6.04 percent to reach SR81.50 and SR28.10, respectively.

Rawasi Albina Investment Co. and Amwaj International Co. were the other top gainers on Nomu.

Al-Razi Medical Co. was the major loser on this market, as the company’s share price slipped by 7.98 percent to SR47.85.  

First Avenue for Real Estate Development Co. and Obeikan Glass Co. were other major losers on Nomu, with share prices dropping by 6.18 percent and 6.01 percent, reaching SR8.35 and SR49.25, respectively.