Saudi Arabia Launches Biban 2025 Forum with $5.9 Billion in Strategic Deals
- ByStartupStory | November 6, 2025
The highly anticipated Biban Forum 2025 was inaugurated in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking a pivotal moment for regional entrepreneurship and innovation. The forum’s opening day witnessed the signing of eight major financing agreements worth a combined $5.9 billion (approximately SAR 22 billion), underscoring Biban’s role as a vibrant platform driving SME growth, innovation, and private sector development in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
Organized by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority, Monsha’at, Biban 2025 is designed to serve as a global destination for entrepreneurial opportunities, bringing together investors, startups, government entities, and business leaders under one roof at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Convention Center. This annual event offers a comprehensive agenda focusing on financing, entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment to accelerate ecosystem development and diversify the Kingdom’s economy.
The $5.9 billion in agreements span various sectors, including technology, creative industries, digital health, innovative financial services, and e-commerce. The forum highlighted the growing prominence of women entrepreneurs, with female-led startups accounting for about 18.5% of the over 1,000 participating companies. This reflects Monsha’at’s concerted efforts to empower women through targeted programs fostering business establishment, capacity building, and market access, such as the “Women and Technology” Future Makers initiative launched in partnership with Standard Chartered Saudi Arabia.
Biban 2025 features practical initiatives including investor pitch sessions, networking zones, and personalized one-on-one meetings designed to facilitate startup financing and partnerships. Monsha’at also announced a memorandum of understanding with Standard Chartered Saudi Arabia to support the acceleration of technology-based women-led startups, reinforcing the forum’s commitment to gender diversity and inclusion.
The forum’s catalyst role extends to talent development, digital transformation, and creating inclusive opportunities that benefit both local economies and international investors. It showcases inspiring entrepreneurial journeys, highlights success drivers in entrepreneurship, and explores future trends and challenges while facilitating access to capital and resources required for business scaling.
Senior leaders at the forum emphasized Saudi Arabia’s strategic position as a nexus for innovation and entrepreneurial investment, offering legislative facilitations, logistical advantages, and a supportive entrepreneurial environment. The forum is expected to bolster private sector participation, stimulate foreign investment, and nurture startups aligned with national socioeconomic goals.
With over $5.9 billion secured in financing deals on day one alone, Biban 2025 sets a robust foundation for sustained economic growth and innovation, affirming Saudi Arabia’s vision to become a global hub for startups and investor collaboration.
In summary, Biban Forum 2025’s successful launch and significant deal announcements highlight Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to enriching its entrepreneurial ecosystem, fostering inclusive growth, and propelling SMEs and startups towards a prosperous future aligned with Vision 2030.
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