Saudi Arabia’s King Saud University (KSU) is strengthening its startup ecosystem with the launch of a new accelerator program backed by a $20 million venture capital fund, created in partnership with Silicon Valley-based venture capital and accelerator network SparkLabs.
The initiative is supported by Riyadh Valley Company (RVC), the investment arm of King Saud University, and is designed to help ambitious founders build and scale startups from Saudi Arabia.
At the core of the initiative is SparkLabs KSU Fund I, a $20 million venture fund that will invest in high-potential founders at the pre-seed, seed, and Series A stages. The fund focuses primarily on Saudi founders and startups emerging from the KSU ecosystem, while also allocating capital to international founders planning to expand and localize their businesses in Saudi Arabia.
Alongside the fund, the partners have launched the SparkLabs KSU Accelerator, a four-month intensive growth program aimed at helping early-stage startups accelerate product development, market access, and fundraising readiness.
Applications for the accelerator are now open, with the first cohort set to begin on April 10, 2026. Selected startups will receive up to $300,000 in investment, as well as access to mentorship from global industry leaders, connections to international investors, and a community designed to help founders secure their first customers.
The accelerator is open to founders from Saudi Arabia and abroad who are looking to build or expand their ventures within the Kingdom. According to the organizers, the program aims to attract entrepreneurs who are ready to scale quickly and contribute to the country’s growing innovation ecosystem.
The initiative builds on collaboration that began in 2025 with the Entrepreneurship Institute at King Saud University, which focused on strengthening the university’s role in supporting entrepreneurship and commercializing research.
With strong backing from Riyadh Valley Company and global accelerator expertise from SparkLabs, the program aims to position King Saud University as a launchpad for the next generation of Saudi startups.
The deadline for applications is March 15, 2026, giving founders a limited window to apply for the upcoming cohort.
