Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) announced the launch of a new Venture Investment Readiness Program in partnership with Keheilan Fund to support deep-tech startups transitioning into the venture capital stage.

As per a recent press release, the program aims to prepare 15 startups graduating from the KACST Venture Program (KVP) for investment readiness, while Keheilan Fund will lead an investment round for one selected startup. Five additional companies will also undergo an intensive training track as part of the initiative.

The announcement was made during the graduation ceremony for 46 deep-tech startups from the second edition of the KVP at “The Garage” innovation hub, supported by the National Technology Development Program (NTDP). The participating startups represented five Saudi universities and research institutions, with total financial support reaching SAR6.9 million.

The showcased companies presented innovations across sectors including AI, cybersecurity, clean energy, green hydrogen, biomedical technologies, autonomous vehicles, advanced manufacturing, radars, and 3D printing.

KACST also launched the third edition of the KVP program, which aims to help Saudi research teams transform research and innovation outputs into scalable startups. Since its launch in 2024, the program has supported the graduation of 92 deep-tech startups and facilitated multiple technology licensing agreements with startups and private sector companies as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 innovation goals.