A Ministry of Environment official told (Maaal): Investment rounds and funding for startups in the agriculture, water, and environment sectors total 32 million riyals

By: Fahad Al-Talal

Ali bin Khalid Al-Ghamdi, Senior Director of Food Technologies at the Sunbulah Entrepreneurship Program at the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, revealed in an interview with (Maaal) newspaper that the ministry has succeeded in empowering approximately 35 startups in the agriculture, water, and environment sectors, with the total investment and funding rounds these companies have obtained amounting to approximately 32 million riyals.

Al-Ghamdi added, on the sidelines of the “MENA Innovation” event organized by PepsiCo to celebrate youth, innovation, and sustainability in the Kingdom and the Arab region, that the Sunbulah program—one of the ministry’s programs—has achieved remarkable success in the food technology field, with companies supported through it raising funding exceeding 28 million riyals, including more than 22 million riyals through investment rounds. He emphasized that these programs have contributed to the creation of more than 300 jobs, in addition to localizing a number of international companies within the Kingdom. Al-Ghamdi explained that the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture is working to develop the entrepreneurship ecosystem through three main sectors. It has launched a specialized program for each sector: the Sidra Entrepreneurship Program in the environment sector, the Sahabah Program in the water sector, and the Sunbula Program in the agriculture and food sector. He noted that these programs work in a complementary manner to empower entrepreneurs and support the growth of the private sector in the Kingdom.

Al-Ghamdi explained that the Sunbula Program has also succeeded in attracting four international companies from the United States, France, Italy, and Hong Kong to work in the food industry and agricultural production within the Kingdom. At the level of strategic objectives, the Ministry seeks, through these initiatives, to contribute to achieving targets of up to 130 billion riyals in the agriculture and food sector of Saudi Arabia’s GDP by 2030. Approximately 85 billion riyals have been achieved to date, which enhances the chances of reaching the target ahead of schedule. For his part, Ghassan Halawa, founder and CEO of Parachute 16, said that the Kingdom ranked first globally for healthcare startups and second globally in three key sectors: tech insurance, delivery and logistics services, and digital payments within the fintech sector. It also ranked fifth globally in the gaming sector and seventh in educational technology.

Halawa added, “All these indicators confirm the size of the promising opportunities in the Kingdom and the growing demand in vital sectors with economic and strategic priorities.”

He pointed out that among the most prominent emerging sectors is the real estate technology sector, noting that current demand for real estate projects represents only 33% of the projected demand in 2030, opening up huge opportunities in the fields of design, construction, sustainable materials, and real estate technologies related to the residential and property booking experience. Halawa explained that the Saudi Venture Capital Company has contributed to financing more than 53 investment funds so far in 2025, and aims to enable 100 investment funds by 2027, both local and international, provided they invest within the Kingdom. He emphasized that this trend reflects the government’s clear vision of linking venture capital financing to sustainable local development. For her part, Rona Halabi, Communications and Social Impact Manager in the Middle East at PepsiCo, said that large companies cannot grow or survive without the support and empowerment of young people. She emphasized that these companies’ need for young entrepreneurs exceeds the need of young people themselves, noting that the partnership between the private sector and entrepreneurs represents the cornerstone of innovation and sustainable growth.