The Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority “Monsha’at” celebrated the graduation of 20 university startups from the Qassim University accelerator, as part of the University Startup Accelerator Program, in the presence of the President of the University, Professor Mohammed bin Fahad Al-Sharekh; the Governor of the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority “Monsha’at”, Sami bin Ibrahim Al Hussaini; and several experts and specialists in entrepreneurship.

The University Startup Accelerator Program is one of the initiatives of the Human Capability Development Program. It aims to support the entrepreneurial projects of university staff, students, and recent graduates, develop their capabilities, strengthen their growth in the market, improve their attractiveness for investment capital, and improve their organizational structure and competitiveness, so that they become successful startups that attract investment opportunities and are able to grow, expand, and sustain themselves.

The startups presented their projects in the presence and with the participation of a group of angel investors, financing entities, and providers of development services for the participating projects. The projects spanned several sectors, such as technology, e-commerce, entertainment, tourism, and manufacturing, as well as financial and advanced technology.

During their journey, the participants benefited from a set of programs and services dedicated to new startups, with the aim of supporting and developing them into successful companies over 6 months for each accelerator, by receiving financial grants, holding workshops and guidance sessions, and accessing a set of financing solutions, as well as the opportunity to connect with investors and financing entities and to hold enriching meetings with successful entrepreneurs.

Through these programs, Monsha’at seeks to strengthen the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the Kingdom’s university sector, to enable and develop the Kingdom’s economy, to strengthen sustainability in entrepreneurial projects in line with Saudi Vision 2030, and to address all the challenges entrepreneurs may face, helping their businesses grow and expand.