The Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority “Monsha’at”, in partnership with the National Center for Non-Profit Sector and the Social Development Bank, has concluded Social Entrepreneurship Week, held as part of a series of business weeks organized by Monsha’at to empower entrepreneurs to benefit from social investment opportunities and build high-impact partnerships. The event saw participation from 41 entities across the public and private sectors, and delivered more than 843 consultation sessions to 2,818 beneficiaries, including entrepreneurs and business founders.

The week featured nine panel discussions and 46 entrepreneurial meetings, which explored social investment opportunities, approaches to building sustainable business models, and the role of partnerships in enhancing the developmental impact of social enterprises.

Sessions covered a range of topics, including opportunities in social entrepreneurship, mechanisms for developing impact-driven projects, empowerment of social enterprises, and strengthening integration between the public and non-profit sectors to support development initiatives.

During one of the panel discussions, His Excellency Eng. Mansour bin Hilal Al Mushaiti, Vice Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, highlighted that social entrepreneurship presents promising growth opportunities, noting that passion is a key driver in transforming community ideas into impactful realities. He emphasized that key success factors for social entrepreneurs include personal traits, team strength, business models, ideas, and funding, adding that the environment, water, and agriculture sectors offer significant opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs.

His Royal Highness Prince Fahad bin Mansour bin Nasser, Founder and Chairman of Entrepreneurship Vision Association, stated that social entrepreneurship combines financial returns with sustainable social and developmental impact, stressing that Saudi Arabia’s culture of giving and volunteerism provides a strong foundation for sector growth and for directing resources toward projects with lasting economic and social impact.

Her Highness Princess Nouf bint Mohammed bin Abdullah, CEO of King Khalid Foundation, noted that successful social projects begin with a clear understanding of real needs, addressing root challenges, and designing scalable, applicable solutions. She also highlighted the importance of empowering entrepreneurs through capacity building, mentorship, and connecting them with the right partners and investors throughout their growth journey.

She further explained that the Foundation’s Capacity Building Program supports non-profit organizations through training, consulting, and institutional development to enhance sustainability, while its Social Investment Program aims to drive positive social change by helping social enterprises plan and finance their projects and connect with relevant enablers and supporters.

Salman Al Khattaf, General Manager of Decision Support at the Quality of Life Program, highlighted the role of social entrepreneurship in improving quality of life by developing initiatives that address societal challenges and enhance community engagement. He emphasized the importance of innovative solutions and integration between national programs and entrepreneurs to maximize developmental impact and achieve the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

The organization of Social Entrepreneurship Week reflects Monsha’at’s ongoing efforts to develop the social entrepreneurship ecosystem, empower impact-driven enterprises to access investment opportunities and strategic partnerships, and enhance the sustainability of social enterprises while increasing the non-profit sector’s contribution to economic and social development in line with Saudi Vision 2030.