Saudi startup FlowGuard, originating from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), won first place globally and secured $1 million (SAR 3.75 million) in seed funding at the Hult Prize competition, marking the Kingdom's debut participation in the global event following support from the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority “Monsha'at”.

Monsha'at contributed to enabling the Saudi entry in collaboration with the private sector by hosting the local competition, providing judges and expertise, and delivering specialized consultation and guidance services. Monsha'at also leveraged its network to connect the FlowGuard team with commercial opportunities that generated sales to support its qualification for the global accelerator.

FlowGuard outperformed nearly 18,000 startups from 130 countries, serving as the sole Arab representative among the top eight global finalists before securing the champion title.

Monsha'at said the achievement reflects the impact of the university entrepreneurship support ecosystem in developing business models, connecting startups with markets, and driving international competitiveness, adding that it continues to work alongside universities and partners to build companies capable of global expansion under Saudi Vision 2030.