نورهان فؤاد
- The fund targets early-stage startups, particularly spin-offs from the university.
- Riyadh Valley Company launches a venture fund and accelerator at King Saud University in partnership with SparkLabs.
- The initiative aims to commercialize research and strengthen the university’s role in the knowledge economy.
Riyadh Valley Company, the investment arm of King Saud University, announced its participation in establishing a venture fund and business accelerator at the university in collaboration with SparkLabs, a global venture capital and accelerator platform. The initiative represents a strategic step aimed at strengthening the university’s innovation ecosystem and transforming research outputs and entrepreneurial projects into technology startups with sustainable economic impact.
The fund will focus on investing in early-stage startups, with particular emphasis on companies emerging from King Saud University, including ventures founded by students, researchers, and faculty members. It will also seek to attract promising technology startups to leverage the university’s advanced research and technical infrastructure.
The fund will be managed by SparkLabs, one of the leading global venture capital and accelerator platforms. Founded in Silicon Valley in 2013, SparkLabs operates in more than 12 countries and has invested in hundreds of technology companies across various sectors.
In this context, Dr. Khalid bin Saad Al-Saleh, CEO of Riyadh Valley Company, stated that the initiative aligns with the company’s strategic role in supporting the university’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. He added that the fund and accompanying accelerator will enhance entrepreneurs’ capabilities, improve the investment readiness of technology projects, and strengthen the university’s role in the knowledge economy, reinforcing its position as one of the Kingdom’s leading innovation-driven institutions.
