Saudi Arabia’s startup ecosystem climbed 27 spots to 38th globally in 2025, up 236.8% y-o-y — the largest jump within the top 100, according to StartupBlink’s Global Startup EcosystemIndex 2025 (pdf). Within the Arab countries, the Kingdom ranked second behind the UAE (21st globally), and third across the broader MENA region.

Saudi startups attracted a total of USD 653.8 mn in funding in 2024, driven by three unicorns and four Y Combinator startups.

IN CONTEXT- Saudi investors were the most active in the region last year, accounting for 175 agreements and surpassing the US, the UAE and Egypt, according to a Wamda report. Among Saudi-based investors, PIF-backed Sanabil 500 ranked second in MENA with 14 agreements.

Saudi cities saw similar leaps, with Riyadh rising 64 spots to 72nd place globally, second in the Arab countries, and first in e-commerce and retail in the Middle East. The capital’s ecosystem grew 130% y-o-y, the highest among the top 350 cities, further closing the gap with Dubai. Jeddah followed with a 123-spot leap to rank 255th globally, placing it among the top 10 cities in the Middle East.

Within the GCC- Riyadh ranked second, Jeddah fourth, and Dammam sixth. Madina also made it into the global top 1k.

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