AI semiconductor startup Rebellion (CEO Park Sung-hyun) announced on the 19th that it has established a local subsidiary in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, accelerating its expansion into the Middle Eastern market. This marks the first time a Korean AI semiconductor startup has established a local subsidiary in Saudi Arabia.
Last year, Rebellion secured strategic investment from Wa'ed Ventures, the corporate venture capital (CVC) arm of Saudi Aramco, and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Aramco to supply AI semiconductors. Rebellion subsequently supplied rack-level products to Aramco data centers and successfully completed a proof-of-concept (PoC), demonstrating performance and technological compatibility in real-world environments.
Rebellion is working with Aramco engineers and local technology partners on this project, conducting technical sessions and practical training, and is pursuing long-term supply agreements and partnerships based on these sessions.
In addition, Rebellion is currently negotiating with major Saudi telecommunications companies to supply AI semiconductors and is expanding collaboration with small and medium-sized ICT companies. Furthermore, Rebellion has launched a customized AI infrastructure project targeting the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with global semiconductor company Marvell Technologies.
Recently, demand for "Sovereign AI," aimed at securing data sovereignty and developing Arabic-based AI models, has been growing in the Middle East. The Saudi government is also pursuing the construction of large-scale data center infrastructure by 2030, and global companies such as OpenAI, G42, and Oracle are also building related facilities in Abu Dhabi and other locations.
To address these market trends, Rebellion established a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia as part of its localization strategy. Considering the region's emphasis on face-to-face communication and long-term trust-building, Rebellion plans to strengthen its recruitment, technical support, and sales operations based on the local subsidiary.
Rebellion's new business strategy director, Chaeyoung Eom, said, "Saudi Arabia is a market where localization strategies determine the success or failure of a business." She added, "Rebellion already has experience working with various organizations, and based on this, we will establish a systematic support system to expand sales performance."
CEO Park Sung-hyun said, “The establishment of this corporation is an important starting point for responding to the demand of the sovereign AI market and strengthening our position in the global semiconductor market,” and added, “We plan to fully accelerate business growth in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia.”
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