SparkLabs operates a program to visit and exchange with domestic startups in collaboration with the Saudi government.

– 20 startups selected by the Saudi government to experience the Korean startup ecosystem for six weeks

SparkLabs offers networking, meetups, mentoring, and more, including visits to major corporations and institutions.

Global accelerator SparkLabs (CEO Kim Yu-jin) and SparkLabs Saudi (CEO Ivan Grlic) announced that they will run the 'Tech Founder in Korea 2025' program together with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) until December 12.

Tech Founder is a project promoted by the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to revitalize the country's startup ecosystem and strengthen the capabilities of entrepreneurs. This is the third project to be launched in Korea, following Singapore last year and the UK in the first half of this year.

This program will feature 20 promising technology startups, directly selected by the Saudi government, who will experience the Korean startup ecosystem and cutting-edge technology infrastructure for six weeks, exploring collaboration opportunities and strategies for entering the Asian market.

Co-host SparkLabs will provide a nurturing program including ▲ networking with promising startup founders ▲ strategic meetups between investors and large corporations ▲ company diagnosis and one-on-one customized mentoring, as well as visits to major domestic corporations and institutions. In addition, it will also set up a 'Come Up' booth where Saudi startups can be introduced and cooperation discussed.

Additionally, on December 8th, Saudi startups will hold a private demo day where they can present their business models and visions to domestic investors and startup officials, and establish investment attraction links and partnerships.

Since last year, SparkLabs has been collaborating with Saudi government agencies to build a local startup ecosystem and support Korean startups' expansion into the Middle East. Currently, SparkLabs operates the Saudi AI startup accelerator program "AIM-X" and the "AIM AI" fund, which received a total investment of $50 million (approximately KRW 67 billion) from the Saudi government.

Kim Yu-jin, CEO of SparkLabs, said, “It is meaningful to be able to introduce Korea’s cutting-edge technology infrastructure and ecosystem, a hub of innovation in Asia, through this program. I hope this will be an opportunity for promising Saudi startups to confirm their potential to enter the Asian market and expand complementary partnerships.”