250 مشروعًا تتأهل إلى تصفيات كأس العالم لريادة الأعمال بالرياض

250 entrepreneurial projects representing 81 countries around the world have qualified for the virtual training camp of the World Cup for Entrepreneurship, held in collaboration with Esade Ramon Llull University; one of the leading global universities specializing in entrepreneurship.

The qualified projects were distributed according to their entrepreneurial stages, with 9% in the idea stage, 51% in the initial stage, and 40% in the growth stage. There was a notable participation of specialized projects in space technologies, representing 12% of the total, indicating the expansion of the scope of innovation to include new and promising sectors globally.

The capital Riyadh is set to host the global finals of the competition, organized by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority "Monsha'at," in partnership with the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation "Misk," and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), reflecting the Kingdom's growing status as a global driver of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The training program for the qualified projects includes theoretical and practical sessions extending over three days, with five hours daily, in addition to 20 specialized workshops in various fields. The program provides participants with the opportunity for direct meetings with more than 5 local and global investors, and connections with 9 entities from the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Kingdom. 100 projects among the participants will qualify for the global finals hosted by the "Biban" forum in Riyadh.

This year's preliminary rounds of the competition witnessed unprecedented turnout, with more than 10,000 enterprises from 169 countries applying, representing a doubling of the number of entries compared to last year.

The World Cup for Entrepreneurship is the largest international competition of its kind, bringing together the best 100 global entrepreneurial enterprises in Riyadh this year to compete for cash prizes exceeding $1.5 million, in addition to investment opportunities and strategic partnerships with more than 64 global partners. The Kingdom's hosting of this championship affirms Riyadh's status as a global center for innovation and entrepreneurship, and embodies its ongoing commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and providing a stimulating environment to accelerate the growth of their projects and expand their international presence.