Roland Berger, a leading global consulting firm of German heritage, is seeking to foster the growing number of entrepreneurs in KSA, as it supports the first German-Saudi Startup Competition held in Riyadh this month, an event organized by The German-Saudi Arabian Liaison Office for Economic Affairs (GESALO).
The ten best startups got the opportunity to pitch their business ideas in front of the members of the local German Business Community and a high-ranked jury including H.R.H Johara Bint Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the German Ambassador, H.E. Dieter W. Haller, GESALO Delegate Oliver Oehms, leading local entrepreneurs, and investors, including Kushal Shah, Managing Partner for the Middle East at Roland Berger and Investment Committee Member of Dubai Angel Investors (DAI), the region’s largest venture capital company. The competition was open for Saudi startups founded in 2015 or later, in the fields of tech innovation and social entrepreneurship.
The two winners Abdullah Asiri and Basim Albeldi secured a four-day startup tour in Germany. As a particular highlight, the startups will get the chance to pitch at the MENA Business Forum in the presence of special guests such as H.E. Khaled Juffali and leading businessmen in Berlin on April 12, 2018. During the visit, the winners will also get a chance to experience the vibrant startup ecosystem in Berlin, as well as meetings with successful German founders, investors, and experts, and a visit to Roland Berger’s Berlin-based “Spielfeld Digital Hub”, a corporate innovation hub that bridges the gap between the startup and corporate world.
Kushal Shah, Managing Partner for the Middle East at Roland Berger commented, “The number of startups is growing at a faster rate than ever before in the region and entrepreneurship is becoming center stage in KSA in particular, in line with its Vision 2030. The role of Monsha’at in particular, the Small and Medium Enterprise Authority, has been key in fostering the growth of this ecosystem. At Roland Berger, entrepreneurship is part of our DNA and we are delighted to be supporting the first German Saudi Startup Competition in Riyadh, given our strong connection with both geographies. We look forward to hosting the winners at Spielfeld Digital Hub in Berlin, our German corporate innovation hub, next month. We are indeed proud to help Saudi entrepreneurs kick-start their careers through our vast network and expertise. These entrepreneurs are eyeing global opportunities, allowing them to deep dive into Berlin’s vibrant startup ecosystem will be highly beneficial for their future”.
The event, supported by Roland Berger and other prominent regional players, was organized by The German-Saudi Arabian Liaison Office for Economic Affairs (GESALO) in cooperation with the German Embassy in Riyadh.
Oliver Oehms, Delegate of German Industry & Commerce for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Yemen added, “We offer young Saudi entrepreneurs a platform to connect to industry leaders, experienced investors, and potential new customers from Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf region. Small and medium-sized companies and innovative business ideas are the key drivers of the German economy and a growing sector in Saudi Arabia. We intend to support young Saudi startups with our network and know-how.”
Roland Berger, with 2,400 employees operating from 34 countries, is the only leading global consultancy of German heritage and European origin. The consultancy is an independent partnership owned exclusively by 220 Partners. In the Middle East, Roland Berger is very active, especially in the public sector, energy, telecom, transportation and financial services.