Thuwal, Saudi Arabia – King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and the Saudi Center for Digital Entrepreneurship (CODE) have announced a pioneering joint acceleration framework designed to provide high-growth international tech startups with immediate access to Saudi Arabia's booming startup ecosystem. The core highlight of the partnership is a newly established fast-track endorsement mechanism that enables graduating international tech cohorts to secure the MISA Entrepreneur License with unprecedented speed.
Eliminating Licensing Bottlenecks
To obtain a MISA Entrepreneur License, foreign startups must traditionally secure an official endorsement letter from an approved Saudi government entity, university, or venture accelerator. The new KAUST-CODE collaboration drastically optimizes this process:
- 48-Hour Endorsement Turnaround: Startups graduating from designated KAUST global accelerators or CODE-backed programs can now secure their official MISA endorsement letters within 48 hours of graduation.
- Direct MISA Integration: The endorsement is transmitted digitally to the Ministry of Investment, allowing founders to complete their commercial registration and corporate setup within days.
- Waived Capital Requirements: In line with startup-friendly regulations, the fast-track route completely waives the standard capital investment requirements, making it highly accessible for early-stage ventures.
Access to Funding & Infrastructure
Beyond licensing, the joint framework provides comprehensive incubation support designed to embed international startups into the local ecosystem. Graduating cohorts receive direct access to KAUST Innovation Ventures and the CODE partner network for seed and series funding opportunities. Furthermore, founders can leverage KAUST's world-class research facilities, laboratories, and supercomputing power (Shaheen III), alongside CODE's commercialization resources and cloud credits.
Driving Saudi Arabia's Knowledge Economy
This partnership directly supports Saudi Vision 2030's goals of fostering a robust knowledge-based economy. By lowering regulatory barriers for global deeptech, biotech, and software founders, KAUST and CODE are positioning the Kingdom as a highly competitive landing pad for global technological innovation and venture capital investment.