• Riyadh Valley Company and SparkLabs launch the King Saud University Venture Fund with an integrated startup accelerator.
• The fund targets early-stage startups from KSU students, researchers, faculty, and tech ventures leveraging university innovation.
• SparkLabs will manage the fund to strengthen investment readiness and transform research outputs into scalable tech companies.

King Saud University Venture Fund 

Riyadh Valley Company, the investment arm of King Saud University (KSU), launches King Saud University Venture Fund in partnership with SparkLabs. The launch is establishing the venture fund with an accompanying accelerator. 

This initiative aims to strengthen the university’s innovation ecosystem. It also aims to transform scientific research outputs and entrepreneurial projects into high-impact, sustainable tech startups.

Innovation

The fund targets early-stage startups, with a particular focus on ventures emerging from KSU. This includes projects led by students, researchers, and faculty members. It also seeks to attract promising technology companies seeking to benefit from the university’s advanced research and innovation infrastructure. 

The fund’s management will be taken over by SparkLabs.Founded in Silicon Valley in 2013, SparkLabs is a venture capital and startup acceleration platform. It operates in more than 12 countries and its investment track record includes hundreds of technology companies across various sectors.

Dr. Khalid bin Saad Al-Saleh, CEO of Riyadh Valley Company, emphasizes that this step aligns with the company’s role in supporting King Saud University’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. He also notes that the fund and its accompanying accelerator aim to build the capabilities of university-based entrepreneurs and enhance the investment readiness of tech projects. Additionally, the fund aims to support the university’s position in innovation and technology.