SDG 1: NO POVERTY

1.4.2 Does your university as a body provide financial assistance to the local community assisting the start-up of sustainable businesses?

Al Maarefa University signs MOU with the Financial System Alliance (Meeza Program)

MOU provides tuition/course discounts for members of financial system alliance — support direct to other sectors; There are no direct sub-vendors in start-ups. Continuing to strengthen the strategic partnerships that Al Maarefa University is keen to achieve as part of its social responsibilities, a partnership agreement was signed with the Financial System Alliance (Mazya Program) that includes supporting the employees of the Financial System by granting them and their families special discounts on tuition fees at the university, as well as courses offered by the university’s Business Center [1].

Student Guide – Scholarships & Discounts

The University Student Guide lists the scholarships, partial grants and discount schemes available to students and affiliated communities — including references to the Meeza program benefits and annual partial grants. The guide documents administrative rules for grants and tuition discounts, which demonstrates institutional mechanisms for financial support (mostly discounts and partial scholarships rather than seed funds for community start-ups).

Innovation & Entrepreneurship Camp (Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship)

Al Maarefa University’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship ran a four-day Innovation & Entrepreneurship Camp with lectures, practical workshops, and mentorship to train students on the basics of turning ideas into startup projects. The program provides hands-on training, access to mentors and guidance on business models — a supply-side mechanism that increases local entrepreneurs’ readiness to access finance, though it does not itself provide cash grants. In the university’s pursuit of qualitative education that is compatible with its aspirations for the future, His Excellency the President of the University met on Sunday 7/2/1442, corresponding to 2/14/2021, and in the presence of His Excellency the Provost and university leaders, met with the president and delegation of the international company Lamarka, which specializes in designing innovation and entrepreneurship programs. Aspects of joint cooperation and programs that the international company can provide in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship were discussed, as academic packages that enhance the value of the university’s outputs.

Research & Innovation support — Center provides technical/logistic support

The University describes its Research & Innovation center as providing technical and logistical backing to students and researchers to translate ideas into applied projects and prototypes. This institutional support (labs, prototyping facilities, technical supervision) reduces the capital barrier for community entrepreneurs and acts as an in-kind financial assistance (resource provision) that helps launch sustainable ventures. Knowledge University has achieved a significant leap in scientific research and innovation, marking an unprecedented accomplishment that reflects its rising standing among leading universities both locally and internationally. Official statistics released on May 20, 2025, demonstrated outstanding research performance, with university researchers publishing 2,119 papers in the Web of Science database and 2,027 papers in Scopus , a clear indicator of intensive scientific activity and high-quality research output [2].

Alongside this research excellence, Al-Maarefa University has demonstrated a clear role in supporting innovation and developing new solutions, registering more than 23 new inventions recently. These inventions range from prototypes to practical applications, and several have received international patents from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). These innovations include advanced solutions in various medical and technological fields, such as smart medical devices to minimize surgical intervention, AI-based systems for monitoring vital signs, and targeted drug delivery systems for treating cancerous tumors, reflecting the university's commitment to harnessing technology for the benefit of humanity.

AI hackathon / “Jusoor AI” (AI-Disability project)

Al Maarefa affiliated AI/Disability initiatives organized a hackathon focused on AI solutions to support people with disabilities. The hackathon provided mentoring, team formation, prototyping support and typically includes awards/prizes or follow-on incubation opportunities — representing a potential early-stage financing pathway (prizes, investor visibility) for community projects with social impact, in collaboration with the King Salman Center for Disability Research, is proud to organize a series of nine workshops and a hackathon focused on how to use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the lives of people with disabilities. These events, coinciding with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2024, will bring together global leaders and experts to discuss innovative solutions for supporting and treating people with special needs.

Yesterday, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Camp for students at Al-Maarifa University concluded its activities, which were held in the university building for four days, and which were organized by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The camp included many lectures and workshops to enhance the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among the university’s male and female students in order to train them on the basics and concepts of innovation and entrepreneurship and learn about... Its most important sources are through theoretical and practical training workshops. This camp aims to support the future orientations of the senior management at Al-Maarifa University and its vision for the coming years. The innovation camp at the university was keen, over the course of its four days, to attract male and female trainers with national and international skills and experience [3].

Research Day 2023 - Proceedings (collection of student/research projects)

The Research Day proceedings compile student and faculty research projects, some of which include applied prototypes and proposals with commercialization potential. The presence of applied research and commercialization sections shows an internal pipeline of ideas that the university supports technically; such pipeline can be leveraged to access external seed funding or partnerships, although the PDF does not report direct university cash grants to community startups.

Future Vision - Large-scale training agreement

AlMaarefa University has engaged in large-scale funded training agreements (reported SAR 200M / 50,000 beneficiaries) to deliver digital skills and certifications — increasing the capacity of local communities to found and sustain businesses.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Future Vision for Health Training Company has signed a SAR 200 million agreement with AlMaarefa University to launch one of Saudi Arabia’s most ambitious digital education projects. The Future Vision AlMaarefa training deal was disclosed on Tadawul on July 28, 2025 [4].

Digital Education at the Core of Workforce Development

The program will train and certify 50,000 beneficiaries over three years, focusing on building digital skills for Saudi citizens. It supports Vision 2030’s goal of creating a skilled and adaptable workforce for the future economy.

Future Vision described the project as a turning point in its mission to lead digital education in the Kingdom. By teaming up with AlMaarefa University, the company can scale its services through academic and industry collaboration. The program will combine advanced e-learning tools with strong academic content.

Strategic Impact on Future Vision’s Growth Trajectory

The training initiative will contribute to Future Vision’s revenue by Q4 2025. It will help the company diversify its income and scale operations through government-backed and institutional training contracts.

Moreover, this initiative boosts collaboration between higher education and the private sector. It also reinforces Saudi Arabia’s push to centralize digital learning to its innovation and workforce agendas.

By focusing on digital competencies, the program will help reduce skills gaps and prepare young Saudis for fast-growing sectors such as technology, data, and healthcare.

Future Vision confirmed that it will share updates as key project milestones are achieved.

THE SAUDI STANDARD’S VIEW: Future Vision–AlMaarefa Pact Elevates Digital Workforce Capacity

The Future Vision AlMaarefa training deal, valued at SAR 200 million, is a key step in building Saudi Arabia’s digital workforce. It fits directly into Vision 2030’s goals to boost skills, innovation, and job readiness.

Training 50,000 people over three years makes this one of the largest targeted digital upskilling efforts in the Kingdom. It will help close talent gaps across the tech, healthcare, and logistics sectors.

The partnership shows how universities and private firms can collaborate to speed workforce development. This model can be expanded to support regional growth.

The program uses advanced digital platforms to support Saudi Arabia’s shift to tech-based learning, which is essential for preparing workers for AI, data science, and automation jobs.

The size and scope of the project confirm Future Vision’s role as a leader in tech-enabled education. It also helps the company grow its revenue through large-scale national programs.

In conclusion, this initiative is more than a training contract. It’s a strategic investment in the Saudi people, giving them the tools to lead in the digital economy. The Future Vision–AlMaarefa partnership reflects how Vision 2030 is building a smarter, more capable, and future-ready workforce.

WIPO TISC directory

AlMaarefa University is listed in WIPO’s TISC directory, indicating institutional entry points for intellectual property advisory and innovation support — an asset for nascent sustainable enterprises seeking IP guidance [6].

Monsha’at - University Startup Accelerator Program (ecosystem access)

The national University Startup Accelerator Program (Monsha’at) provides funding pathways and investor matchmaking for university-affiliated startups — a channel through which AlMaarefa-affiliated entrepreneurs could access financial assistance.

The University Startup Accelerator Program aims to support the entrepreneurial projects of university affiliates, students, and recent graduates, develop their capabilities, enhance their market growth, improve their investment attraction, refine their organizational structure, and competitiveness, enabling them to become successful startups that attract investment opportunities and are poised for growth, expansion, and sustainability. The program offers 3 business accelerators, organized in collaboration with three Saudi universities in Riyadh, Qassim, and Al-Ahsa. The program combines direct and electronic services, serving university startups with the aim of supporting and developing them into successful companies over a 6-month period for each accelerator [6].

Riyad Bank ESG report - participation in incubator launch

AlMaarefa University actively supports initiatives that promote economic empowerment and the development of sustainable businesses within the local community. As part of its commitment to social responsibility and sustainable development, the university collaborates with national partners to strengthen entrepreneurship ecosystems and facilitate access to financial and developmental support for emerging ventures.

According to the Riyad Bank ESG Report, the bank has sponsored and supported the launch of several business incubators in partnership with Saudi universities, explicitly listing “جامعة المعرفة” (AlMaarefa University) among the participating institutions. Through this partnership, AlMaarefa contributes to incubation and pre-incubation programmes designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs refine their business ideas, gain access to mentoring, and obtain financial and institutional support [7].

References