‘Made in Saudi’: Nahdi drives localization of pharma industry

‘Made in Saudi’: Nahdi drives localization of pharma industry
The MoU was signed by Yasser Joharji, CEO of Nahdi, and Abdulrahman Althkair, CEO of Saudi Exports, during a ceremony held at one of Nahdi’s pharmacies in Riyadh.
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Updated 25 September 2024
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‘Made in Saudi’: Nahdi drives localization of pharma industry

‘Made in Saudi’: Nahdi drives localization of pharma industry

In an effort to support national products and enhance their presence across Nahdi Medical Company’s network of branches, the Saudi Exports Development Authority, represented by the “Made in Saudi” program, signed a strategic MoU with the leading pharmacy chain. The MoU was signed by Abdulrahman Althkair, CEO of Saudi Exports, and Yasser Joharji, CEO of Nahdi, during a ceremony held at one of Nahdi’s pharmacies in Riyadh.

The signing ceremony also included the launch of the first-ever shelves exclusively dedicated to Saudi products at Nahdi’s pharmacies. The shelves, which come under the “Made in Saudi” brand, are dedicated to high-quality locally made health related products and medical supplies. Nahdi recognizes the importance of providing Saudi products and making them more accessible to customers while enhancing their awareness of their quality and competitive strength, which is on par with global brands. Moreover, Nahdi seeks to encourage customers to shop local, and enhance exports to global markets — goals it has in common with the Made in Saudi program.

Althkair said: “This strategic collaboration with Nahdi Medical Company aligns with the framework of Saudi Exports represented by the Made in Saudi program, to enhance the positioning of Saudi products and facilitate consumers accessing them in both local and global markets. It also emphasizes the importance of fostering effective strategic partnerships with both the public and private sectors.” 




Yasser Joharji CEO of Nahdi

He added: “This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting economic diversification and contributing to achieving the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 by empowering Saudi products locally and enhancing their exports globally.”

Joharji, meanwhile, expressed pride in the partnership, saying: “Our strategic partnership with the Saudi Exports Development Authority represented by the Made in Saudi program is a true source of national pride. It will play a role in supporting the strategic goals of localizing pharmaceutical industries and medical supplies and contributing to advancing national development on multiple fronts.

“We have full confidence in the quality of local manufacturing and are committed to reinforcing our trust in our national capabilities, enabling us to compete globally and enter the highest of international ranks, God willing. We are honored to play a key role in promoting the ‘Made in Saudi’ brand and raising awareness of its quality and value. Nahdi has plans in place to actively promote Saudi products within its pharmacies both inside and outside the Kingdom. We will also pursue various joint initiatives with the Made in Saudi program, which we believe will add more beats to Saudi society.”

The signing of the MoU between the two entities marks the beginning of several national initiatives in the healthcare sector. This partnership is set to support the localization of the pharmaceutical industry, medical supplies, and health products, expanding their availability in sales outlets both inside and outside the Kingdom.

Additionally, the collaboration will focus on increasing consumer awareness of the quality of Saudi-made products through joint initiatives, including training programs, workshops, and participation in exhibitions and events. These efforts will contribute to driving national economic development and enhancing the perception of Saudi products and services both locally and internationally.


1957 Ventures and NTDP support Saudi tech startups

1957 Ventures and NTDP support Saudi tech startups
Updated 1 min 14 sec ago
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1957 Ventures and NTDP support Saudi tech startups

1957 Ventures and NTDP support Saudi tech startups

In a major step toward fostering innovation in financial technology, 1957 Ventures and the National Technology Development Program have signed a strategic partnership agreement at LEAP 2025. This collaboration is designed to support startups and mid-sized tech companies, strengthen the innovation ecosystem, and accelerate the growth of Saudi Arabia’s fintech sector.

Ibrahim Neyaz, CEO of NTDP, said: “At NTDP, we believe that empowering startups and SMEs is essential for the growth of the digital economy and for achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030. Through this agreement, we aim to provide comprehensive support, including technical advisory, funding, and access to new markets. Our customized solutions cater to different growth stages, from prototyping to full-scale market launch. This partnership is a testament to our commitment to nurturing local talent and strengthening Saudi Arabia’s technology sector.”

Emad Kashgari, CEO of 1957 Ventures, said: “This agreement reflects our deep commitment to fostering startups and building a thriving fintech entrepreneurship ecosystem. Beyond offering co-working spaces and advisory services, we are creating an integrated innovation and investment ecosystem. The success of startups hinges on access to capital, resources, and the right markets. This partnership will empower fintech startups with the tools and opportunities they need to scale both locally and regionally in a sustainable manner.”

This strategic agreement aligns with the broader efforts of 1957 Ventures and NTDP to accelerate innovation, support the growth of Saudi Arabia’s digital economy, and enhance the contribution of the technology sector to GDP. It marks a pivotal milestone in a long-term strategy aimed at creating a competitive, startup-friendly business environment that positions Saudi Arabia as a global leader in fintech innovation and digital entrepreneurship.


SUDO Consultants forges strategic alliance with Coca-Cola

SUDO Consultants forges strategic alliance with Coca-Cola
Updated 5 min 14 sec ago
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SUDO Consultants forges strategic alliance with Coca-Cola

SUDO Consultants forges strategic alliance with Coca-Cola

In a groundbreaking moment at LEAP 2025, SUDO Consultants announced a strategic partnership with Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most iconic and globally recognized brands. This collaboration marks a significant milestone for SUDO, reinforcing its position as a leader in cloud transformation, delivering scalable, well-architected solutions that enhance business resilience, optimize SAP environments, ensure disaster recovery readiness, and enable full cloud migration to AWS.

The agreement was formalized at the Coca-Cola office during LEAP 2025. This partnership highlights SUDO’s expertise in AWS-powered digital transformation, with a strong focus on full cloud migration, optimization, and disaster recovery strategies, ensuring Coca-Cola’s infrastructure is secure, cost-efficient, and highly scalable.

Hameedullah Khan, CEO of SUDO Consultants, and Syed Kareemuddin, IT infrastructure and cybersecurity manager at Coca-Cola, signed the agreement.

This collaboration was facilitated by Aakash Sapra from SUDO Consultants, reflecting SUDO’s ability to partner with global enterprises, offering cutting-edge AWS solutions that drive efficiency, security, and operational excellence.

By aligning with Coca-Cola’s cloud-first vision, SUDO is empowering enterprises with cloud-driven strategies that eliminate on-premise infrastructure limitations and unlock the full potential of AWS cloud adoption.

As an AWS Advanced Partner, SUDO is the preferred choice for leading enterprises because of its deep expertise in AWS migrations, SAP modernization, security, and cost optimization. Companies like Coca-Cola trust SUDO for their:

  • Cloud migration to AWS: Seamlessly transitioning from on-premises or hybrid infrastructure to a fully AWS-native environment.
  • Industry-specific AWS solutions: Delivering tailored cloud strategies to support SAP workloads, disaster recovery, and automation.
  • Security-first approach: Implementing robust security frameworks that comply with SAMA, NCA, and PCI DSS standards.
  • FinOps and cost optimization expertise: Helping businesses reduce cloud waste, optimize AWS spending, and maximize ROI.
  • Proven track record with global and regional enterprises: Successfully migrating and securing cloud workloads, ensuring high availability and performance.
  • End-to-end digital transformation: From consultation to deployment, automation, and continuous cloud management.

As SUDO Consultants celebrates this landmark collaboration, the company remains committed to helping enterprises transition seamlessly to AWS, modernize their IT landscapes, and ensure long-term cloud success. This partnership is not just an agreement— it’s a step toward enabling Coca-Cola’s future-ready cloud transformation with scalability, security, and cost efficiency at its core.


Takamol Ventures helps MEA startups to turbocharge growth

Takamol Ventures helps MEA startups to turbocharge growth
Updated 12 February 2025
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Takamol Ventures helps MEA startups to turbocharge growth

Takamol Ventures helps MEA startups to turbocharge growth

Takamol Ventures, the investment arm of Takamol, invests in tech startups across the MEA region. With a sector-agnostic approach within the broader technology space, Takamol Ventures invests in cutting-edge technologies to enhance Takamol’s contributions to this promising sector and contribute to the Kingdom’s evolving digital economy.

Launched during LEAP last year with a SR200 million ($53.3 million) fund, Takamol Ventures has made significant strides in fostering innovation. The firm joined the NVIDIA VC alliance program to closely collaborate with NVIDIA and fellow alliance members to drive innovation and support startups in shaping the future of technology. Additionally, it has forged a strategic collaboration with Plug and Play, focusing on deal flow, mentorship, and knowledge sharing.

As a strategic partner, Takamol Ventures goes beyond capital by providing portfolio companies with direct access to Takamol’s vast resources, industry expertise, and extensive network of partners and clients. The unique positioning allows startups to accelerate their growth while creating synergies with Takamol’s existing operations.

Takamol Ventures serves as an inorganic growth engine for its parent company, enabling it to tap into new technologies, expand into new markets, and drive strategic innovation.

Since its inception, Takamol Ventures has successfully closed two investments, one in the fintech space and the other in AI, both of which are recognized as category leaders in their respective domains.

Saudi Arabia’s venture capital ecosystem has evolved rapidly over the past decade, driven by Vision 2030, government-backed initiatives, and increasing investor interest.

A key catalyst was the establishment of the Saudi Venture Capital Company in 2018, which has backed over 54 funds and 800+ startups.

The LEAP tech event has further accelerated this momentum, attracting global investors and facilitating deals worth $11.9 billion in 2024. International collaboration is growing, complementing strong local investment activity.

The Nomu market has opened new exit opportunities for VC-backed startups, providing much-needed liquidity. A key milestone was Jahez’s listing in January 2022, making it the first tech company to go public on Nomu — setting a precedent for other startups.

Regulatory initiatives such as SAMA and CMA’s sandboxes, have played a crucial role in fostering a dynamic fintech ecosystem by lowering entry barriers, encouraging innovation, and boosting investor confidence.

Saudi Arabia’s VC landscape continues to strengthen through government-backed funds like SVC, improved regulations, and global tech events like LEAP, leading to the rise of homegrown unicorns and increasing participation from top-tier global investors like Sequoia Capital and General Catalyst.

With sustained government support and a rapidly maturing startup ecosystem, Saudi Arabia is positioning itself as a leading innovation and investment hub in the region.


stc to advance gen AI innovation in region with Cohere

stc to advance gen AI innovation in region with Cohere
Updated 12 February 2025
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stc to advance gen AI innovation in region with Cohere

stc to advance gen AI innovation in region with Cohere

stc Group, the region’s leading digital enabler, has announced a strategic collaboration with Cohere, a secure enterprise AI company, to transform the AI landscape in the Middle East and beyond. This collaboration is set to redefine stc’s AI-driven operations, enhance customer engagement, and unlock new digital growth opportunities through state-of-the-art AI solutions.

Under the collaboration, stc will leverage Cohere’s cutting-edge AI capabilities to develop transformative products as part of its internal gen AI initiative. The joint effort will focus on key AI-powered innovations, including stc’s AI-powered language model and the Digital Co-Workers Foundry, designed to optimize business efficiency and deliver a superior digital experience for customers.

As part of the efforts, stc will work with Cohere to develop North for Telecom, a customized version of Cohere’s North, a secure AI workspace platform announced earlier this year. North for Telecom will be tailored to address the unique needs of the sector, providing intelligent automation, enhanced conversational experiences, and real-time data insights. Meanwhile, the Digital Co-Workers Foundry will introduce AI-driven virtual assistants designed to streamline workflows, boost productivity, and support stc’s workforce with intelligent automation solutions.

“As a leader in digital transformation, stc continues to invest in advanced AI technologies that will shape the future of our industry. Our collaboration with Cohere represents a significant milestone in our AI journey, reinforcing our vision to harness AI-driven intelligence, enhance operational capabilities, and introduce innovative AI solutions that create tangible value,” said Haithem Mohammed Alfaraj, group chief technology officer at stc Group.

Motaz Alangari, group chief investment officer at stc Group, added: “stc Group strategically invests in pioneering companies that unlock access to transformative technologies, new business models, and enhanced revenue streams. This collaboration aligns with tali ventures, stc’s corporate venture capital arm, which plays a key role in fostering technological advancement and investing in next-generation innovations that complement stc’s digital ecosystem.

“Cohere is a global leader in secure enterprise AI, and our investment in this collaboration facilitates access to enterprise-grade AI solutions, positioning stc to maximize AI’s potential across its product and service offerings.”

Cohere will bring its expertise in enterprise AI models and applications to stc’s ecosystem, ensuring faster adoption and optimization of AI capabilities across stc’s digital infrastructure.

“It’s been great working closely with stc’s team,” said Aidan Gomez, Cohere’s co-founder and CEO. “I’m really excited to bring our secure AI technology to enhance its role as a digital enabler. We look forward to collaborating with stc and integrating Cohere’s enterprise AI solutions to lift grunt work off the backs of their employees so they can focus more on the areas of their jobs where they can add real value.” 

This collaboration underscores stc’s commitment to being at the forefront of AI-driven innovation, fostering a digital-first economy, and shaping the future of intelligent technology in Saudi Arabia and beyond.


Cenomi Centers taps Tawal to boost indoor mobile coverage in malls

Cenomi Centers taps Tawal to boost indoor mobile coverage in malls
Updated 12 February 2025
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Cenomi Centers taps Tawal to boost indoor mobile coverage in malls

Cenomi Centers taps Tawal to boost indoor mobile coverage in malls

Cenomi Centers, the leading owner, operator and developer of contemporary lifestyle centers in Saudi Arabia, announced during the LEAP 25 conference that it is partnering with telecommunications infrastructure provider Tawal to implement cutting-edge indoor cellular coverage across its retail properties. Cenomi Centers announced this step forward in digital connectivity as world leaders in technology gather in Saudi Arabia to discuss the ever-changing technology landscape.

This move will bring seamless, high-speed connectivity for visitors, tenants and mall operators across Cenomi Centers’ entire portfolio of 22 assets, including over 4,500 stores across 10 major Saudi cities. The network will cover various mobile service providers, ensuring maximum impact for all users.

The implementation of a wireless connectivity network is consistent with Cenomi Centers’ commitment to providing a premium visitor experience, empowering customers with easy connectivity for browsing, navigation and online purchases. It also fits into Cenomi Centers’ vision for digital malls, bringing together technology and shopping experiences to create a connected environment that drives footfall. 

This infrastructure will be future-ready, supporting emerging technologies like 5G, the Internet of Things and smart solutions. This is an investment that will ensure Cenomi Centers’ portfolio will be the best retail and lifestyle destinations not just for today, but for tomorrow.

Alison Rehill-Erguven, CEO, Cenomi Centers, said: “At Cenomi Centers, we are thrilled to partner with Tawal to offer the best connectivity to our customers. We know that the future of retail is in omnichannel experiences, and we want to ensure that both our customers and our tenants are able to engage with each other across as many mediums as possible, reinforcing our experiential approach to shopping. We are grateful to Tawal for its partnership and look forward to working together in the years to come.”

Mohammed Alhakbani, CEO, Tawal, said: “Tawal is enthusiastic about this agreement to offer state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure across all of Cenomi Centers’ properties. This is an important step toward guaranteeing high-quality cellular coverage for everyone, wherever they need it, ultimately serving to connect people and improve their daily lives.”

Tawal and Cenomi Centers share a dedication to empowering shoppers to connect with each other and enjoy the best retail experiences in the world. This commitment, partnering the Kingdom’s premiere shopping properties with the best telecommunications technologies, will position both partners, alongside their customers, to thrive in the years to come.