Giordano ME wins double honors at global conference

Monsha'at, Saudi Arabia's Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority, has released its latest quarterly SME Monitor, providing an in-depth look at key trends shaping the Kingdom's SMEs ecosystem. This edition highlights a 67 percent quarterly increase in commercial registrations, the expansion of green financing and sustainability programs, and the growing role of Saudi SMEs in the global green economy.

With Saudi Vision 2030’s commitment to sustainability, the report highlights many of the ways in whichSaudi SMEs can contribute to the Kingdom’s ambitious renewable targets, from adopting circular economy principles to investing in renewable energy, reforestation, and environmental megaprojects, eco-tourism, EV adoption, and sustainable reporting. With $186 billion being invested by the Saudi Green Initiative to support the local green economy, the opportunities for sustainable SME growth are ripe.

If the Kingdom’s private sector is rapidly adopting, it’s thanks in large part to ambitious public sector policies supporting green growth and innovation, the report shows. In addition to sizeable investments by the Green Financing Framework (GFF) to create a more circular economy, accelerators like Sidra and Mega Green and a number of VC funds are enabling a surge of investments in food security, water, and agriculture, circular economy, energy transition and storage, sustainable manufacturing, smart cities and sustainable infrastructure, and more.

“At the heart of Saudi Arabia’s transformation lies our vibrant SME sector, which serves as a powerful driver of the economy,” Rakan Alsheikh, the deputy minister for policies and economic planning, told Monsha’at. “They are not just business entities but pioneers of sustainable solutions that create lasting impact. Their agility and adaptability allow them to integrate renewable energy, green technologies, and circular economy principles into their operations, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s commitment to a more sustainable future.”

In addition to its coverage of sustainability trends in Saudi Arabia, the latest SME Monitor also has a special section on global developments in SMEs sustainability.

In the OECD, for example, three-quarters of SMEs are now actively working to reduce their carbon footprint, while 12 percent of EU SMEs generate renewable energy onsite. With the global market for green technology and sustainability projected to reach $135 billion by 2030, early adopters stand to gain significant competitive advantages.

In its survey of broader SMEs developments across Saudi Arabia, the report also reveals a notable uptick in commercial registrations in Q4 2024, a key indicator of the country’s consistently dynamic entrepreneurial landscape. In addition to 160,000 new registrations, sectors like e-commerce reached 40,953 total registrations that quarter, an impressive 10 percent year on year increase.

Thanks to the variety of enablement, financing, franchising, innovation, and business development programs offered by Monsha’at, more than 100,000 SMEs benefitted from the Kingdom’s chief SME enabler in Q4 2024, the report shows.

Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s VC funding ecosystem continued to lead MENA through Q4 2024, with $750 million deployed to Saudi-based startups over 178 deals that year, representing 39 percent of all investments in the region that year.

SAMI, the national defense and security champion, a PIF company, successfully concluded its participation as the Platinum Sponsor of the first Aerospace Connect Forum, held in Jeddah from Feb. 24–25. 

Under the patronage of Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, minister of industry and mineral resources, organized by the Industrial Center and co-hosted by the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the forum was successful in driving innovation, promoting the localization of aerospace technologies in alignment with Vision 2030 and creating an ideal platform for international collaboration and investment.

The forum was inaugurated by Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Duailej, president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and Khalil bin Ibrahim bin Salamah, deputy minister of industry and mineral resources for industrial affairs, who also visited the SAMI pavilion. 

As a Platinum Sponsor, SAMI’s presence at the forum was particularly significant, showcasing its key division, SAMI Aerospace, through its subsidiaries, SAMI Alsalam Aerospace Industries, SAMI Figeac, SAMI Aerospace Mechanics and SAMI AEC.

SAMI Figeac presented its latest innovations in aerospace components, including metal parts used in aircraft parts, floor beams, wing ribs, and Tailcone panels. 

Additionally, the F-15SA pylons, designed for mounting external equipment such as fuel tanks beneath aircraft wings, were showcased. These pylons are manufactured at SAMI Alsalam Aerospace Industries’ facilities.

Experts from across SAMI’s divisions participated in a panel discussion titled “Trends, Challenges and Best Practices for Ensuring Aircraft Reliability and Safety,” where they discussed the company’s continuous efforts to enhance local aerospace manufacturing capabilities and identified opportunities for growth within the sector.

At the close of the first day, Salamah alongside SAMI CEO Thamer AlMuhid and the accompanying delegation, toured the SAMI Aerospace Mechanics and SAMI Figeac Aero Manufacturing facilities. 

The visit provided an opportunity to assess progress, review advanced manufacturing technologies, and explore the Kingdom’s growing industrial capabilities in aerospace, reinforcing the commitment to localizing 50 percent of Saudi Arabia’s military spending by 2030.