TAQADAM Startup Accelerator
KAUST's long-running annual accelerator, run with SAB since 2016, takes a bootcamp-filtered cohort through six months of coaching and gives equity-free grants, with the strongest teams earning a larger follow-on award at demo day.
[ What you get ]
USD 40,000 non-dilutive funding per selected startup, with up to 10 teams winning a further USD 100,000 at the final showcase (up to USD 140,000 in total); mentorship, workshops, KAUST and SAB networks, investor access.
[ Who it's for ]
Teams of at least two founders who can attend all programme activities; Saudi startups, or international startups with a realistic plan to expand into Saudi Arabia within a year; no age or nationality limit.
- Run by
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in partnership with Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB)
- Equity
- No equity taken
- Format
- Hybrid
- Where
- Thuwal
- Duration
- 6 months (after a one-month part-time online bootcamp and an in-person week)
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed
- Sectors
- General · Deep tech
[ Elden Studios ]
Accepted? Show up with a product.
Programmes back founders who ship. Elden Studios builds your MVP in weeks, in your name, so you walk in with something live.
Get your MVP quote[ Similar programmes ]
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Checked against the operator's own pages on 2 October 2026.
Sources:taqadam.kaust.edu.sakaust.edu.sahubspot.kaust.edu.sadaleel.gov.sa