United Electronics Company (eXtra), one of the fastest-growing consumer electronics and home appliance retailers, Monday announced the opening of two new stores — in Makkah and Riyadh — bringing the total store network to reach 34 in the Kingdom.
Located on third Ring Road close to Al-Nour Hospital, the new store in Makkah is eXtra's second outlet in the holy city that occupies 3,000 square meters. Opened on the back of strong demand for eXtra's wide range of latest product offerings, the new store claims to offer the very best consumer electronics and home appliances to a population of approximately 1.8 million.
Occupying 2,080 square meters, the new Riyadh store is located on Tumamah Road within close proximity to the Kingdom City Compound and Hayat Convention Hall. Serving a population of approximately 260,000, the north Riyadh outlet has been designed to meet the growing needs of a large population of the capital and also its surrounding areas.
Karim Manssour Dahbi, CEO, United Electronics Company (eXtra), said: "Both Makkah and Riyadh are rapidly emerging as important markets where our customers are demanding the latest products. With the opening of two additional stores, eXtra once again extended its brand promise to millions of existing and potential customers."
eXtra was recently named as one of the top 200 companies in the GCC by Forbes Middle East, and also ranked as one of the top 5 service companies in the Kingdom.
In both 2010 and 2011, eXtra was cited by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) as one of the Kingdom's fastest-growing companies. In addition, eXtra was also recently named as one of the Arabia 500 top companies in recognition of its exceptional growth and sustained commercial success.
eXtra adds two new stores to reach 34 outlets in Kingdom
eXtra adds two new stores to reach 34 outlets in Kingdom
25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum
The Social Development Bank concluded the second edition of the Entrepreneurship and Modern Business Practices Forum — DeveGo 2025 — announcing the achievement of high-impact outcomes that further reinforced the forum’s position as the largest national platform in the region dedicated to entrepreneurship, innovation, and freelance work in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
The forum witnessed broad participation from local and international experts, investors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of local, regional, and international institutions.
Over three days at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the forum drew 25,000 participants and visitors, who benefited from over 45 specialized workshops and over 2500 advisory sessions delivered by more than 70 consultants and experts.
The sessions covered key areas including entrepreneurial planning, business models, venture capital, digital platforms, freelancing, and emerging technologies.
The forum also featured 20 panel discussions with leading local and international speakers, addressing major global trends in entrepreneurship, including the future of artificial intelligence, the creative economy, digital transformation, and venture investment.
The forum saw the launch of the Saudi Empretec Fellowship, in the presence of Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development.
The partners in success within the Social Responsibility Portfolio supporting entrepreneurs were honored.
It also saw the honoring of 13 winners of the Handicrafts Competition, representing various regions of the Kingdom, the announcement of winners of the Salam Award for Promising Projects, and the recognition of leading entrepreneurial projects fund under the Enterprises Track.
In addition, the NEXT UP Challenge concluded on the third day of the forum with 20 startups presenting their projects to more than 500 investors, enhancing opportunities for networking and partnership building.
As part of efforts to strengthen the support ecosystem, the forum witnessed the signing of 51 agreements, along with the launch of a suite of new financing products. These included the Capital Expansion Product with a ceiling of up to SR10 million, the Payroll Product with a ceiling of SR2 million, and the Rental Product with a ceiling of SR1.5 million, aimed at supporting enterprises in asset development and covering operational costs.
This reflects the bank’s direction toward offering more specialized financing tools that respond effectively to market needs.
The forum concluded by reaffirming its role as a unifying national platform for entrepreneurship, where accompanying activities and events provided direct engagement opportunities between entrepreneurs, investors, and experts.
The forum also highlighted success stories and practical experiences that reflect the scale of entrepreneurial momentum in the Kingdom and the growing role of the Social Development Bank in supporting a national economy driven by innovation and knowledge.
