Riyadh Airports Company and Uber have signed an agreement to transport passengers to and from King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh.
CEO of Riyadh Airports Saleh Al-Rasheed said: “The agreement, which was signed today, is the first of its kind for the company in the Kingdom, and allows Uber driver-partners to reliably pickup and drop off passengers from dedicated Uber locations at arrival and departure terminals 1, 2, and 5 at King Khalid International Airport.”
He added: “This agreement is in line with Riyadh Airports’ approach toward developing strategic partnerships that will enhance the customer experience of passengers traveling through King Khalid International Airport, and will ensure that customer satisfaction is aided by the continued availability of safe, reliable and efficient services.”
Zeid Hreish, general manager of Uber KSA, said: “This is a significant announcement for us, as the partnership reinforces Uber’s commitment to providing safe and reliable transportation everywhere and for everyone, and is in line with the Kingdom’s move toward working with forward-thinking companies like Uber. We look forward to more similar partnerships around the Kingdom in the near future, and to provide thousands of travelers around the country with safe, reliable and affordable transportation at the push of a button.”
Hreish added: “Since Uber launched in Saudi, millions of people installed the app, and have been using the technology to move around their cities easily, safely and cost-effectively. Uber is supporting the government’s focus on Saudization as part of its National Transformation Plan, and since the Saudi Public Transport Authority passed the ride-sharing regulations, we have already on-boarded more than 80,000 Saudi driver-partners on the app, and we will continue to invite more to use the technology.”
Riyadh Airports Company is a newly established company — part of the privatization program of the aviation sector in Saudi Arabia — and is responsible for managing and operating KKIA in the Saudi capital. Riyadh Airports is also currently moving forward with plans to upgrade KKIA infrastructure and expand with new services and facilities.
Riyadh Airports, Uber ink deal to transport passengers
Riyadh Airports, Uber ink deal to transport passengers
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.
