Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) announced the launch of LaunchKSA, which promises to enhance innovation, augment digital know-how, support youth, and transform Saudi Arabia into the region’s largest digital economy.
The announcement comes with a total value of nearly SAR4 billion ($1 billion) and is being executed in partnership with 10 global technology giants, according to a press release published in the website of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington.
It is being billed as the biggest technological launch of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa.
One goal of the program is to create one programmer out of every 100 Saudi nationals by 2030. Saudi authorities are hoping to create a homegrown technology sector that helps to power its economic diversification goals as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 social and economic reform plans. The goal is to not only create a culture of entrepreneurship among Saudi citizens, but to attract investment in technology and transform the Kingdom into a regional technological hub for entrepreneurs, innovators and programmers from the region and the world.
The new program launch is backed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
LaunchKSA is a collaboration between the MCIT and the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones.
Global technology companies including Google, Amazon, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, Microsoft, Trend Micro and Avance Security announced their cooperation with the Kingdom’s new initiative.
