The General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises “Monsha’at” is organizing the "Biban 23" forum tomorrow, Thursday (March 9), at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center. The forum will continue until March 13 and will feature over 350 local and international speakers, 750 exhibitors from local and international entrepreneurs, with the presence of dignitaries, entrepreneurs, investors, and decision-makers.
"Biban 23" provides entrepreneurs with the chance to explore investment opportunities in the Kingdom. It will also involve the participation of more than 120 enabling entities for small and medium-sized enterprises, offering services and support in areas such as procedures, financing, and services. Additionally, 34 government entities will showcase their services to overcome challenges and difficulties faced by enterprises in all sectors. The forum is anticipated to attract over 105,000 visitors.
The forum, open daily from 4 PM to 11 PM, will help foster an environment that inspires young people to pursue entrepreneurship and establish both domestic and global networks for entrepreneurs. Along with these benefits, it will foster communication between investors and businesses, support their investment strategies, and help them reach the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which intends to raise the share of SMEs in the GDP to 35%. "Biban 23" is designed with nine gates to meet the requirements of SMEs and entrepreneurs, including Launch Gate, Growth Gate, Empowerment Gate, E-commerce Gate, Finance Gate, Innovation Gate, Startup Gate, Franchise Gate, and Market Gate.
Visitors to the forum will have the opportunity to join 300 training workshops, benefiting around 20,000 beneficiaries The workshops will cover various topics such as financial management, franchising experiences, transitioning to e-commerce, risk management strategies, supply chain management, strategic planning, and enterprise growth. These workshops will help entrepreneurs understand the strategic plans and operational aspects of their businesses.
The forum will host the finals of the Entrepreneurship World Cup, with participation from over 200 countries. It is the first and largest competition of its kind globally, and Saudi Arabia will host the final qualifiers. The closing ceremony will witness the distribution of prizes, with the presence of the top 100 entrepreneurs who have qualified for the finals, and the cash prizes will amount up to one million dollars.
The forum will witness the launch of quality initiatives and agreements directly contributing to supporting entrepreneurship in various sectors, including technology, tourism, entertainment, culture, and sports. It will reflect to stimulate investments in SMEs and promote their growth and will help startups expanding in the local market through diverse financing solutions.