The "Biban Riyadh" conference, organized by the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises “Monsha’at,” witnessed a significant turn out from small and medium-sized enterprises owners and entrepreneurs during the Biban Forum today. They were distributed across six dialogue sessions where global and local experts, as well as regional decision-makers, discussed various topics in the world of entrepreneurship.
The conference commenced with a speech by the Governor of Monsha’at, Engineer Saleh bin Ibrahim Al-Rasheed, who affirmed that the conference is one of the strategic tools to achieve Monsha’at's goals. These objectives include strengthening promising businesses, facilitating the prosperity of SMEs, and establishing a favourable environment by attending to their basic needs. Fostering an entrepreneurial community by promoting an entrepreneurial culture, supporting ambitious entrepreneurs to increase the rate of new company formation, and offering business opportunities and supportive services to enhance the growth and competitiveness of all enterprises are all ways that empowerment of enterprises is achieved. 
The conference sessions began with a dialogue session titled "Global Leaps in the Retail Fashion Sector," exploring new technologies such as augmented reality and artificial intelligence, which influencers in this sector adopt to keep up with rapid changes in consumer behavior. Additionally, addressing  the new opportunities presented by the fashion sector for entrepreneurs.
In the session on "Reassessing the Education Experience for Future Generations," experts discussed the evolution in the education sector, the skills developed in future generations, and the ideal educational environment to prepare today's youth for future challenges. They also discussed new teaching methods that engage students more in interactive learning experiences tailored specifically for them.
The session on "The Changing Landscape/Scene in the Food and Beverage Sector" covered the newest innovations in the food and beverage industry, including the surge in demand for meal delivery, grocery delivery, ingredient delivery, restaurant management software, home-prepared food markets, customer service robots, and interactive technology in stores. It also explored the available opportunities for business leaders and entrepreneurs in this sector.
The session on "Sports Investment: Towards a Vibrant and Entrepreneurial Community" discussed ways to encourage investment in clubs and sports facilities, the major challenges in this sector, and the investment opportunities for entrepreneurs to create a sports-oriented community. Meanwhile, the session "How Competitive is Saudi Arabia in the Global/Local Content Race?" examined the Kingdom's competitiveness in the global/local content race, the increase in local production, the modernization of government procurement systems, and the impact of these strategies on the contribution of SMEs to the GDP.
The session "Mapping the Future of Media and Entertainment" focused on driving the vision of Saudi Arabia 2030 to diversify the Saudi economy and establish new industries, including entertainment and media such as films, internet content, and more. This is particularly evident with the successful launch of cinemas in Saudi Arabia and the large crowds attending various entertainment events. The session discussed the opportunities and trends emerging from this development.
It is worth noting that the activities of the Biban Riyadh Forum will continue until Saturday, February 1, 2020, at Riyadh Front for Events and Conferences, from 4 PM to 11 PM. These activities include training, consultations, guidance, and more for visitors, including SME owners and entrepreneurs.