Qualcomm Technologies International, Aramco through the Saudi Accelerated Innovation Lab (AramcoSAIL), and the Research, Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA) have announced the successful completion of the first year of the Design in Saudi Arabia with AI (DISAI) accelerator program. The initiative is designed to support early-stage startups in Saudi Arabia adopting artificial intelligence, IoT, and wireless technologies.
The DISAI program guides startups from product design and development through to commercialization, offering technical support, business coaching, and intellectual property training. Participating startups gained access to engineers from Qualcomm and Aramco, advanced platforms including 5G, IoT, AI, cloud and on-premise inferencing, and AramcoSAIL’s incubation facilities. The program also enabled collaboration with Qualcomm’s global business teams and engagement opportunities with Aramco entities.
Ahmad AlKhowaiter, Executive Vice President of Technology and Innovation at Aramco, said the completion of the program highlights the power of collaboration between industry leaders and innovators in accelerating entrepreneurship and technology development in the Kingdom. RDIA’s Acting General Supervisor, Dr. Sultan Binsaeed, emphasized that the program reflects Saudi Arabia’s commitment to building a world-class innovation ecosystem and strengthening national capabilities.
Qualcomm’s leadership noted that the 2025 DISAI cohort showcased the depth of Saudi Arabia’s innovation landscape, with startups applying advanced edge-AI, connectivity, and IoT technologies to address national priorities in areas such as industrial transformation, healthcare, and robotics. The program also placed strong emphasis on intellectual property protection, with training on patent filing and portfolio management.
As part of its broader innovation support ecosystem, the L2Pro Saudi Arabia IP e-learning platform continues to provide free IP education to startups, SMEs, and researchers across the Kingdom, helping innovators protect and commercialize their ideas. Applications for the DISAI 2026 cohort are now open.
