A Princess Nourah University team has built a locally made breathing-assist device for people with quadriplegia that costs about SAR 700, against SAR 3,000 to SAR 15,000 for similar imported devices. Prince Sultan University's prosthetics centre says 3D printing has cut prosthetic limb production from 20 days to two, and field research showed 83% of users walking independently with daily use reaching 10 hours. 159 teams took part in an AI hackathon for people with disabilities at the 7th International Conference on Disability and Rehabilitation in Riyadh.
A device that costs around SAR 700, compared to imported versions priced between SAR 3,000 and SAR 15,000, highlights where local production makes the most sense. This is especially true for assistive products with low sales volumes and high import markups.
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Foreign direct investment tops SR1.1 trillion
Saudi Arabia's foreign direct investment stock reached SR1,122.8 billion at the end of Q1 2026, up 12% year on year and representing about 32% of total foreign investment in the Kingdom, against total foreign investment of SR3,530.8 billion, up 18% year on year.
FDI growing 12% while total foreign investment grew 18% means portfolio and other investment are growing faster than direct investment, hot money is currently outpacing the patient kind.
Fifty-seven studies, twelfth session
The Riyadh Economic Forum will hold its 12th session on 12–14 October 2026 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, with ministers, public and private sector specialists, academics and business owners participating. The forum has presented more than 57 economic studies over its history, many of which became government initiatives and decisions.
if you want policy input rather than policy news, October is the window. Submissions and positioning happen before the session, not during it, so start now.
A film slate for Rotana
The Cultural Development Fund signed a financing agreement with Rotana Media Group to support films and TV series worth more than SAR39 million. The productions are expected to add more than SAR72 million to GDP, create 68 jobs and draw over SAR12 million in private-sector contributions. Saudi box-office revenue passed SAR920 million in 2025, and Saudi films took about 13% of it, over SAR122 million, from 11 of the 538 films released.
The fund evaluates this deal based on the expected SAR72 million GDP contribution and SAR12 million in private investment. Studio heads should highlight these figures when pitching, rather than focusing on the creative brief.
