In the heart of Riyadh, the Biban Forum 2025 has become a symbol of Saudi Arabia’s relentless drive to transform itself into a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment. The event, held at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Centre, drew together entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, and business experts from more than 150 countries, all converging on the theme "A Global Destination for Opportunities." But the significance of this year’s forum goes far beyond the buzz of networking and live pitches—it marks a pivotal moment in the Kingdom’s quest to reshape its economic landscape and assert itself on the world stage.
On November 6, 2025, Saudi Arabia made headlines by granting Premium Residency to over 100 entrepreneurs representing more than 20 nationalities. According to the Saudi Press Agency and official forum announcements, this bold move was unveiled during the Biban Forum and is intended to attract top-tier talent, foster a competitive entrepreneurial ecosystem, and support the broader ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030. The Premium Residency Center, which oversees this initiative, emphasized that these residencies are not merely symbolic but come with a suite of tangible benefits: recipients can reside in the Kingdom with their families, own property, conduct business, and invite relatives, all of which are designed to encourage long-term settlement and economic contribution.
The Entrepreneur Residency, one of seven residency products offered by the Center, specifically targets founders of technology-driven and innovative startups. It’s a program tailored for those who want to develop and expand their ventures within Saudi Arabia, with the ultimate goal of strengthening the national economy and creating high-value jobs. Other residency options include the Special Talent Residency, Gifted Residency, Investor Residency, Real Estate Owner Residency, Limited Duration Residency, and Unlimited Duration Residency—each catering to a different category of talent or investment focus. The Center’s leadership stressed that this approach reflects an unwavering commitment to nurturing a thriving, sustainable environment where creative minds can scale their businesses and contribute to the Kingdom’s prosperity.
The Biban Forum itself was a hive of activity. Over the course of several days, the Investors’ Arena—a central feature of the event—recorded 37 investment intentions totaling SR7.4 million (about $1.97 million), all directed toward 13 fintech startups. These commitments followed a series of live pitches, as entrepreneurs showcased their innovative solutions before panels of seasoned investors and industry experts. The forum’s organizers, the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha’at), described the Investors’ Arena as an interactive platform designed to bring together entrepreneurs and investors, facilitate instant meetings, and open doors to funding opportunities and strategic partnerships. It’s a hands-on approach that not only accelerates business growth but also helps companies stay attuned to market trends and refine their expansion strategies.
But the Biban Forum wasn’t just about investment dollars and residency permits. It featured more than 85 workshops led by local and international experts, covering a range of topics from finance and investment to management, marketing, digital transformation, and global expansion. The Forsah platform, another key element of the event, showcased over 10,000 investment opportunities, providing a digital bridge between innovators and potential backers. With more than 1,000 exhibitors and over 200 speakers—including leading voices from the worlds of business, technology, and policy—the forum underscored the Kingdom’s ambition to foster a dynamic, innovation-led economy built on sustainability and global connectivity.
This surge in entrepreneurial activity and international engagement comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is also courting major global technology players. Just weeks before the Biban Forum, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew made high-profile appearances in Riyadh and Dubai, seeking to deepen the platform’s relationships with Gulf States as it faces mounting pressure in the U.S. According to reporting by Rest of World, Shou attended the Future Investment Institute (FII) conference in Riyadh in October 2024, where he served as a keynote speaker and met with Saudi royals and business leaders. With ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, under a congressional deadline to sell its U.S. operations or face a shutdown, Shou was actively exploring new markets and revenue streams in regions less encumbered by Western norms around privacy and governance.
Over the past few years, TikTok has rapidly gained traction in Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf. By early 2022, Saudis were using TikTok more than Facebook, a shift that alarmed competitors in Silicon Valley. By 2023, one advertising agency claimed that 88 percent of Saudis were active on TikTok. Shou’s strategy has been to double down on partnerships with key Saudi entities, including the Saudi Tourism Authority, the Pro League soccer organization, and the ambitious Neom Smart City project. In 2024, TikTok even sponsored the Red Sea Film Festival, further cementing its role in the Kingdom’s cultural and economic life. As Shou put it at the FII conference, “It is about community, it is about education, it’s about heritage, it’s about culture, about the arts.”
Yet, TikTok’s approach in the Gulf is not without controversy. The platform’s content in Riyadh is shaped by government guidelines, and topics considered sensitive—such as LGBTQ+ issues—are often flagged or suppressed. As Rest of World highlighted, “TikTok in Riyadh did not look like TikTok in Los Angeles: it reflected only what the government allowed the platform to display.” This adaptability, or chameleon-like quality, has been both a strength and a point of criticism for TikTok as it seeks to balance the demands of powerful stakeholders with its global brand identity.
Meanwhile, the Kingdom’s efforts to attract international investment have intersected with broader geopolitical shifts. The UAE’s G42 investment firm, led by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, invested more than $100 million in ByteDance stock in 2023, only to divest later in response to U.S. regulatory pressures. This move cleared the way for G42 to secure a $1.5 billion AI investment from Microsoft and partnerships with OpenAI, illustrating the delicate balancing act Gulf states perform between American and Chinese interests.
For Saudi Arabia, the Biban Forum 2025 and the Premium Residency initiative are more than just policy milestones—they are strategic instruments in the Kingdom’s bid to diversify its economy, reduce reliance on oil, and nurture a culture of innovation. By opening its doors to global entrepreneurs, investing in high-growth sectors, and forging partnerships with major tech platforms, the country is signaling its readiness to compete on the international stage. The message from Riyadh is clear: Saudi Arabia is not just a destination for capital, but for talent, ideas, and opportunity.
As the dust settles on this year’s Biban Forum, the Kingdom’s bold moves are already reshaping perceptions and creating new pathways for entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators from around the world. In a region long known for its oil wealth, a new narrative is taking shape—one driven by creativity, ambition, and a relentless pursuit of global relevance.
