The Kingdom's pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka witnessed the launch of the “Exponeur” initiative, a global Saudi initiative that aims to connect entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors through the international Expo platform, and to leverage the global gathering to empower entrepreneurship ecosystems from all around the world.
The initiative spans five years, from Expo Osaka 2025 to Expo Riyadh 2030, and works to link global challenges with opportunities for innovation through training programs, the highlighting of pioneering projects, and the creation of tangible impact to be presented at each edition of the Expo, starting with the Riyadh 2030 edition.
Exponeur aspires to become the first pavilion in the history of expo that is fully dedicated to the ecosystem of entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment, thereby enhancing the Kingdom’s global role in building a limitless entrepreneurial environment and reflecting its firm commitment to promoting international cooperation and supporting the next generation of innovators.
Among the programs and activities that the Exponeur initiative will offer is the “Exponeur Academy,” a global six-month training program that will train 150 entrepreneurs annually from more than 20 countries.
The program includes mentorship sessions, investment readiness preparation, and opportunities to present projects before venture capital funds.
It also includes the “Exponeur Competitions and Challenges,” which span five years and are organized in accordance with the theme of each expo edition.
These challenges go through regional and global stages and conclude with showcasing the top projects at the Exponeur pavilion during Expo Riyadh 2030.
In addition, the initiative includes the “Annual Exponeur Event,” which will be held in Riyadh, the host city of the upcoming expo, and will feature panel discussions, presentations, networking activities, and partnership-building efforts. The initiative also introduces the “Entrepreneurship Development Fund,” which aims to support startup projects and close the financing gap in developing countries.
This initiative is launched in partnership with the Vision Leadership Association, in cooperation with the Ministry of Investment in the Kingdom and the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), and is sponsored by SBI Holdings Japan, which supported the first edition of the initiative’s programs and training activities during Expo 2025 Osaka.
In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Chairman of the Vision Leadership Association and Head of the Saudi Startups Group at the G20 (Startup20) Prince Fahad bin Mansour bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz said that the “Exponeur” initiative embodies the Kingdom’s role in supporting national and global economic development through building bridges between countries to promote a culture of entrepreneurship, innovation, and investment in facing global challenges.
He added that the initiative aims to empower future generations to contribute to the creation of solutions, benefit from the global gathering for knowledge exchange, bridge funding gaps, and present opportunities to stakeholders.
For his part, founder of Exponeur initiative, Mansour Al-Saanouni, said Exponeur began as an idea during Saudi Arabia’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai.
“It stemmed from a belief in the power of entrepreneurs to present real solutions to global challenges. Today, this idea has evolved into a global initiative to empower entrepreneurs, starting from Expo Osaka 2025 and extending through to Expo Riyadh 2030,’ he said.
