Monsha'at Estrdad Refunds Up to SAR 1.5bn for Startups

Young Saudi entrepreneurs have a fresh incentive to launch their ventures, as منشآت — the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority — rolls out the second edition of its Estrdad initiative, running from 2024 to 2028 with a total fund of SAR 1.5 billion to refund selected government fees for startups and SMEs during their first three years of operation.

Registration for eligible enterprises is open until the end of 2026, while refunds will be disbursed until the end of 2028. To qualify, a business must be classified as micro, small, or medium, be at least 60% Saudi-owned (generally fully Saudi-owned except in limited specified cases), and have started its activity on or after 1 January 2024 — with the start date defined as the date of first employee registration. Applicants must also meet the Saudization percentage set by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, operate a licensed economic activity, and not exceed three years of operation at the time of applying.

What the refunds cover

The initiative reimburses a range of costs, including up to 80% of expatriate fees, plus fees for publishing articles of association, commercial registration, municipality (Balady) licenses, Saudi Post, Chamber of Commerce subscriptions, trademark registration, and economic activity licenses. This edition newly adds patent registration to encourage innovation.

All applications, eligibility verification, and disbursements are handled through a unified digital portal operated by منشآت. Beyond Estrdad, منشآت also runs a Startup Hub offering mentorship, advisory, and networking for early-stage founders — reachable at 8003018888 or Info@monshaat.gov.sa — along with a Business Accelerators program that supports startups over intensive three-to-six-month cycles.

For the growing community of young founders across the Kingdom, these programs ease the early financial burden of setting up a business and reflect the wider push under رؤية السعودية 2030 to build a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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