Saudi Arabia’s startup ecosystem has evolved rapidly over the past decade.
Saudi Arabia’s startup ecosystem has evolved rapidly over the past decade. While the first generation of startups transformed industries by digitizing commerce, mobility, fintech, and marketplaces, a new wave of founders is now building on that foundation. Rather than simply bringing services online, they’re tackling the operational, infrastructure, and trust challenges that emerge as digital ecosystems mature.
To explore this shift, COLABS partnered with Termsheet to host Second Order Disruption: The Next Wave of Saudi Startups at COLABS Riyadh. The event brought together founders, investors, and operators to explore what comes after digitization and how the Kingdom’s next generation of startups is creating lasting value.
The panel featured Bader Almubarak, CFA, Co-founder & CEO of Soum; Ibrahim Aldlaigan, Founder & CEO of Stream; and Abdulrahman Alammar, Co-founder & COO of Aya. Moderated by Zubair Naeem Paracha, Co-founder of Flare, Founder of MENAbytes, and Advisor & Partner at COLABS, the conversation focused on how Saudi founders are solving deeper operational challenges and building for long-term scale.
A recurring theme of the session was the importance of staying close to customers. Ibrahim Aldlaigan shared that while Stream was initially built to simplify recurring payments, users quickly adopted the platform for a much broader range of use cases, including freelancers managing payment collections. It was a reminder that some of the most valuable product insights come from how customers use a product in the real world.
The panel also explored how startups create long-term value by expanding into adjacent opportunities. Bader Almubarak spoke about Soum’s growing investment in the automotive category, including car financing, as the company continues to build a broader ecosystem around trusted transactions. Another key discussion centered on changing consumer expectations. As quick commerce continues to redefine convenience, customers increasingly expect faster, more seamless experiences across industries. Abdulrahman Alammar shared how Aya responded by introducing three-hour delivery in Riyadh, a move that helped accelerate the company’s growth.
Across the conversation, one message remained clear: the next wave of Saudi startups will be defined not simply by bringing industries online, but by making them work better. Whether through stronger infrastructure, better customer experiences, or deeper ecosystem solutions, founders are focused on solving complex challenges that create lasting impact.
We’re proud to bring together the people driving this next chapter and look forward to hosting more conversations that strengthen the ecosystem and inspire what’s next.
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