Savvy Games Group and NEOM sign MoU to fast-track Saudi gaming startups 

• NEOM’s Level Up Accelerator has supported more than 45 Saudi startups since 2023, deploying 15 investments with a 100% survival rate.
• Level Up enabled Saudi Arabia’s first international publishing deal, signed between Fahy Studio and UK-based publisher Kwalee.
• The collaboration supports the Kingdom’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy under Vision 2030.

Savvy Games Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NEOM to help Saudi gaming startups progress from early incubation into acceleration.

The agreement links Savvy’s Nine66 Incubator with NEOM’s Level Up Accelerator, creating a progression path and strengthening the pipeline of investable Saudi gaming studios.

NEOM’S Level Up Accelerator offers funding and mentorship to help incubated studios, having supported over 45 Saudi startups since 2023 with 15 investments and a 100% portfolio survival rate.

With support from 17 international partners, Level Up has helped create more than 170 jobs and enabled Saudi Arabia’s first international publishing deal, signed between Fahy Studio and UK-based publisher Kwalee.

Building momentum 

The MoU supports Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy under Vision 2030, with Savvy’s Nine66 Incubator preparing early-stage studios for investment, development and scaling within the Kingdom’s gaming ecosystem.

“As the games industry continues to grow at a rapid pace in Saudi Arabia, there is an increasing number of programs and initiatives designed to help emerging studios and entrepreneurs to build, run, and scale their businesses," said Savvy Games Group chief of staff Amr Sager.

“This momentum is encouraging, and the next step would be to create stronger synergy and alignment across these efforts, so that the journey is smoother and clearer for startups to identify and source the support they need."

NEOM executive director and head of gaming Toby Evan-Jones commented: “From sparking interest within high schools, to investing into young gaming studios via the Level Up accelerator, it’s immensely satisfying to see the green shoots of a viable self-sustaining industry appear. 

“We share a joint view, with Savvy Games Group, that increasing coordination around the startup journey shall benefit all parties, not least the young game makers whom we support. We couldn’t be more excited about this alignment.”