Sport Ministry Joins 10th Misk Launchpad Program to Boost Sports Startups

Riyadh: The Ministry of Sport is participating in the 10th edition of the Misk Launchpad Program, in partnership with Misk Entrepreneurship, a track of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk). The program supports startups by helping them build and develop validated prototypes, verify product-market fit, and achieve the level of readiness required for growth and investment planning across a range of technology sectors. According to Saudi Press Agency, the 10-week hybrid pre-accelerator program will run from September 6, 2026, to January 2, 2027. Sport organizations can now register by visiting the provided link before the deadline of Friday, July 31, 2026. The program is structured in four stages, beginning with idea design and customer discovery, followed by the development of the Minimum Viable Business (MVB) prototype under mentor guidance. Testing and validation come next, ensuring that the product meets market needs. The final stage focuses on enhancing investment readiness through specific evaluation criteria, preparing startups to engage with investors. The program offers access to the integrated sports ecosystem, including sports federations, clubs, sports universities, and related initiatives. This creates opportunities for partnerships, facilitates investment deals, and supports expansion and growth by integrating sports startups with companies from various sectors. The ministry's involvement underscores its commitment to creating a sustainable national impact by generating new jobs, increasing the private sector's contribution to the sports economy, attracting strategic investments, establishing leading Saudi companies, and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the sports sector. Previous editions of the program have created over 1,000 jobs through participating startups. The combined valuation of the startups reached SAR372 million, with more than 30 sectors benefiting from the services provided by the supported companies.