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Open Call
Newlab, a global venture platform for critical technology startups, today announced an initial set of commercialization projects that will be launched through a new Mining Innovation Studio anchored in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Newlab has partnered with Ma'aden, National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), The Ministry of Industry and Minerals (MIM), Saudi Mining Services Company (ESNAD), and Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) to establish the Mining Studio. Through the program, Newlab will launch projects and make targeted investments designed to drive structured collaboration between global startups and potential end users in KSA. These projects ultimately de-risk emerging technologies in specific industry use cases and align commercial pathways for startups to scale in the region.
Newlab began collaborating with NIDLP at the 2024 Future Minerals Forum (FMF) last year, leading to subsequent work with regional stakeholders and industry leaders to define four overarching sector challenges to drive commercialization activity within. The resulting Mining Studio work aligns cross-sector partners and activates leading startups from around the world to address key challenges and opportunities across the mining value chain.
The Mining Studio aims to:
“Mining is the cornerstone of the energy transition. We have chosen to anchor this program in KSA because the Kingdom's commitment to Vision 2030 is driving unprecedented focused urgency and investment. This creates a massive opportunity for startups developing critical technologies that can accelerate growth in industrial sectors like Mining,” said David Belt, Newlab Co-founder.
“The Mining Innovation Studio is a crucial step to fostering innovation and collaboration across startups and key stakeholders in the mining sector, a critical sector and a third pillar of the national industrialization,” said Eng. Suliman Almazroua, NIDLP CEO. “By supporting initiatives like the Mining Innovation Studio, we aim to address key challenges, unlock new opportunities, and contribute to the Kingdom’s ongoing economic diversification and sustainability efforts under the Saudi Vision 2030.”
H.E. Eng. Khalid bin Saleh Al-Mudaifer, Vice Minister of Mining Affairs at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia; Eng. Suliman Khalid Al-Mazroua, CEO, National Industrial Development and Logistics Program; Eng. Abdullah Al-Shamrani, CEO of SGS; Mr. Robert Wilt, CEO of Maáden; Eng. Ibrahim Al-Nassar, CEO of ESNAD; and David Belt, Newlab Co-Founder & Executive Chairman took the stage at FMF 2025 for the announcement of the formal launch of the Mining Studio and to issue a call-to-action to join this work for any strategic industry partners or startups developing critical technologies in the above areas.
“We are proud to be a founding member of this transformative partnership alongside the Ministry of Industry and Minerals (MIM), the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), Saudi Mining Services Company (ESNAD), and the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS). By attracting global startups to develop innovative solutions to critical industry challenges, this initiative will support the Kingdom in becoming a world-leader in mining technology and innovation,” said Bob Wilt, Chief Executive Officer, Ma'aden.
The news comes days after Newlab's broader announcement that they are expanding into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including plans for a new physical innovation hub in Riyadh that will create an anchor point for a critical-technology ecosystem aimed at advancing economic diversification and growth in the region. This ecosystem will be catalyzed through a portfolio of projects aimed at attracting leading startups from around the world accelerating commercialization of critical technologies that be applied to drive strategic growth across key sectors including Mining, Energy and Logistics.
Muneef Al-Muneef, Managing Director of Newlab Riyadh, said: “Newlab’s platform will do much more than just bring startups to KSA. Our proven Three-Point Model – which combines infrastructure, projects, and capital – helps critical technology startups commercialize their tech faster. It also helps industry leaders de-risk emerging technologies and drives regional economic growth. We’ve brought 25 promising startups from around the world to FMF 2025 and we’re excited to launch our projects with startups like these throughout the region.”
For more information on the initial projects being launched, visit our website. If you are a startup or industry leader interested in the areas our Mining Program explores, please contact us.
