To Apply
Applicants must submit a completed and signed trade mission application, and supplemental materials (including adequate information on their products and / or services, primary market objectives, and goals for participation) no later than September 30, 2021.
Submitting an application indicates your interest in participating in the mission. No fees are due at the time of registering your intent to join the mission. Once you are invited to join, you must submit payment for the fees of the mission and sign the participation agreement to confirm your participation.
Fees & Expenses*
$3,650 USD for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)
$4,400 USD for a large firm or trade association
$1,000 USD for each additional firm representative (SME, large firm, or trade association)
*The optional stop to the UAE is not included, and will cost $2,900 USD for SMEs, and $3,250 USD for large firms or trade associations.
Each participant is responsible for expenses related to travel, lodging, as well as for most meals and incidentals.
Proposed Schedule
*Note: The final schedule and potential site visits will depend on the availability of the host country’s government and business officials, the specific goals of mission participants, and ground transportation.
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Saturday, January 22
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Travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Sunday, January 23
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FIRST STOP - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Welcome & Saudi Arabia country briefing
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Saudi Government briefings & meetings
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Networking lunch hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia
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One-on-one business matchmaking appointments
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Networking reception at the U.S. Ambassador’s Official Residence (TBC)
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Monday, January 24
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DAY TWO - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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One-on-one business matchmaking appointments
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Travel to Kuwait City, Kuwait
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Participants arrive in Kuwait City
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Tuesday, January 25
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SECOND STOP - Kuwait City, Kuwait
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Travel to Kuwait City, Kuwait
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Welcome & Kuwait country briefing
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Kuwait Government briefings & meetings
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Networking lunch (no-host)
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One-on-one business matchmaking appointments
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Networking reception at the U.S. Ambassador’s Official Residence (TBC)
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Wednesday, January 26
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THIRD STOP - Doha, Qatar
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Travel to Doha, Qatar
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Welcome & Qatar country briefing
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One-on-one business matchmaking appointments
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Networking lunch (no-host)
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One-on-one business matchmaking appointments
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Thursday, January 27
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DAY TWO - Doha, Qatar
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One-on-one business matchmaking appointments
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Networking lunch (no-host)
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Trade mission concludes
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Ludwika Alvarez
Global Growth Lead for Tech Firms & Startups
U.S. Commercial Service, San Francisco, California
415-517-0265
Ludwika.Alvarez@trade.gov
Tatyana Aguirre
Commercial Consul
U.S. Commercial Service, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
+966 55 400 1980
Tatyana.Aguirre@trade.gov
Opportunities in Saudi Arabia
With over 33 million consumers and a sizable number of global enterprises, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the largest Information and Communications Technology (ICT) market in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The KSA is also well-positioned to become a technology service and cloud hub, with access to international connectivity through the Red Sea and the Gulf, and with the potential to serve the Europe, Asia, and Africa markets. Furthermore, the local $29 billion ICT market is arguably at the center of the KSA’s Vision 2030 Economic Diversification Plan, focused on giga projects, smart governance, and a knowledge-based economy.
Cybersecurity
The KSA’s cybersecurity market is expected to grow at a compounded annual rate of 16.59% between 2018 and 2023, the largest market in the Middle East. Key areas of opportunity include: application security; cloud security; consumer security software; data security; identity access management; infrastructure protection; integrated risk management; network security equipment; and security services. KSA’s National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) recently established minimal cybersecurity control regulations, presenting an opportunity for cybersecurity firms to support thousands of companies that will need help complying with the new mandate. In addition, the KSA’s continued efforts in adopting digital technologies, increasing internet penetration, and using Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud services will continue to drive the growth of the local cybersecurity market.
Internet of Things (IoT) & Smart Cities
The KSA is currently building 16 smart cities (including NEOM, Redsea, Qidiya, Waad Alshamal, and SPARK), and aims to be the world’s most connected and digitized nation by 2030. According to its Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Ministry of ICT), the government has already invested approximately $4 billion on digital infrastructure, with $1.3 billion earmarked for IoT. Specific areas of focus include: industrialized IoT; AI; cloud computing; and data centers. In addition, the KSA aims to equip 5 existing cities with smart infrastructure to compete among the top 100 cities worldwide. Opportunities also exist for international companies to develop industrial IoT solutions tailored to local business specifications and higher levels of operational effectiveness. Specific opportunities include: predictive maintenance; asset tracking; fleet management; and warehouse optimization.
Cloud Computing
The KSA has joined other countries by requiring government entities to prioritize cloud-based solutions. The introduction of its Cloud First Policy in 2019 signaled the government’s intent to push widespread cloud adoption across its public and private sectors, evidenced by the 16% growth rate of cloud services (the fastest growing cloud segment in-market). This progress also presents massive opportunities for international cloud and data center companies to serve the KSA’s currently underutilized existing infrastructure with their solutions. According to the Ministry of ICT, there are 422 data centers with an average utilization rate of only 18%. Additionally, the KSA’s strategic location allows global cloud service providers (CSPs) to serve the MENA region. Current data shows that local cloud providers are offering mainly IaaS with very limited SaaS availability, creating an opportunity for CSPs to build critical SaaS and full stack cloud solutions.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
According to the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), the current value of the KSA’s data and AI economy is estimated between $4 and $6 billion. By 2030, AI is expected to contribute $133 billion to local GDP, with support from SDAIA’s multibillion-dollar AI and data strategy. Opportunities exist for cutting-edge AI companies, specialized in manufacturing and oil and gas to tailor their solutions to fit the local market. Those include: truck hauling optimization; equipment lifetime analytics; supplier delivery date prediction and asset tracking; shipping optimization; satellite / aerial image analytics; and asset failure predictors.
5G
The KSA is the first country in the MENA region to deploy the 5G network, and currently ranks 4th globally in 5G penetration, with 6,500 towers to date, in addition to 541 stations in Makkah and the Neom Airport. By the end of Q3 2018, fixed broadband services penetration stood at 36.2% of households (representing 2.07 million subscriptions), and mobile broadband penetration stood at 91.8% (representing nearly 30 million subscriptions). Currently, over 88% of the KSA is covered by 4G, and wireless broadband service coverage in non-urban areas has grown from 0.6% to 48%. By liberalizing more than 1100 GHz of spectrum and making it available to operators, mobile internet speed has doubled to 57.46 Mbps, positioning the KSA at the 12th spot globally, and 2nd among the G20 countries, surpassing the global average by nearly 80%. Furthermore, in response to last year’s U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announcement that the entire 6 GHz band would be open to unlicensed wireless technology, the KSA followed suit. Moving forward, its wireless ecosystem will be able to support next generation Wi-Fi 6 and wireless technology based on 3GPP 5G NR-U standards, positioning the KSA for future innovations in the wireless ecosystem.
Opportunities in Kuwait
Through its Vision 2035 Economic Diversification Plan, Kuwait is keen to modernize and digitalize its economy, and become a smart commercial hub in the region. The government’s goals are to: increase connectivity within cities; enhance productivity in key sectors (including oil and gas, IT, financial services, healthcare, and transportation); and streamline bureaucratic processes to create efficiencies and enhance transparency within the public sector (particularly in government procurement).
Cybersecurity
The Government of Kuwait is developing its National Cybersecurity Program to build a cybersecurity framework to protect government networks and critical infrastructure assets. Specific areas of focus include: infrastructure protection; integrated risk management; network security equipment; and other information security software.
Internet of Things (IoT)
Kuwait’s Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) developed a framework to encourage the adoption of IoT to build smart and safe infrastructure in the education, health, energy, entertainment, and banking sectors. Zain, the leading digital service provider in Kuwait, announced a partnership with the Ministry of Information to develop KUWAIT TV, an all-new app that features the latest streaming technologies. Through this partnership, Zain takes Kuwait TV into the digital platform era by offering live streaming and Video on Demand (VOD) services. In addition, Kuwait Finance House is the first Kuwaiti bank to launch digital signatures for personal financing transactions, enabling customers to complete financing requests anywhere and anytime.
Transportation & Infrastructure
Despite challenging economic conditions, several transportation and infrastructure projects continue to move forward, presenting market opportunities for U.S. companies. Currently, Kuwait is building Terminal 2 at the Kuwait International Airport, a project valued at $3.4 billion. The new terminal will require cutting-edge technology to connect various systems such as IT, cargo, and security. (The project tender for the ICT package is expected to be issued soon).
Digitization of the Oil & Gas Sector
The Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) signed an MoU with the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) to cooperate on an overhaul of the oil sector and its digital transformation. With that, the Kuwait Oil Company aims to digitize 80% of the country’s oil fields by December 2021. The overall strategy is to overhaul downstream operations by adopting innovative strategies, safer operations, and business optimization. Specific areas of focus include: advanced solutions for cloud platforms; real-time monitoring; gamification of workflows; and cybersecurity.
Opportunities in Qatar
The ICT sector is a central component that links the various goals outlined in Qatar’s Vision 2030 Economic Diversification Plan. While Qatar has the wealth to acquire world-class ICT assets to achieve its human and economic development goals, it does not have the population to create a national industry. As such, Qatar has successfully partnered with large and reputable U.S. ICT companies to make major strides towards achieving its goals, and has done a remarkable job in advancing the country’s ICT infrastructure in recent years. For instance, Qatar expects to complete its 5G nationwide rollout by mid-2021. Qatar will also host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which requires a solid and interconnected ICT network.
Cybersecurity
In order for Qatar to accelerate and reap the full benefits of digital transformation, cybersecurity will play a pivotal role in protecting its critical infrastructure assets, including in the defense and energy sectors, where an ambitious $30 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project is currently underway. This production potentially provides opportunities in hardware, software, and data security / networks. In addition, cybersecurity and its role in national security are of utmost importance as Qatar finishes its preparations to host the FIFA 2022 World Cup.
Internet of Things (IoT) & Smart Cities
The past two years have generated transformative advancements, and U.S. technology companies have played a major role in Qatar’s multibillion-dollar digital transformation project. But there is still room for U.S.-based SMEs and startups to showcase advanced technologies and solutions in: intelligent traffic management systems; customs and border control; video surveillance; parking management and tolling; and vehicle tracking. Furthermore, it is important for U.S. companies to bring in their best practices to build on the lasting U.S.-Qatar partnership in smart cities, and to help Qatar eventually establish itself as a smart nation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
As part of their accelerated digitization agenda, Qatari enterprises and government services are continuously seeking to modernize their IT infrastructure by adopting blockchain and AI technology solutions to adapt to the rapidly changing ICT ecosystem, particularly in the fields of: telecoms; supply chain logistics; storage; privacy and data security; real estate; retail; e-learning; and health care (including telemedicine).
Sponsorship Benefits:
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s ITA is leading a Digital Transformation Business Development Mission to the GCC countries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar from January 23-27, 2022. Don’t miss this excellent opportunity to position your organization as a market leader in promoting trade throughout the region. This is an excellent opportunity for your organization to be seen as being at the forefront of the GCC’s Digital Transformation and Tech Sector.
Deadline: November 1, 2021
Questions? Please contact Tatyana.Aguirre@trade.gov
Learn more at: https://www.trade.gov/gulf-digital-mission
| Benefits Sponsorship Level |
Gold |
Silver |
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$5,000 |
$2,500 |
| Complimentary access(tickets) to the receptions in each market. |
2 |
1 |
| Logo on Trade Mission program, email promotions, website, and banners |
X |
X |
| Recognition in trade mission activities |
X |
X |
| Recognition at Trade Mission B2B appointments |
X |
X |
| Exposure to U.S. companies ready to export or already exporting to the region |
X |
X |
| Opportunities to network with potential clients and commercial officers |
X |
X |
| List of trade mission attendees |
X |
X |
| Access to the Trade Mission Digital Marketing Kit |
X |
X |
| Special Recognition in Trade Mission Social Media |
X |
X |
| Advertisement in the Trade Mission Digital Booklet |
1/2 Page |
1/4 Page |
| List of Webinar attendees |
X |
X |
| Recognition during the GCC market promotional webinar |
X |
X |
