Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Exel by Merak, Saudi Arabia’s premier gaming accelerator, hosted its first-ever Demo Day. Showcasing 17 gaming startups selected from a competitive pool of over +300global applications, the accelerator provides each with $300,000 in investment and equips them with mentorship and hands-on support from global industry leaders. The event marks a defining moment in the Kingdom’s position as a global force in gaming innovation.

Attended by investors, publishers, and strategic partners, the Demo Day spotlighted the entrepreneurial talent driving Saudi Arabia’s rise as a global gaming hub. Participating studios unveiled original IP inspired by local stories, designed for international appeal, built to world-class standards, and backed by scalable business models.

“The Demo Day is not only an opportunity to showcase the next gaming talent, but it also signals to the world that Saudi Arabia is a global hub for game studios, not just a market for consuming games,” said Faisal Sedrani, Vice President – Innovation Platform at Merak Capital and Head of Exel. “With the support of our partners and backing of Merak Capital’s Gaming Fund, we’re defining a new benchmark in startup acceleration in the region, one that’s built on investment, mentorship, and scaling.”

Building on the success of its first cohort, Exel has created a long-term pipeline to nurture future Saudi gaming startups, strengthening the Kingdom’s gaming ecosystem. The accelerator backs studios, technologies, and publishing platforms with a holistic program—combining investment, mentorship, relocation support, and essential tools—to grow scalable gaming businesses rooted in Saudi culture and primed for global markets.

Exel by Merak’s efforts closely align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 digital transformation strategy, which seeks to support gaming as both a creative industry and as an economic growth engine. The accelerator is powered by Merak Capital’s $80 million Gaming Fund, with institutional backing from the National Development Fund (NDF) and in collaboration with the Social Development Bank (SDB). The Accelerator provides startups with structured equity investment, market readiness support, legal and relocation assistance, and access to global technology partners, including Microsoft, Huawei, and AWS.

About Exel by Merak

 

Exel by Merak is a leading innovation company that drives innovation through accelerators and digital innovation. As a subsidiary of Merak Capital, Exel aims to bring innovation to the gaming industry by launching four funded investment accelerators for the gaming sector, backed by Merak Gaming Fund, enabling early-stage game development startups to thrive and grow globally. The Gaming Accelerator program offers a comprehensive approach to supporting startups by targeting game development studios, gaming technologies, publishing platforms, and other gaming-related services.

Committed to building a thriving gaming ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, Exel by Merak provides mentorship from global experts, support services from gaming industry experts, and access to an exploitable network, to enable startups to achieve sustainable growth and drive innovation and creativity to establish Saudi Arabia as a global hub of excellence in gaming.

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