The U.S.-Saudi Business Council (USSBC) led a delegation of 12 advanced air mobility (AAM) companies on a business development mission to Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from February 3-6, 2025. Representing cutting-edge products in the rapidly emerging AAM industry, the delegation met with key public and private sector players in the Saudi aviation space in a bid to position U.S. technology innovators as first mover partners in the Kingdom’s drive to become the MENA region’s leader in the advanced air mobility sector. Nexa Capital Partners and industry association NUAIR partnered with the Council to organize the mission.
His Excellency Majid Al-Kassabi, Saudi Arabian Minister of Commerce, welcomed the mission and praised the Council’s role as a critical facilitator in bringing in-demand technologies to the Kingdom to set the stage for long-term and mutually beneficial investment and partnership opportunities. This sentiment was echoed in other meetings with the leadership of the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA), the National Competitiveness Center (NCC), the Ministry of Defense (MoD), the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), NEOM, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and both the Riyadh and Jeddah Chambers of Commerce. The group also met with private sector players in the aviation sector including SAUDIA, Flynas, Matarat, NERA, SAFE, THC, Riyadh Air, and others.
The products and solutions represented on the mission included hybrid electric aircraft, hydrogen powered eVTOLs, power solutions using methanol to produce fuel cell grade hydrogen, counter drone systems to protect airspace, advanced weather analytics, vertiport infrastructure design, advanced avionics and sensors, autonomous ground vehicles for runway inspections, and an advanced air transportation operator.
Saudi Arabia’s national initiative to develop its AAM sector has created a wealth of opportunities for U.S. companies who are among worldwide pioneers in the industry’s development.
Throughout the mission, the delegation met with high-level stakeholders. In Jeddah, discussions with the leadership of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, including Eng. Raed Al-Madhihim, First Deputy Chairman, focused on unlocking new business prospects and expanding trade relations. The delegation also met with NERA, the technical arm of SANS, to explore partnership opportunities in areas critical to the AAM industry, such as airspace management and cybersecurity. With Saudia Group executives, including Abdul Khaliq Saeed, CEO of Saudia Technic, and Cpt. Fahd Cynndy, Managing Director of Saudia Technic, the discussions centered around the future of AAM infrastructure, identifying collaborative initiatives to advance technology and operations. The delegation also toured King Abdulaziz International Airport and met with senior officials to evaluate potential airspace and infrastructure synergies that could support AAM operations.
In Riyadh, meetings were held with H.E. Majid Al-Kassabi, Minister of Commerce, H.E. Dr. Eiman AlMutairi, Vice Minister and CEO of the National Competitiveness Center, and H.E. Abdulaziz AlDuailej, President of GACA, as well as Mr. Raeed Alidrissi, CEO of Matarat. The delegation also participated in a half-day, stakeholder workshop hosted by GACA and attended by officials and executives from the Ministry of Investment, Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, NEOM, Human Resources Development Fund, Industrial Cluster, NEOM, Advanced Electronics, among others.
The delegation was invited to meet with H.E. Assistant Minister of Defense for Executive Affairs Dr. Khaled Al-Bayari, as well as the General Authority for Military Industries, to discuss particular business opportunities and benefits in localizing their operations in the Kingdom. The meetings continued with a visit to the Digital City headquarters of USSBC member SAFE Security. The mission concluded with a fruitful meeting between the delegates and the top stakeholder representatives of the Public Investment Fund in the King Abdullah Financial District, identifying specific areas of cooperation and investment.
Mission delegate Alex Sauriol of Thales Digital reflected on the experience, stating, “On more than one occasion during the visit I was truly stunned by audience and the genuine warmth of the reception we received. In meeting after meeting I was moved by the Councils passion, competence, creativity, drive and goodwill.”
The AAM initiative is yet another example of the USSBC’s commitment to delivering results and bringing real business to light and to life between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Charles Hallab, President and CEO of the USSBC, who led the mission, stated, “Our mission was more than just a visit—it was about getting business done. We brought cutting-edge U.S. companies to Saudi Arabia to directly engage with key decision-makers and explore mutually beneficial partnerships that will advance the Kingdom’s AAM vision, ensuring Saudi Arabia’s rightful place as a regional and global leader in AAM. This is just the beginning of many impactful collaborations across this developing landscape (and airscape) of Saudi Arabia.”
Michael Dyment of Nexa Capital Partners, a key strategic partner in organizing the mission, added, “it was an amazing trade mission that will quickly lead to new Advanced Air Mobility business for the U.S. Having KSA in partnership with our aerospace industries and driving a common vision to grow the AAM ecosystem, will propel both countries to quickly prosper.”
Delegate Companies:
- DBT Aero
- aero
- e1Air
- Five-Alpha LLC
- Fortem Technologies
- Future Flight Global
- NEXA Capital Partners
- NUAIR
- Piasecki Aircraft Corporation
- Roboxi
- Thales USA
- TruWeather Solutions
