The U.S.-Saudi Business Council was pleased to organize a roundtable and site visit to Unstuck Labs, a 100 percent Saudi-owned startup accelerator and venture studio based in Arlington, Virginia, for members of the Saudi delegation participating in the SelectUSA Investment Summit.
The roundtable program featured candid and insightful dialogue on startup development, cross-border investment, and innovation in emerging technologies. The session began with welcome remarks from Wa’il Ashshowwaf, Co-Founder of Unstuck Labs, followed by remarks from Jamil Alothman, Vice President at the U.S.-Saudi Business Council, who welcomed the delegation, introduced the Council’s work, and extended his appreciation to Unstuck Labs for hosting the event.
The open discussion featured contributions from expert panelists who shared their perspectives and expertise, including Adam Phillips, former Director at Techstars; Seema Alexander, Founder of DC Startup & Tech Week; Beulah Toth, Strategist and Co-author of the DMV Startup Ecosystem Report; and Mohammed Ahmed, Investor and Managing Partner at Equity Star Ventures. The Saudi delegation then introduced themselves, followed by a dynamic Q&A session that sparked meaningful dialogue and exchange.
The Saudi delegation included 18 representatives from companies and organizations across a range of sectors such as financial services, information and communication technology, oil & gas, food manufacturing, consulting, and pharmaceuticals & digital health. Participating organizations included Halwani Bros, Malaz Capital, Analytix Management Consultant, Tradeics, Specialty Experts Co, Juleb, Dallah Business Solutions, Saudi Aramco, the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority, the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA), the Federation of Saudi Chambers, Bagpoint, and Gulf Harbor Logistics.
Following the roundtable, the Council was also pleased to host the delegation for a networking lunch, providing further opportunities to build relationships and explore new avenues for collaboration.
The Council gives a special thank you to Wa’il Ashshowwaf, Ibrahim Alhaidari, and the entire Unstuck Labs team for their generous hospitality and for leading a high-impact, thought-provoking roundtable. The Council would also like to thank Hesham Alawad, Commercial Specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce, for coordinating the delegation’s participation and for his support throughout the visit.
The Council looks forward to continuing to support initiatives that foster innovation and strengthen the commercial bridge between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
