Saudi Arabia is rapidly emerging as a regional leader in the Web3 and digital innovation space, in line with its Vision 2030 goals to diversify the economy and foster technological advancement. The Kingdom's blockchain market is projected to grow by 41% between 2021 and 2025, reaching SAR 91.7 billion, supported by a tech-savvy population and government investments exceeding $14.9 billion in AI and digital transformation. With the digital economy’s contribution to GDP rising from 11% to 15%, Saudi Arabia is clearly positioning itself as a hub for next-generation technologies.

Adaverse KSA has built its presence and recognition in the Web3 space in the Kingdom by partnering Kingdom’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and founding the country’s first Web3 alliance, named Web3 Alliance of Saudi Arabia (WASA) with industry’s leading partners, such as the Sandbox and Animoca Brands.

Now, recognizing the existent challenges for Cardano and Intersect into this market, we propose a multi-track strategy described below.

<KPIs for 12 months> To solve the identified challenges, we set our KPIs below;

1. Developer Engagement:

• 100+ developers trained in workshops

2. Ecosystem Adoption:

• 1 new Cardano-native dApp launched

3. WASA participation:

• Organizing a Web3 Policy Forum: Cardano for Public Good

4. Funding Visibility:

• 10 Catalyst proposals from Saudi

5. Public Visibility:

• 5 enterprise co-hosted events; 5 local media appearance

6. Intersect Membership:

• Identifying local key players and onboarding 5 enterprise members

7. Web3 Landscape Report:

• Issuing the latest version of the annual landscape report of KSA Web3 space

​Saudi Arabia is experiencing a significant surge in the Web3 industry, aligning with its Vision 2030 objectives to diversify the economy and foster technological innovation. The blockchain market in the Kingdom is projected to expand by 41% from 2021 to 2025, reaching approximately SAR 91.7 billion (USD 24.4 billion), driven by visionary policies and a digitally native population. ​

The Saudi government is actively investing in digital technologies, with over $14.9 billion allocated to AI and digital advancements, aiming to empower digital skills and foster tech startups. Additionally, the digital economy's contribution to the GDP has increased from 11% to 15%, and the technology and innovation market has surpassed SAR 166 billion (USD 44.2 billion).

Given the circumstances, we could identify the following challenges for the Cardano community.

1. Brand Awareness and Developer Mindshare

• Problem: Ethereum, BNB Chain, and Solana are much more widely known. Cardano is often perceived as more "academic" or "slow to ship," which may deter fast-paced devs and entrepreneurs.

• Example: Most hackathons and startup bootcamps in KSA default to EVM-compatible tooling. Solidity is widely taught, while Plutus and Haskell have little to no exposure.

2. Lack of Localized Education & Tools

• Problem: Cardano resources (developer docs, tutorials, workshops) aren’t widely localized for Arabic speakers or tailored to regional use cases.

• Other Ecosystems: Ethereum has well-established regional support networks, including Arabic-language materials and even regional grants.

3. Limited Presence in Local Web3 alliances

• Problem: Cardano isn't visibly represented in local web3 alliances yet, while projects like Polygon, Chainlink, and others are already forming strategic ties. Solana organises regular community meetups in KSA.

• Opportunity: Adaverse can fill this gap and plant the flag for Cardano.

4. Ecosystem Funding Visibility

• Problem: Cardano’s Catalyst funding mechanism is relatively unknown and considered complicated to navigate compared to direct VC-style grants from other ecosystems.

• Other Ecosystems: Solana, Avalanche, and even newer L1s like Sui or Aptos offer clear, rapid grant onboarding processes — attractive to builders.

By leveraging Adaverse's expertise and the supportive environment fostered by Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, establishing a Cardano institutional and community hub can significantly contribute to the Kingdom's burgeoning Web3 landscape.Then, hereunder we identify challenges for the Cardano community expansion to catch the wave of Saudi Arabia becoming the Web3 hub in the Middle East.

1. Early-Mover Advantage in an Untapped but Booming Market

• Benefit: While Ethereum, Solana, and BNB Chain are present, no blockchain has yet established clear dominance in the Saudi Web3 landscape. Cardano can position itself as the go-to infrastructure for compliant, sustainable innovation aligned with Vision 2030.

2. Access to Government-Backed Innovation Programs

• Benefit: The Saudi government is investing over $40 billion through the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and $14.9B in AI & digital technologies, much of which flows into smart city, fintech, and digital ID projects — perfect use cases for Cardano.

• Value to Cardano: Strategic partnerships could lead to flagship use cases (e.g. in NEOM, Red Sea Project, or SDAIA), showcasing Cardano’s strengths in identity, traceability, and sustainability.

3. Localized Developer Growth → Strengthened Ecosystem

• Benefit: By building a regional hub, running hackathons, and providing Arabic-language dev training in Plutus and Marlowe, Cardano can grow its developer base where few competitors are investing in education.

• Value to Cardano: A new generation of Cardano-native builders with government support and access to Gulf VC funding can enrich the global dApp ecosystem — especially in sectors like regtech, Islamic finance, supply chain, and healthtech.

4. Boost in On-Chain Activity and TVL (Total Value Locked)

• Benefit: Saudi startups are building in fintech, tokenization, and loyalty — all areas where Cardano’s cost-efficient and secure infrastructure shines.

• Value to Cardano: Each dApp deployed in KSA brings increased transaction volume, locked assets, and network activity, making Cardano more attractive to global investors and DeFi users.

5. Regional Network Effects

• Benefit: A Saudi hub can act as a launchpad for expansion into Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman — countries with similar innovation agendas and cultural ties.

• Value to Cardano: One successful hub in Riyadh can trigger a network effect across the Gulf, boosting usage, partnerships, and ecosystem participation.

Key Tracks, Milestones, and Tangible Outcomes

Track 1: Localized Brand Awareness & Developer Engagement

• Arabic Localized Educational Resources Published Cardano educational materials—including setup guides, Plutus/Aiken/Marlowe primers, and infrastructure tooling—are translated and adapted into Arabic and made publicly available online.
• 100+ Developers Trained Hands-on workshops and developer meetups conducted across at least three cities (e.g., Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran), with clear certification and completion metrics, resulting in over 100 trained developers.
• Academic Collaboration Initiated A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) or co-program is established with at least one academic institution (e.g., Tuwaiq Academy or KAUST), setting the foundation for a long-term Cardano developer pipeline in the Kingdom.

Track 2: Ecosystem Activation

• Quarterly Developer Meetups Held Four in-person developer events organized in collaboration with MCIT, WASA, or CODE, featuring demo days, lightning talks, and networking opportunities to activate local builders.
• 1 Cardano-Native dApp MVP Launched Launch of a functional MVP for a Cardano-based decentralized application developed in Saudi Arabia, focusing on key use cases such as DeFi, identity, or sustainability.
• Annual Web3 Landscape Report Issued A co-branded “State of Web3 in KSA” report (v2), published with Cardano, WASA, and Adaverse, providing insights into the local market, ecosystem growth, and Cardano's role.

Track 3: Institutional Alliances & Ecosystem Presence

• WASA Active Representation Ongoing representation of the Cardano ecosystem within WASA by an Adaverse delegate, helping influence national Web3 standards and promoting Cardano’s core values.
• Web3 Policy Forum: Cardano for Public Good A flagship event co-hosted with MCIT and WASA, showcasing Cardano’s potential in powering public infrastructure such as digital identity, traceability, and green blockchain technology.

Track 4: Ecosystem Funding & Governance Onboarding

• 10 Saudi Catalyst Proposals Submitted At least ten proposals submitted to Project Catalyst by Saudi-based founders. Adaverse acts as a "Catalyst Sherpa" through proposal mentoring sessions, onboarding clinics, and governance education.
• AMA Sessions for Catalyst A minimum of three Catalyst-focused community AMA sessions delivered in Arabic (with English summaries), demystifying Catalyst, governance processes, and proposal creation.

Track 5: Intersect Member Activation

• 5 Local Enterprise Intersect Members Onboarded Five strategic Saudi-based enterprises or startups are officially onboarded as members of Intersect, with tailored onboarding support and long-term ecosystem alignment.

Track 6: Media Visibility

• 5 Local Media Features & 5 Co-hosted Events At least five media placements secured in leading Arabic-language tech and business outlets (e.g., MENAbytes, Arab News), and five co-hosted events with ecosystem partners such as CODE, Animoca, or Oumla.

<Summary: Total 630,500 ADA / 315,250 USD>

Operations: 252,000 ADA / 126,000 USD

Outsourcing Expenses: 204,500 ADA / 102,250 USD

Community Events & Programming: 82,000 ADA / 41,000 USD

Marketing & Community Growth: 18,000 ADA / 9,000 USD

Ecosystem Expansion: 74,000 ADA / 37,000 USD

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GjGGf1iKdpsyP5qts1ZlX-xIuibm0gVWPmHJGhcJiyM/edit?gid=1760940232#gid=1760940232

<Events organized/ co-organized by Adaverse KSA:>

1. Web3 Fireside chat Jan 2025 ASA hosting Fireside chat with Dr. Abeer Alhumaumeedy. Following up with Dr. Abeer Alhumaumeedy the coming week to see how we could collaborate with the Blockchain Labs in the upcoming research.

2. Web3 Alliance Get Together Jan 2025 Board members meeting, including Vincent, Dr. Abeer, Christopher Calder.

3. Pitching May 2024 Takadao and Adaverse organized a pitching session and panel discussion in partnership with OffChain Riyadh in BIM Ventures.

4. Web3 for Creatives May 2024 "Web3 for Creatives" event was organized together with Sorbet, Kingdom Creatives and Adaverse, the gathering explored the potential of Web3 for the creative industries at CODE - Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia.

5. Adaverse Saudi Launch Event Feb 2024 Adaverse Launch event announcing its entering into the Saudi startup scene.

Adaverse, Saudi Arabia’s first Web3 and blockchain fund and accelerator, forged a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) to accelerate the development of Web3 technologies and promote innovation in blockchains in Saudi Arabia.

Leveraging MCIT’s leadership in national digital transformation and Adaverse’s expertise in blockchain investments and technology infrastructure, this collaboration targets equipping local talent with access to the latest global advancements in this field, Adaverse announced in a press release today.

Under this partnership, both entities will work together on launching training and awareness programs to equip local talent with Web3 and blockchain skills, alongside organizing community meetups and hackathons to foster innovation and a dynamic tech ecosystem.

It also includes initiatives focusing on providing access to global expertise and cutting-edge technologies to support the Kingdom’s tech ecosystem growth and establishing startup accelerators to foster entrepreneurs and emerging Web3 companies.

Moreover, this partnership marks a significant step toward positioning Saudi Arabia as a leading regional digital hub for future technologies and strengthening its capabilities in Web3 and blockchain.

13th February marks the official launch of the Web3 Alliance of Saudi Arabia (WASA), a groundbreaking initiative uniting key leaders in blockchain technology and digital innovation to drive the adoption of Web3 technologies in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, fostering economic diversification and technological advancement across the Kingdom.

Founded by global Web3 pioneers The Sandbox, Animoca Brands, and Outlier Ventures, WASA aims to create a collaborative ecosystem that empowers businesses and drives sustainable growth within Saudi Arabia by building on their previous initiatives and investments to advance the region's digital landscape.

The alliance's distinguished board is composed of industry leaders and experts based in Saudi Arabia, actively driving the Kingdom’s digital transformation. Supported by both international and local companies, these experts - including Dr. Abeer Al Humaimeedy, Yasser Alobaidan, Omar Elassar, Dr. Majid Almansouri, Wajd Badawi, Billal Yamak, Vincent Li, Bandar Altunisi, Ali Alasiri, and Stephan Apel - are deeply engaged in advancing innovation within the country.

The alliance will focus on four key pillars:

Awareness and Education through workshops, seminars, and conferences Development of Standards and Best Practices Networking and Collaboration opportunities Research and Development initiatives Operating as a non-profit organization, WASA will serve as the primary advocate for Web3 technology in the region, working independently to promote innovation rather than individual companies or entities.

<Releasing Web3 Landscape Report 2024 - State of Web3 in Saudi Arabia> *report can be downloaded here: https://www.adaverse.co/report The Adaverse KSA officially released its inaugural Web3 report in 2024, marking a significant milestone in the exploration of decentralized technologies in Saudi Arabia. This comprehensive document features interviews and insights from key Web3 stakeholders, including government representatives, prominent startup founders, active investors, and other influential players in the ecosystem. Through this initiative, ASA aims to foster collaboration and innovation within the rapidly evolving Web3 landscape, highlighting the potential for growth and development in the region. The report serves as a foundational resource for understanding the current state of Web3 in Saudi Arabia and the opportunities that lie ahead. The graph below shows a snapshot of the key players involved in the Web3 ecosystem.

Adaverse KSA team will handle the maintenance with its and contractor’s developers.

The proposal makes Cardano more recognizable.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adaverse_web3-activity-7295668054267432960--Oac?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAARItNIBNcAvWdnxLSn60u97uIjt6--6DlM

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vincent1110_last-week-we-signed-a-strategic-partnership-activity-7297156526396313602-eYHM?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAARItNIBNcAvWdnxLSn60u97uIjt6--6DlM

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/adaverse_i-firmly-believe-that-web3-has-the-power-activity-7304727723359268864-gDuE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAARItNIBNcAvWdnxLSn60u97uIjt6--6DlM