With up to $300,000 per startup and a global pool of founders, Saudi Arabia’s flagship gaming accelerator is transforming national gaming ambitions into a real studio pipeline.
On a whiteboard inside a Riyadh workspace this month, a fresh group of founders sketches out mechanics, builds, and monetisation loops. For 19 early-stage gaming startups, that whiteboard now comes with something rare: a structured pathway with capital, mentorship, and time to build.
Exel by Merak, the Kingdom’s dedicated gaming accelerator backed by Merak Capital, has officially launched its second 16-week cohort, offering each selected startup up to $300,000 in combined cash and in-kind support. The programme marks a growing shift in Saudi Arabia’s approach to gaming — from funding sporadic initiatives to establishing a repeatable, high-quality pipeline of studios and gaming-tech companies.
A Global Lineup, Anchored in Riyadh
Demand for the programme surged again this year, with more than 300 applicants competing for 19 slots. The accelerator continues to attract diverse founders building:
- Standalone game studios
- Gaming tools and infrastructure
- Platforms supporting publishing, monetisation or live operations
While global applications are welcome, teams ultimately relocate or establish an on-ground presence in Saudi Arabia, reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as a growing hub for the gaming industry.
Inside the 16-Week Exel Formula
Exel by Merak runs on a hybrid format designed for early-stage gaming founders:
Phase 1 — Virtual Bootcamp (2 Weeks)
Startups align on product goals, sharpen pitches, and set measurable milestones.
Phase 2 — In-Person Programme in Riyadh (14 Weeks)
A hands-on, intensive period where founders work with:
- Game-design mentors and gaming EIRs
- Publishers and platform partners
- Technical experts, tools providers and market strategists
- Operators experienced in monetisation, live ops, and retention
Startups receive:
- $150,000 in cash, typically through early-stage investment instruments
- $150,000 in services, including legal, HR, development credits, advisory hours and production support
- Access to Merak’s $80m gaming fund, dedicated exclusively to gaming and interactive entertainment
The programme culminates in Demo Day, where founders pitch to investors, publishers, and strategic partners focused specifically on the gaming sector.
Building on Cohort 1’s Momentum
Exel’s first cohort set a strong precedent:
- 17 gaming startups graduated
- Each received approximately $300,000 in total support
- Alumni continue to receive mentorship and follow-on connections
Cohort 2 now builds on this foundation — with deeper sector expertise, a more refined mentor pool, and growing publisher and ecosystem partnerships. Together, these batches form the early backbone of a new generation of Saudi-grown studios.
A Strategic National Bet on Gaming
Exel’s expansion aligns with a broader national transformation. Gaming and esports have been designated as priority industries under Saudi Vision 2030, with the country targeting tens of thousands of jobs and billions in GDP impact from this sector alone.
The Kingdom is making bold moves:
- Establishing Savvy Games Group, a PIF-owned global gaming investment vehicle
- Hosting the Esports World Cup with record prize pools
- Launching specialised funds — including Merak’s sector-dedicated gaming fund
- Attracting international talent and founders to Riyadh
Within this ecosystem, Exel by Merak serves as the execution engine — the place where policy turns into product, teams, and shipped games.
What Founders Actually Gain
Beyond funding, founders join a structure built for one purpose: helping teams ship a high-quality vertical slice or market-ready build.
Startups receive:
- Clear product and commercial milestones
- Feedback from publishers and global gaming operators
- Support on go-to-market, user acquisition, and long-term retention
- Community and peer networks with other studios
- Visibility to investors who understand gaming economics
This is not a generalist accelerator. It is a gaming-native environment built by people deeply familiar with game lifecycles, production realities, and commercial viability.
What This Means for the MENA Startup Landscape
Exel’s second cohort signals three important shifts for the region:
1. Sector-Specific Capital Is Rising
Investors are specialising, and gaming has emerged as one of the Middle East’s most strategically backed verticals.
2. Riyadh Is Becoming a Regional Gaming HQ
The requirement for teams to be present creates a fast-growing hub of international founders, IP, and talent in Saudi Arabia.
3. Gaming Is Now Treated as Economic Infrastructure
No longer a side industry, gaming is now central to job creation, digital exports, and long-term innovation capacity in the region.
For founders across MENA, the message is clear: the region finally has a serious, well-funded, and repeatable pathway for building gaming companies at global standards.
Editor’s Note — The Startups MENA Team
At Startups MENA, we focus on the narratives that shape how the Middle East builds its next-generation innovation economy. Exel by Merak’s second cohort marks a crucial milestone in this journey: it represents a shift from high-level ambition to executable, structured capacity-building within the gaming sector.
By combining specialised capital, a focused 16-week programme, and a model that brings global founders into Riyadh, Exel serves as more than an accelerator. It is a strategic engine turning Saudi Arabia’s gaming vision into real studios, real IP, and real economic value.
This matters. It reflects the region’s move toward treating gaming not as entertainment but as a foundational digital industry — one capable of generating jobs, exports, and new creative economies.
As the Kingdom accelerates toward Vision 2030 and beyond, programmes like Exel will help determine whether the Middle East becomes just a major consumer of global gaming content or a global producer shaping the industry’s future.
— The Startups MENA Editorial Team
