stc group launches colab to expand venture-building and scale digital businesses

stc group has launched colab, a dedicated innovation and corporate venture-building company, unveiling the new arm at LEAP 2026 as part of a broader strategy to deepen its venture ecosystem. The move positions colab alongside existing platforms InspireU and tali ventures to identify, build and scale digital ventures by leveraging stc group’s market reach, digital infrastructure and industry expertise.

Direct quote

Motaz Alangari, stc group Chief Investment Officer (GCIO), said: “Over the years, we have built a strong foundation across the venture spectrum, from venture investments, acceleration, and now venture building. This integrated model enables us not only to invest in innovation, but to systematically create and scale new businesses. stc’s launch of colab reflects the group’s commitment to shaping the next phase of the Kingdom’s ambition, building sustainable growth engines and partnering with founders and strategic players to widen the region’s innovation pipeline.”

Context and details

colab will provide a systematic capability to discover emerging opportunities, test new technologies and business models, and transform validated ideas into scalable businesses. The unit is intended to complement InspireU, which has accelerated more than 150 startups by connecting entrepreneurs with capabilities and market access, and tali ventures, which focuses on strategic venture investment in high-growth technology companies.

stc group has used a similar venture-building approach before: the company cites the evolution of STC Bank as a primary example. What started as stc pay, a digital wallet launched to meet an emerging market need, expanded into a fintech unicorn and ultimately became a fully licensed digital bank. STC Bank now serves more than eight million customers and generated revenues exceeding 1 billion SAR in 2025, underscoring stc group’s ability to leverage internal assets to scale promising concepts into major digital businesses.

stc group offers services across digital infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), digital payments, digital media and digital entertainment.
The group comprises 13 subsidiaries across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe.
InspireU has accelerated 150+ startups; tali ventures provides strategic investments to high-growth technology companies.

Outlook

By adding colab to its venture stack, stc group aims to complete an integrated pipeline spanning startup acceleration, strategic investment and corporate venture building. The combined model is designed to give the group broader access to high-growth opportunities while providing entrepreneurs with market access and operational support. Executives frame colab as a mechanism to turn early-stage validation into scalable businesses that can tap stc group’s customer base and infrastructure.

Going forward, the success of colab will likely be measured by its ability to replicate the STC Bank trajectory—identifying nascent market opportunities, incubating solutions internally or with founders, and scaling them rapidly across regions where stc group operates. With more than a dozen subsidiaries and established platforms already in place, colab represents the next phase of the group’s effort to catalyse digital ventures and generate new revenue streams through innovation.

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Stc group powers its venture ecosystem with the launch of ‘colab’