Outlier Ventures, the world’s leading deep tech Web3 accelerator, has successfully concluded its inaugural FutureSpark Base Camp in Riyadh. The program was conducted in strategic partnership with Saudi Arabia’s National Technology Development Program (NTDP) and was supported by NEOM, providing participants with essential resources and expert guidance. The FutureSpark Base Camp was the first deep-tech Web3 accelerator in Saudi Arabia and is part of Outlier Ventures’ commitment to growing the Web3 ecosystem globally and driving innovation in the region.
The FutureSpark Base Camp application process was exceptionally competitive, with an acceptance rate of less than 2%. The cohort comprised teams from countries including Saudi Arabia, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Portugal, and the Marshall Islands.
The select group of high-potential projects were chosen to participate, representing diverse sectors including Gaming, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Payment Solutions, Real World Assets (RWA) and Digital Identity, playing critical roles in shaping the future of the internet and directly aligning with our Post Web thesis.
Launched in October 2024 in Riyadh, the FutureSpark Base Camp aimed to support the founders, creating a program that helped drive the growth and development of the selected startups. Outlier Ventures evaluated and advanced startup teams in the areas of token design, engineering, legal, marketing, finance, and more along with networking opportunities and guidance from mentors. The cohort also attended an intensive four-day workshop held in NEOM in January.
The accelerator program concluded in Riyadh with an in-person Demo Day, where startup founders from Astra Nova, Byzanlink, Feed Protocol, Kodex, LIFT, Ouroboro Labs, Sorbet, Waslah and YalGamers, showcased their vision to a packed audience of 200+ distinguished guests, including investors, venture capitalists, and key government representatives.
Prominent speakers at the event included Ibrahim Neyaz, CEO of the National Technology Development Program (NTDP), and Stephan Apel, Founding Partner and CEO of Outlier Ventures. The program also organised a virtual Demo Day in February, offering the cohort an opportunity to present to a global audience.
Stephan Apel said: “The FutureSpark program supported an incredible cohort of founders in the Kingdom backed by our leading Web3 experts. It has been fantastic to see founders’ progression over the 12-week program and we look forward to seeing their continued growth. The heart of the FutureSpark Base Camp is the passion of Web3 that drives the ecosystem. It is an honor for Outlier Ventures to launch its first Middle East accelerator in the Kingdom and to partner with such prestigious institutions as NTDP and NEOM who are continuing to support the founders in their journey. It is great to see this continued collaboration and we look forward to the ongoing success from the cohort.”
