Saudi Arabia has launched a new initiative aimed at strengthening its space technology ecosystem and establishing its presence in the global space race. With a $2.1 billion investment in the sector, the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST) has established a space entrepreneurship alliance, which was announced at The Garage Disrupt tech event. The goal of the alliance is to foster innovation in the space industry by providing access to shared workspaces, technical labs, and other resources and services.

Frank Salzgeber, the Deputy Governor of the Space Department at CST, said that the alliance would create an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the sector and serve as a platform to support Saudi entrepreneurs in innovation. The alliance will facilitate accelerator programs, workshops, hackathons, and connect entrepreneurs with investors and experts.

This announcement follows the creation of the Supreme Space Council in November, comprising Saudi government officials, including the Minister of Communications and Information Technology and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Additionally, the Saudi Space Commission launched the Saudi Space Accelerator Program in December, which aims to address the state of the kingdom’s space sector and propose proactive space solutions to ignite the local ecosystem and determine its maturity level.