Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Riyadh Biotechnology Center Foundation, the fourth edition of the Riyadh Global Biotechnology Summit was announced. The summit is scheduled to be held in Riyadh from September 14-16, 2026. This prominent global event is organized by the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, represented by the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Investment.
Strategic context within the Kingdom's Vision 2030
This summit cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader strategic framework of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the national economy and reduce dependence on oil by building new and sustainable economic sectors. The biotechnology sector is a key pillar of this transformation, with the Kingdom launching the National Biotechnology Strategy with the goal of becoming a leading global hub in this field by 2040. This strategy focuses on enhancing research and development, localizing pharmaceutical and vaccine industries, attracting foreign direct investment, and developing national talent, making the Riyadh Summit a vital platform for accelerating the achievement of these ambitious goals.
The importance of the summit and its expected impact
The Riyadh Summit is considered one of the most important international gatherings in the life sciences sector, bringing together under one roof a select group of government leaders, decision-makers, CEOs of major global pharmaceutical companies, along with leading experts, investors, and researchers. The summit's agenda focuses on the latest developments in vital fields such as cell technologies and gene therapy, artificial intelligence in drug discovery and diagnostics, vaccine manufacturing, and personalized medicine. The summit is expected to have a multifaceted impact
- Locally: The summit will contribute to stimulating the local innovation ecosystem, creating promising investment opportunities for the private sector, providing quality jobs for Saudi youth, in addition to enhancing the Kingdom’s health security through the localization of advanced technologies.
- Regionally: The summit consolidates the Kingdom’s position as a regional leader in healthcare and biotechnology, and opens new horizons for research and industrial cooperation with countries in the region.
- Internationally: The summit provides a global platform for exchanging knowledge and experiences, and forming international partnerships to address global health challenges. It also highlights the Kingdom’s pivotal role in supporting advanced medical research and leading global initiatives in public health.
On this occasion, His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Minister of the National Guard and a member of the Board of Directors of the Riyadh Biotechnology Center Foundation, expressed his deepest gratitude to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for his generous patronage of the summit. His Highness affirmed that this patronage reflects the Crown Prince's ongoing support for the promising biotechnology sector and empowers all efforts aimed at achieving the objectives of the National Biotechnology Strategy, thereby strengthening the Kingdom's position as an influential force in the global knowledge-based economy.
