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    Saudi Arabia

    Tier 1
    Middle East & Africa · #42 of 117 markets · IEPA 2024 (final) · 2026 current estimate available
    58.0▲ +2.1 YoY
    ●●●0.88IEPA COMPOSITE

    Saudi Arabia scores 58.0 out of 100 on the IEPA (2024 edition), ranking #42 of 117 economies. That is up 2.1 points on the year before. Its strongest zone is Prosperity Outcomes at 70.7. Its binding constraint, the lowest-scoring of its six zones, is FDI Accelerator at 43.8. How the IEPA works →

    SIX FACTORS · CLICK ANY SCORE FOR ITS EVIDENCE
    IEPA TRAJECTORY · 2010–2026
    201120132015201720192021202320264448525660
    CAPITAL FLOWS · FDI NET INFLOWS % OF GDP
    201020112012201320142015201620172018201920212023202500.81.62.43.2
    IE FDI intelligence · synced weekly
    PRODUCTIVE CAPABILITY
    IE COMPLEXITY LAYER · VINTAGE 2024
    #48of 145 ranked economies▼ 3 places since 2010
    How much productive know-how this market has demonstrated, read from the range and rarity of what it makes competitively.
    20102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202444475055
    CAPABILITY RANK · HIGHER IS BETTER
    1.81% / yr
    Implied growth
    Annual growth the current capability base points to.
    94
    Diversity
    Distinct products made at competitive scale.
    +0.54
    Capability score
    Standardized: 0 is the world average.
    -0.29
    Outlook
    Value of the new products within reach of what it already does.
    INDUSTRY STRENGTHS · REVEALED FROM TRADE EVIDENCE
    VINTAGE 2022-2024
    POSITION IN THE PRODUCT SPACE
    IE COMPLEXITY LAYER · VINTAGE 2024
    Industrial Chemicals and Metals33 of 157 made · 46% of the rest within reach
    Minerals8 of 48 made · 25% of the rest within reach
    Construction, Building, and Home Supplies9 of 104 made · 18% of the rest within reach
    Agriculture8 of 200 made · 24% of the rest within reach
    Metalworking and Electrical Machinery and Parts4 of 155 made · 13% of the rest within reach
    Textile and Home Goods2 of 78 made · 11% of the rest within reach
    Electronic and Electrical Goods1 of 73 made · 8% of the rest within reach
    Textile Apparel and Accessories0 of 50 made · 4% of the rest within reach
    MADE COMPETITIVELYONE STEP AWAY
    Textile Apparel and Accessories is the furthest: 0% made, and only 4% of the rest is within one step. A move there means building capability rather than extending it.
    READ ON THE 65 OF 94 COMPETITIVE PRODUCTS THAT CARRY A POSITION IN THE CAPABILITY MAP
    POSITIONED TO BUILD NEXT
    IE COMPLEXITY LAYER · VINTAGE 2024
    Silicones in primary forms$7B world market
    Chemicals & PlasticsOPENS 0.51 · COMPLEXITY +1.18
    Apparatus and equipment for photographic laboratories, n.e.c.$49B world market
    Electronics & SemiconductorsOPENS 0.35 · COMPLEXITY +1.95
    Polymers of vinyl acetate$5B world market
    Chemicals & PlasticsOPENS 0.30 · COMPLEXITY +0.59
    Chemical preparations for photographic uses$6B world market
    Chemicals & PlasticsOPENS 0.28 · COMPLEXITY +1.58
    Other articles of precious metals$7B world market
    Consumer Goods & RetailOPENS 0.22 · COMPLEXITY +0.72
    Watches with precious metal$17B world market
    Consumer Goods & RetailOPENS 0.19 · COMPLEXITY +0.52
    THE NEAREST OPTIONS AMONG 444 PRODUCTS ASSESSED · RANKED BY HOW MUCH EACH OPENS UP NEXT
    LIVE SIGNALS
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    MEED Finance · FDI
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    Economy Middle East · Oct 9 · FDI
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    PEERS · TIER 1
    🇻🇳Vietnam58.4→🇹🇭Thailand58.4→🇲🇾Malaysia65.6→🇹🇷Turkey52.0→
    ECOSYSTEM DENSITY
    IE Ecosystem Registry · 2026-07-17
    207organizations indexed across 7 types · 190 mapped
    Universities & research bodies
    71
    Health research
    47
    Fab labs & makerspaces
    28
    Government bodies
    24
    Research organizations
    18
    Science & tech parks
    12
    Corporate R&D
    7
    Universities, corporate R&D, government bodies, incubators, accelerators, science parks, and special economic zones, indexed today.Explore the directory →
    ORGANIZATIONS
    a sample of 207 indexed
    Taibah Valley
    Science & tech parks · Madina
    Wadi Makkah Ventures
    Science & tech parks · Makkah
    Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University
    Universities & research bodies · Al Kharj · 2009
    Taif University
    Universities & research bodies · Ta'if · 2004
    Saudi Arabia Basic Industries (Saudi Arabia)
    Corporate R&D · Riyadh · 1976
    General Organization for Social Insurance
    Research organizations · Riyadh · 1969
    Saudi Toxicology Society
    Research organizations · Jeddah
    Asir Central Hospital
    Health research · Abhā · 1988
    National Guard Health Affairs
    Health research · Riyadh · 1983
    Saudi Commission for Health Specialties
    Government bodies · Riyadh · 1992
    Bright Up
    Fab labs & makerspaces · Al Khobar
    Members get the full directory, filters, and exports.See all 207 organizations →

    Saudi Arabia: common questions

    What is Saudi Arabia's IEPA score?
    Saudi Arabia scores 58.0 out of 100 on the IEPA, 2024 edition, which ranks it #42 of 117 economies.
    What is Saudi Arabia's strongest zone?
    Prosperity Outcomes, at 70.7. The six zones are scored separately, so a market's strengths stay visible instead of being averaged away.
    What is holding Saudi Arabia back?
    Its binding constraint is FDI Accelerator, at 43.8, the lowest of its six zones. The IEPA reports every zone separately so the constraint stays visible instead of being averaged into the composite.
    How does Saudi Arabia compare with its peers?
    The closest scored peers are Vietnam (58.4), Thailand (58.4), Malaysia (65.6), Turkey (52.0).
    What is the IEPA?
    The Innovation Ecosystem Prosperity Assessment (IEPA) scores economies across six zones: innovation capacity, entrepreneurship capacity, resilience, alignment, the FDI accelerator, and prosperity outcomes. Every score carries a confidence band and traces to the evidence behind it.
    Run the full diagnostic →Talk to IE about Saudi Arabia →