Startup Den Returns to Future Hospitality Summit Saudi Arabia 2026

The Startup Den competition will return to the 2026 edition of the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia, giving hospitality and tourism startups a platform to pitch to investors, mentors and industry judges.

Part of the annual summit scheduled from June 22-24 at the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah Riyadh, the competition will feature six startups pitching their businesses live on stage.

This year’s finalists are Abdulrahman Joud, co-founder and CEO of Emtethal; Rakan Alrasheed, founder and CEO of Arabian Haven; Nourah Alsadoon, founder of HiHome; Micaela Johnston, founder of ReelStay; Sabrine Chennaoui, CEO of MONSAPO; and Fayaz Ali, director of ChiefPAISA Merchant Payments. 

The winner will receive a complimentary pass to FHS World scheduled for Dubai in September, along with meetings with investors and venture capital firms.

Startup Den is open to companies operating across hospitality and food and beverage (F&B) technology sectors, including hotel technology, restaurant technology, food delivery and logistics, cloud kitchens, travel and tourism, data analytics, sustainability, and hospitality fintech.

Eligible companies must be based in the Middle East or expanding into the MENA region, employ 2 to 50 people, generate annual revenue of up to US$3 million, and have raised no more than US$2 million in funding.

This year’s judging panel includes Rema Alyahya, vice president of Merak Capital; Yasser Faisal AlSharif, CEO of TOURACT; and Saad Shabbir, senior director of Takamol Ventures.

Last year’s competition was won by Inntelo AI, which developed an artificial intelligence-powered concierge platform for hotels.

The FHS Saudi Arabia is a hospitality investment forum that brings together government officials, investors, developers, and hotel operators to discuss deals, partnerships, and sector development in line with Vision 2030. More than 1,100 global hospitality leaders are expected to attend this year.