Kingdom accelerates semiconductor localization drive at high-level industry forum in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its strategic commitment to building a resilient and globally competitive semiconductor ecosystem with the successful convening of the Semiconductor Forum of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on Tuesday.
The high-level gathering brought together senior government stakeholders, global technology leaders, investors, academia, and industry experts to align on a coordinated roadmap for semiconductor localization, digital sovereignty, and advanced industrial development under Vision 2030.
The one-day gathering served as a strategic platform to examine Saudi Arabia’s evolving role across the semiconductor value chain, with discussions centered on local content development, advanced manufacturing, workforce enablement, investment frameworks, and the growing importance of semiconductors in powering artificial intelligence (AI), data centers, cloud infrastructure, advanced computing, energy systems, and smart industries.
The forum witnessed participation from leading global and regional technology players, including Qualcomm, Lenovo, Amazon Web Services (AWS), HUMAIN, EPIC Semi, JLL, Datavolt, Go Telecom, UltraSense, and many others, reflecting strong cross-sector alignment toward the Kingdom’s semiconductor ambitions.
Strategic localization plan highlighted
A key highlight of the forum was the keynote address by Dr. Naveed Sherwani, Chief Executive Officer of the National Semiconductor Hub of Saudi Arabia, titled “A Call for a Saudi Semiconductor Localization Plan 2030.”
Dr. Sherwani underscored the strategic urgency of establishing coordinated national frameworks to build domestic semiconductor capabilities, reduce global supply chain dependencies, and drive sustainable economic diversification. He emphasized the importance of policy alignment, targeted international partnerships, structured talent development, and execution-focused localization initiatives to position the Kingdom as a resilient and globally relevant semiconductor hub.
He noted that localization must extend beyond assembly to encompass design capabilities, advanced packaging, research and development, and strategic manufacturing partnerships.
Ecosystem alignment across sectors
Throughout the day, keynote sessions and panel discussions examined actionable pathways to ecosystem development. Themes included financing and investment mechanisms, enabling high-performance computing infrastructure, fostering advanced manufacturing capabilities, strengthening AI-driven semiconductor demand, and embedding localization as a core industrial strategy.
Participants stressed that the semiconductor sector sits at the heart of the digital economy, powering critical national priorities such as AI infrastructure, hyperscale data centers, cloud services, energy systems, smart cities, and defense technologies.
Speakers highlighted the importance of coordinated public–private collaboration in accelerating ecosystem maturity, enhancing competitiveness, and ensuring long-term resilience in the semiconductor sector.
Investment and partnership momentum
The forum facilitated direct engagement between Saudi decision-makers and international technology leaders, with discussions focusing on investment priorities, knowledge transfer, and structured localization pathways.
The presence of major global firms signaled growing confidence in Saudi Arabia’s policy direction and industrial strategy. Stakeholders noted that clear regulatory frameworks, targeted incentives, and talent development initiatives would be critical in attracting sustained investment into semiconductor-related ventures.
The event further reflected the Kingdom’s broader ambition to achieve digital sovereignty and enhance its leadership in next-generation technologies as part of Vision 2030’s diversification agenda.
By convening policymakers, investors, technology leaders, and industry stakeholders under one platform, the Semiconductor Forum marked a significant step toward translating strategic intent into coordinated industrial action.