Osama Ashri is the Saudi Entrepreneurship System’s Founder

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a rich ground for business in a variety of industries, due to the recent influx of entrepreneurs establishing ventures in recent years.

A study by the Global Entrepreneurship Index states that approximately 76.3% of individuals in the Kingdom think that the environment is favourable and motivating for starting fresh enterprises.

A Pioneer in Saudi Entrepreneurship

Fortunately, Osama Ashri, the creator of the Saudi Entrepreneurship System, must come up when discussing the Kingdom’s economic landscape. He dedicated his life to fostering this industry and offering assistance to anyone wishing to venture into it.

Osama Ashri attended King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals for his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and Babson College in London for his Master of Business Administration.

He began his professional life in the technology sector and took part in Harvard University’s specialised executive programmes, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Prior to gaining substantial expertise in creating strategies for several organisations, he previously held positions in a number of prominent Saudi Arabian firms.

He formerly worked as the Head of Development and Strategic Alliances at Prince Mohammed bin Salman University, the Head of Entrepreneurship and Development of Small and Medium Enterprises in King Abdullah City, and a part of the Namaa Al-Munawara founding team. He also served on the Board of Directors for Wadi Makkah Ventures Company.

When Osama Ashri was a student at Babson College studying entrepreneurship, he proposed a project to create a platform that links the players in the Kingdom’s entrepreneurship system to promote the system’s growth. He started working on a prototype of this system, which helped him win the Information Systems Award and make it to the finals of the Entrepreneurship Award nominations.

A New Chapter in Entrepreneurship

Once he returned to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after receiving his degree, he worked on the design and development of two entrepreneurship systems. In 2018, he was involved in the launch of the Saudi Entrepreneurship System Platform (C-Lab), which aims to promote entrepreneurship in the country and assist aspiring business owners in launching, growing, and marketing their ventures.

It also aims to improve collaboration between aspiring entrepreneurs and public and private entities in the Kingdom, foster a culture of cooperation, and coordinate efforts to support entrepreneurship in the country.

After working both inside and outside the Kingdom, Ashri’s experience in this field grew, and he went on to co-author the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report, co-author The Role of Universities in Stimulating Entrepreneurship Systems, and author a report on the Saudi Entrepreneurship System, among other publications in the field of entrepreneurship. He is also eager to share his experiences with young people by regularly attending events and seminars aimed at them.

Osama Ashri, who is constantly looking for ways to use his skills to help others, provides some advice for young people who wish to pursue careers in entrepreneurship. The first piece of advice is for the individual to thoroughly assess his financial status and identify potential sources of income to cover the project’s launch costs, all the while avoiding debt or borrowing as much as possible.

Aligning Objectives with Project Vision

Setting attainable short- and long-term objectives is necessary to guarantee the project’s continuous growth and profitability in accordance with well-thought-out plans, once the project has received the necessary funding.

In addition, Ashri advises youth to be risk-takers and prudent in handling challenges and roadblocks. This necessitates establishing an effective organisational framework early on that outlines expectations for both the individual and any potential employees.

Ashri encourages youth to take use of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s kind laws and conducive business climate, as well as to research and choose the best chances out there. The most important advice is still to keep going with your education and to keep picking up new skills that will give the project owner the keys to success that his work requires. Instead of giving up on the notion that learning new things takes time, you should always be persuaded that knowledge is the most profitable investment you can make.

As one of the primary focuses of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is fostering innovation and creativity, Osama Ashri is adamant about doing all it takes to advance the entrepreneurship sector in the hopes that the Kingdom will eventually hold the position it rightfully deserves in both Arab and international forums.