Merak Capital Boosts Saudi Gaming with New $300K Accelerator Cohort

Editorial Team

Last updated 18-11-2025

3 min

Merak Capital picks 19 startups for its Exel by Merak accelerator, from 300 applicants.

Each startup receives $300,000, split between cash and in-kind services like mentorship.

The 16-week programme includes a two-week virtual bootcamp and in-person sessions in Riyadh.

The initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia's ambition in the global gaming industry.

The challenge is turning these startups into sustainable businesses post-programme.

Saudi Arabia’s gaming scene just got another push as Merak Capital rolled out the second cohort of its Exel by Merak accelerator, picking 19 startups from a pretty competitive pool of around 300 applicants. The projects span mobile, PC and console, which feels spot on given how diverse the region’s gaming tastes have become. I remember chatting with a young studio founder at an Arageek event last year who told me that finding proper guidance in this space can be “a bit of a faff” — so seeing a structured programme like this take shape again is honestly refreshing.

Each selected startup will receive USD 300,000 in support, split neatly between cash and in‑kind services. Half of that comes as funding they can actually spend, while the other half arrives through mentorship, legal and HR support, plus access to tools that early teams often struggle to afford or even identify. The accelerator runs for 16 weeks: a two‑week virtual bootcamp up front, followed by about 14 weeks in person in Riyadh. That said, the real value might lie in the global mentors and investors the programme promises to introduce along the way. As the Exel by Merak team noted on LinkedIn, the participants are heading into an “intensive program designed to accelerate growth, refine strategy, and connect with global mentors and investors.”

It’s clear the initiative is aligned with Saudi Arabia’s ambition to carve out a serious role in the global gaming industry. And believe it or not, I reckon this kind of consistent pipeline-building could make a genuine difference, especially for smaller studios that usually struggle to break through. On the flip side, all accelerators talk about impact — the real test will be how many of these 19 startups manage to build sustainable businesses once the programme wraps. Still, for founders across the region who’ve been hunting for a foothold, this looks like a solid opportunity, even if one or two bits of the process might feel, well… a little hurried.

Either way, the new cohort now has the tools, funding and guidance to sharpen their strategies and push their games or technologies to the next stage. And if conversations I’ve had with MENA founders are anything to go by, many of them will be absolutely chuffed to bits to have made the cut — even if I definately would not want to be in their shoes during those long Riyadh nights perfecting a pitch deck.

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