How AstroLabs’ CEO Roland Daher is Leading Businesses into Saudi Arabia’s Booming Economy
Saudi Projects caught up with AstroLabs’ CEO, Roland Daher for an insightful discussion about the origins, accomplishments, and trajectory of AstroLabs as well as those of the Kingdom.
First of all let us explain the reason behind the name, AstroLabs. The company’s name is inspired by the invention of the ‘Astrolabe’ thought to have been invented in around 1740 as a stellar navigation device. At the time, this allowed travelers to navigate uncharted territories with newfound confidence, ease, and accuracy. It is precisely this that AstroLabs now offers to people and companies navigating the move into the Saudi business sector. Setting up in Saudi and growing into its economy without having AstroLabs in your team is akin to departing port on a wooden ship in the 1700s without the Astrolabe and just hoping for the best.
Saudi Projects: Take us through the journey of growth for AstroLabs over the years. How has the company evolved to date?
Roland Daher: To understand the evolution of AstroLabs, it’s important to start with the company’s origins. AstroLabs was founded because the region’s potential was clear, but the pathway to that potential was full of challenges. Our founders had faced these struggles firsthand while building one of the largest e-commerce websites in the region. They realized how hard it was to scale a venture in an environment with limited investors and no established ecosystem. After exiting that venture, they wanted to make it easier for others to build and scale startups.
“AstroLabs bridges the gap between opportunity and execution in Saudi”
We have always catered to the needs of the market. Initially, AstroLabs helped founders navigate the challenges of setting up a business in the GCC. As the years passed, we saw governments taking an active role in enabling innovation and we became their partners to build the infrastructure that allowed for rapid-speed innovation. Now, we are focusing on fast-tracking market expansion and business growth for high-growth companies in Saudi Arabia Many global companies don’t know enough about these opportunities, and even if they do, they might struggle to enter the market. AstroLabs bridges this gap, helping companies tap into Saudi Arabia’s growth potential.
Saudi Projects: Saudi Arabia is experiencing rapid growth. Which areas of development excite you the most?
Roland Daher: What’s remarkable about Saudi Arabia is the sheer scale and depth of the transformation. It’s not just a few projects in a couple of sectors, every industry you look at is seeing real progress on the ground.
That said, we’re particularly excited about technology and construction. Tech has always been a key growth area for AstroLabs, as we’ve been sector builders on a regional level. But construction is also huge right now because for a giga-project to succeed, it needs to activate every sector; construction, infrastructure, technology, quality of life, entertainment, sports, and more. To support Saudi Arabia with this, we are bridging the gap between key global and regional companies under the construction value chain – we have expanded more than 70 businesses active in this space, including, Grankraft, Mighty Buildings, Waagner Biro Steel and Glass, to name a few.
“Saudi Arabia’s transformation is happening across sectors on a massive scale”
Saudi Projects: As Saudi Arabia progresses toward Vision 2030, how does AstroLabs help companies expand seamlessly into the Kingdom?
Roland Daher: We start by closing the knowledge gap. Many companies see the headlines about Saudi Arabia’s growth, but they don’t have a full understanding of the actual opportunities and challenges. We provide insights, data reports, roundtables, and events with leading companies that have expanded to Saudi and seen success, to help them assess the market. Once they’re ready to enter, our on-ground team handles everything required to get them licensed and operational in Saudi. So far, we have expanded 650+ high-growth companies to Saudi, and we are always happy to witness the impact they are creating in the Kingdom.
Beyond that, we support their ongoing operations. This includes helping them hire local talent, oversee & streamline workforce management, and find office space. We also focus on creating a ‘soft landing’ for companies, helping them integrate into the Saudi business community. This makes their entry into the market smoother and more effective.
“Once you’re part of the AstroLabs network, you stay part of it”
Saudi Projects: After companies have expanded, how does AstroLabs help ensure their continued growth?
Roland Daher: Our work doesn’t end once the company is up and running. We continue to support them by celebrating their wins and helping them access new business opportunities. Once you’re part of the AstroLabs network, you stay part of it.
Growth for us has two key elements: eliminating distractions and finding new opportunities. We work as their guide to growth in Saudi, helping companies handle day-to-day challenges so they can focus on growth. To expand on my previous answer a little more – apart from equipping these companies with office space, the right talent, and even helping employees settle in with schools for their children – we also help companies identify growth opportunities.
We do this by connecting them with partners in our network, including government entities, large conglomerates, and private sector players. Because we’ve built trust with these groups over the years, we’re able to facilitate valuable partnerships that drive growth.
Saudi Projects: Why is Saudi Arabia at the top of the wish list for global companies looking to expand?
Roland Daher: From a macroeconomic perspective, few economies in the world are in growth mode today, Saudi Arabia is one of them, and in a big way. Saudi’s GDP is projected to grow by 4.6% in 2025, ahead of some of the advanced economies that are expected to grow by only 1.6% to 1.7% as reported by the IMF.
On the other hand, we are seeing some of the biggest events come to Saudi, such as the 2030 Riyadh Expo and the anticipated 2034 Saudi FIFA World Cup – for which, 15 stadiums are already underway to host the largest ever single-country to host a 48-team FIFA World Cup.
1,650+ Companies expanded to the region
650+ high-growth companies expanded to Saudi Arabia
10+ Years of supporting seamless industry growth
1,500 Companies enabled through sector building programs
$35+ Billion investment raised by the Saudi expansion community
10,000+ Active community market leaders in KSA and UAE
The opportunities here are transformational, not incremental. In some sectors, you’re building from the ground up, which is incredibly exciting compared to markets where you’re only tweaking what already exists. Beyond that, the leadership’s vision has quickly turned into real action, making Saudi an attractive market for talent and companies alike. And evidently, around 517 multinational companies have set up their RHQ (regional headquarters) in Saudi so far – what’s even more impressive is this number has surpassed Saudi Vision 2030’s goals of establishing 500 RHQs by 2030.
Saudi Projects: What are the key ingredients for a country to facilitate innovation and transformation at Saudi Arabia’s rate and scale?
Roland Daher: It starts with leadership. When leaders are committed to innovation and transformation, and they empower their teams to deliver, real change happens. Saudi Arabia is also smart about using its resources efficiently. The country isn’t just throwing money at projects, it’s investing in the right areas and driving real-world solutions to practical problems.
Another factor is collaboration. The smartest leaders of companies and countries know they can’t innovate in isolation. Saudi is doing an amazing job of attracting outside talent while also giving its own citizens opportunities to innovate. This combination of homegrown and international innovation is creating a fertile ground for transformation.
Saudi Projects: How does AstroLabs support the growth of both conventional and emerging sectors in Saudi Arabia?
Roland Daher: Whether we’re building a new sector from scratch or helping transform an existing one, our approach is the same. It’s about bringing together three key groups: international players, local innovators, and established companies. Each group has its strengths, global companies bring expertise, local companies understand the market, and big players like banks and conglomerates have the resources to drive change. AstroLabs acts as the bridge between these groups, ensuring that innovation happens through collaboration.
“Saudi is investing smartly to solve real-world problems”
A recent example of supporting a sector from its early stages is the Mega Green Accelerator, which we concluded this month in partnership with PepsiCo, SABIC, and other strategic partners. For the first time in the region, we witnessed cross-sector collaboration between public and private entities to fast-track the growth of the sustainability sector in the Gulf. One of the programs we partnered with Vibes AlUla, the ‘Vibes AlUla SME Enablement Program’ is an example of transforming traditional sectors such as tourism. The 2-year long program steered development in Saudi’s tourism sector by strengthening the cores of local businesses, specialized in 14+ hospitality and entertainment-focused industries.
Saudi Projects: What’s next for AstroLabs, and how is your team planning for the future of Saudi Arabia?
Roland Daher: In a few years, I see our pool of high-growth companies expanding and growing in Saudi Arabia – doubling, if not tripling. These businesses will be at the forefront of driving development in Saudi’s most strategic sectors and supporting the Kingdom’s vision of becoming a private-sector-led economy. All of them will remain a part of our network, as our teams will work closely with them to help them grow further and thrive in the AstroLabs community, and in Saudi.
We are doubling our efforts into supporting companies with their continued growth in the Kingdom, building emerging sectors such as sustainability and gaming, and transforming conventional sectors, such as construction and tourism. As we grow, I see us as a growth partner for Saudi Arabia – contributing to the nation’s diversification and helping it achieve higher levels of transformation through the support of companies that AstroLabs expands, programs that we develop and run, and our dedicated team whose passion for building the future of Saudi Arabia I never tire of witnessing.
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