FHS Saudi Arabia celebrates entrepreneurship as Startup Den returns for 2026 edition | News
The Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) Saudi Arabia’s Startup Den returns for 2026, with the opportunity for industry entrepreneurs to secure exposure, mentorship, funding opportunities and more.
One of the most anticipated features at FHS, the Startup Zone gives entrepreneurs a unique opportunity to pitch, network and present their products and services to global hospitality and tourism leaders and an esteemed panel of judges.
The finalists of this year’s FHS Saudi Arabia Startup Den, who will pitch live on stage, are: Abdulrahman Joud, co-founder and CEO, Emtethal; Rakan Alrasheed, Founder and CEO, Arabian Haven; Nourah Alsadoon, Founder, HiHome; Micaela Johnston, Founder, ReelStay; Sabrine Chennaoui, Chief Executive Officer, MONSAPO, and Fayaz Ali, Director, ChiefPAISA Merchant Payments. The winner of the Startup Den will receive a free pass to FHS World, taking place in Dubai in September, as well as curated meetings with venture capitalists and investors.
Ali Shahid, CEO of FHS organizer The Bench, said: “Innovation, creativity and sustainability are at the core of FHS Saudi Arabia’s forward-thinking approach, and entrepreneurship is crucial to the continued success and evolution of KSA’s hospitality and tourism industry. Our Startup Den gets bigger and bolder every year, with fantastic products and services from talented businessmen and women whose work can improve (and potentially transform) the sector. Our Startup team and respected jury are preparing for another awe-inspiring collection. pitches this year, and we look forward to unveiling the winner live at FHS Saudi Arabia later this month.”
Eligibility to participate in the FHS Startup Den applies to products and services in the field of hotel technology; restaurant/F&B technology; food delivery/last mile logistics; cloud kitchens / virtual brands; travel & tours; data and analytics; sustainability & ESG and fintech for hospitality. Applicants must be in the hospitality/F&B technology space, based in the Middle East or actively focused on MENA expansion, have 2-50 employees, have annual revenues of up to $3 million, and have raised up to $2 million in funding. The full terms and conditions can be found here.
This year’s jury includes: Rema Alyahya, Vice President, Merak Capital; Yasser Faisal AlSharif, CEO of TOURACT, and Saad Shabbir, Senior Director of Takamol Ventures.
The winner of last year’s FHS Saudi Arabia StartUp Den was Asif Alidina, Founder and CEO of Inntelo AI, for the UK’s first AI Concierge that combines conversational and agentic AI to talk to guests and transform hotel operations. As a pioneer in hotel technology, Asif has been at the forefront of innovation in the hospitality industry for more than a decade. Since winning in Riyadh last year, Intello AI has participated in FHS World and FHS Africa, where it signed its first major customer through a partnership with City Blue Hotels.
Asif Alidina said: “Last year was incredibly exciting for Inntelo AI. Winning the StartUp Den opened up a host of opportunities, allowing us to meet hotel operators, owners and investors not only in the Middle East but also in other parts of the world. We are always grateful to The Bench and FHS for being an important part of our journey and wish future StartUp Den candidates the best of luck at this year’s event and beyond.”
