Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Research, Development, and Innovation Authority (RDIA) has announced the launch of its 2025 Research Grants on Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) National Priorities, marking a significant step toward advancing the Kingdom’s research, development, and innovation ecosystem.

Applications for the grants are now open, empowering researchers and innovators to deliver pioneering research and innovations that address national priorities while strengthening Saudi Arabia’s leadership in the RDI sector.

The 2025 grants are structured into four main programs designed to support various stages of research, development, and innovation. These programs are the Saudi Basic Science Program, the Saudi Applied Research and Technology Program, the Saudi Emerging Investigator Program, and the Flagship Research Program. Together, these programs align with RDI National Priorities : Health and Wellness; Sustainable Environment and Supply of Essential Needs; Energy and Industrial Leadership; and Economies of the Future.

The Saudi Basic Science Program aims to explore new scientific frontiers and lay the foundation for future research efforts. It offers grants to support researchers in addressing fundamental challenges and advancing scientific understanding in priority fields.

Additionally, it promotes partnerships through research consortium grants, enabling ambitious projects that foster collaboration between institutions and teams.

The Saudi Applied Research and Technology Program is dedicated to accelerating applied research innovations and transforming them into practical technological and economic solutions. It includes grants for prototype development, rapid advancement of promising technologies, and strategic partnerships between academia and industry to address market-driven challenges.

The Saudi Emerging Investigator Program focuses on nurturing early-career researchers by supporting their first research projects. This program is designed to enable researchers to grow and excel in their fields.

The Flagship Research Program is tailored to drive research in critical areas essential to RDI National Priorities. It provides grants for organizations to address pressing challenges, accelerates the commercialization of advanced technologies, and promotes collaborative efforts between academia, industry, and government to tackle multidisciplinary challenges requiring shared expertise.

These programs target a wide range of stakeholders, including researchers, innovators, faculty members, and specialists at Saudi universities.

They also extend to national research centers, endowed chairs, and organizations across government, private, and nonprofit sectors. Entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium-sized tech enterprises are also encouraged to participate.

RDIA will monitor participants’ progress based on key performance indicators, including returns from tech startups, patents, awards, investment attraction, research participation, and overall economic and social impacts.