Nine Tenths Program

The Nine-Tenths Program is a national government initiative that offers a range of innovative services to support entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium-sized enterprises. It aims to contribute to the growth of the economy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through several specialized services. The program was launched by the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) and operates under the umbrella of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

The Human Resources Development Fund launched the program on August 25, 2016, to encourage and support entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises, and to enable individuals to find new jobs through innovative methods.

The Nine-Tenths initiative offers specialized services to entrepreneurs and owners of small and medium-sized enterprises, enabling them to enter the private sector job market and grow their businesses. Among these services:

-The 'Forsa' electronic platform, part of the Nine-Tenths initiative, acts as a link between suppliers and buyers. It enables small and medium-sized enterprises to view prices and submit bids electronically for purchases in the public and private sectors. Additionally, it allows these enterprises to request and submit quotes among themselves. As of October 2022, the number of beneficiaries from small and medium-sized enterprises reached 16,996, and this number continues to grow with the increasing availability of opportunities.

-The 'Kanaf' Startup Accelerator serves as an incubator for entrepreneurs during the initial stages of starting their projects, guiding them until their launch into the market. It helps them develop a product or service ready to be presented to investors and introduced to the market. As of October 2022, the number of companies that have applied to and been incubated by the accelerator reached 1,050, and this number continues to grow as the services provided advance.

- The 'Tojjar' Market Access platform is an electronic platform that enables entrepreneurs to coordinate sales, payments, deliveries, and more without worrying about the technical infrastructure needed to achieve this. It also allows productive families to sell their products in developed booths at major companies in the Kingdom.

- The 'Abwaab' app supports productive families by connecting them to a larger customer base through showcasing and selling their products on delivery apps. This contributes to diversifying the sales points for these families and allows for easy and rapid access to customers.

- The 'Bahr' freelance service connects independent professionals with employers and projects. It offers a wide range of skills, creating job opportunities for a large number of professionals across various fields, including website development, mobile development, translation, writing, design, sales and marketing, customer service, network management, data analysis, business and consulting, engineering, and planning. As of October 2022, the service had benefited more than 131,873 freelancers, with 41,021 local projects and 203 global projects, and these numbers continue to grow with the increasing demand for the platform.

-'Made in Saudi' is a comprehensive digital platform designed to provide an inclusive and specialized online marketplace for promoting and selling products made in the Kingdom, reflecting the country's identity and character. It brings together artisans to facilitate the sale of their locally-made products. Established in 2017, the platform aims to build the world's largest online market for Saudi products, creating economic and social impact by supporting productive families, artisans, small businesses, and charitable or community organizations. It offers a reliable digital platform that connects professional business owners in an easy, fast, and secure manner.

- The Entrepreneur's Journey 'Atwar' is a platform that provides simplified steps and reliable resources for each stage of the project, from the idea to the launch. It offers suggested solutions to overcome challenges, ensuring that the business grows in a healthy, sustainable, and scalable manner.

- The 'Zadd' Information Access platform helps provide entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises with data and information that aid them in making important business decisions.