Elm Hosts High-Level Roundtable with World Bank Group and Digital Cooperation Organization
Elm, a leading provider of digital solutions, hosted representatives from the World Bank Group and the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), alongside senior government officials from several countries and leaders from development institutions and the private sector, for a closed-door high-level roundtable at its headquarters in Riyadh.
Held in parallel with LEAP 2026, the roundtable, titled “Scaling the Digital Economy: Mobilizing Capital, Partnerships and Innovation for Growth,” explored practical pathways for turning digital ambitions into initiatives that can attract investment, move into implementation and scale.
Discussions focused on strengthening investment in the digital economy, developing commercially viable digital projects and expanding access to financing, while fostering partnerships among governments, development institutions and the private sector and supporting innovation ecosystems. Participants also explored ways to improve access to financing, markets and growth opportunities for startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and entrepreneurs, helping promising digital solutions move beyond experimentation and achieve wider adoption.
Welcoming participants, Mohammed Abdulaziz Alomair, CEO of Elm, emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts among stakeholders to translate digital priorities into tangible economic and development outcomes. He said: “Many countries have clear digital ambitions. The opportunity today is to turn those ambitions into solutions that can be implemented and scaled through partnerships that bring together national priorities, knowledge, expertise, financing and execution capabilities. Drawing on our experience in developing and operating digital solutions at scale in Saudi Arabia, and on our growing international presence, we look forward to bringing Elm’s implementation expertise to international collaborations that help governments and development institutions deliver on their digital priorities and expand their impact.”
Dr. Zaki Khoury, Senior Digital & AI Specialist and Task Team Leader in MENAAP at the World Bank, said:
“Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation demonstrates what can be achieved through vision, strong institutions, and effective partnerships. As the Kingdom advances its digital and AI agenda, the focus is on translating innovation into growth, jobs, and greater economic opportunities. The World Bank is proud to partner with Saudi Arabia and help share its experience with countries around the world.”
Anja Nitzsche, Chief of Partnerships & Funding Management at the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO), said: “Building an inclusive and growing digital economy requires close collaboration among governments, international organizations and the private sector. This means enabling the exchange of expertise, aligning efforts and developing solutions that can scale across countries and markets. Dialogues such as this can help turn multilateral cooperation into practical pathways for growth while broadening access to the benefits of digital transformation.”
The roundtable also opened new avenues for cooperation among governments, development institutions and the private sector, bringing together complementary expertise in support of digital development. Elm aims to contribute to these partnerships by drawing on its experience in Saudi Arabia to develop scalable digital models and solutions that can support technology-enabled development across regional and international markets.
