Roland Berger Middle East, in partnership with The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Microsoft Arabia, and Shurfah Holding, has announced the launch of the regional edition of the Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award (MIMA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia \u2014 one of the world\u2019s most prestigious awards recognizing digital innovation in the industrial sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Kingdom\u2019s industrial sector is undergoing a transformative digital shift aligned with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, shaping a new era of competitiveness, innovation, and technological advancement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hosting the first regional edition of MIMA in the Middle East marks a pivotal milestone in supporting local innovation, accelerating the adoption of intelligent industrial solutions, and strengthening Saudi Arabia\u2019s leadership in this field on both the regional and global levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commenting on the launch, Marc Bayer, Director at Roland Berger Middle East<\/strong> highlighted that MIMA, which has set benchmarks for excellence over the past six years in Europe by transforming industrial innovation into measurable impact, will now serve as a leading platform to showcase the strength and global relevance of Saudi Arabia\u2019s industrial sector. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He added that the award is more than a recognition of excellence \u2014 it is a launchpad for Saudi innovators to redefine the future of intelligent manufacturing and an opportunity to position the Kingdom as a global leader in this rapidly evolving field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zainab Alamin, VP National Digital Transformation, Microsoft Arabia<\/strong>, remarked: “Saudi Arabia\u2019s manufacturing sector is rapidly evolving, fuelled by the transformative power of AI and cloud technology. At Microsoft, we\u2019re committed to driving this progress\u2014empowering manufacturers with secure, scalable cloud solutions and cutting-edge AI to unlock new levels of productivity and innovation. Bringing MIMA to the Kingdom amplifies our mission to elevate local champions, enabling Saudi manufacturers to shine globally and accelerate the shift to Industry 4.0. Together, we\u2019re shaping the future of intelligent manufacturing and advancing Saudi Arabia\u2019s vision to lead in digital industrial excellence.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adding to this, Eng. Muntaser Kalahji, Supervisory Board Member of MIMA EMEA, President and COO of Shurfah Holding<\/strong>, explained that MIMA embodies the spirit of Saudi innovation in smart manufacturing and represents a pivotal milestone in the Kingdom\u2019s industrial journey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As one of the sector\u2019s key enablers, Shurfah Holding expressed its pride in supporting this initiative, which not only celebrates excellence but also drives the adoption of advanced technologies, highlights the Kingdom\u2019s industrial capabilities, and accelerates Saudi Arabia\u2019s path toward regional manufacturing leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The launch of MIMA in Saudi Arabia reflects the Kingdom\u2019s growing status as a regional hub for industrial innovation. With the industrial sector contributing approximately 10\u201312% of GDP \u2014 equivalent to SAR 427 billion (USD 114 billion) in 2024 \u2014 and the non-oil economy surpassing 53% of GDP, the Kingdom continues to lead efforts in economic diversification and digital transformation. Saudi Vision 2030 aims to raise this share to 65% by 2030, highlighting the pivotal role of the industrial sector in driving national development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This milestone builds on the award\u2019s six-year legacy of success in Germany and across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), where it has cemented its reputation as one of the world\u2019s foremost industrial innovation awards \u2014 often referred to as the \u201cOscars of Industry.\u201d The new regional edition aims to highlight best practices in adopting AI, cloud computing, and Fourth Industrial Revolution solutions, and to accelerate their deployment across industries such as manufacturing, construction, automotive, and industrial value chains. This will enhance the region\u2019s industrial competitiveness and support the transformation toward intelligent manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Applications are open for small, medium, and large industrial companies across the Kingdom until 12 November 2025 through a dedicated online portal. The winner will automatically qualify to compete in the EMEA edition of the award, representing Saudi Arabia at the regional level, and will be officially recognised at the Industrial Transformation conference in Riyadh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n