Saudi launches AI ‘matchmaking’ platform to speed up sustainability projects

Saudi Arabia has announced plans to launch an artificial intelligence-powered platform designed to fast-track sustainability projects by connecting partners across government, business, academia and civil society.

The SUSTAIN Platform was unveiled on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos during a NextOn talk at Saudi House. The platform, which will enter a beta phase in 2026, has been developed by the Ministry of Economy and Planning in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and Bain & Company.

New platform drives impact partnerships

SUSTAIN is positioned as a national digital tool that uses AI-enabled matchmaking to help organisations identify credible partners, form trusted coalitions and move sustainability initiatives more efficiently from planning to delivery. Officials said the platform responds to a common global challenge, where fragmented partnership opportunities across sectors often slow progress and limit impact.

By bringing multiple stakeholders into a single network, the platform aims to strengthen coordination between public and private entities, investors, researchers and civil society organisations. The goal is to improve the speed and effectiveness with which sustainable development projects are executed, both within the Kingdom and through international collaboration.

According to the ministry, SUSTAIN translates Saudi Arabia’s public and private sector coordination mandate into a practical mechanism that supports sustainable growth, economic diversification and long-term development outcomes. The platform is expected to support initiatives aligned with national priorities while also enabling broader cross-border cooperation on sustainability.

The announcement in Davos highlights Saudi Arabia’s use of global platforms to showcase its approach to innovation-led development and its growing focus on artificial intelligence as an enabler of policy delivery. By integrating AI into partnership building, SUSTAIN is intended to reduce friction between institutions and help scale projects that deliver measurable environmental, social and economic impact.

The beta launch in 2026 will mark the first phase of the platform’s rollout, with further development expected as use cases expand and more stakeholders are brought into the network.

In a statement on X, the ministry said SUSTAIN will connect verified partners to support impact-driven collaboration aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.