How Kahoot! supports the digital transformation of the Arab Gulf States

Today, I am honored to speak at the 8th Edition of the Future Investment Initiative(FII) in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), under the theme "Infinite Horizons: Investing Today, Shaping Tomorrow."This impressive gathering of business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and key decision-makers provides a great opportunity to reflect on the vast potential to further advance education, technology, and human capital across KSA and its fellow Gulf States.

At Kahoot!, we enable millions of educators, corporate trainers, and learners of all ages worldwide to create and discover interactive learning experiences that amplify engagement. As a global leader in digital learning and engagement, Kahoot! is well-positioned to support the ambitious goals of KSA and the other Gulf States, as the region continues to push forward a transformative agenda for education and digital growth.

Building on a great momentum

A recent reporton the game-based learning market estimated a global annual market size growth (CAGR) of 16% from 2024 to 2032, with KSA highlighted as a country where game-based learning is now gaining popularity both at school and work.

Over the past few years, the Arab Gulf States' educational sectors have made remarkable progress in digital transformation. This is strongly reflected in the growing activity on our platform: across the region 13 million (non-unique) participants have enjoyed immersive learning on Kahoot! over the last 12 months! I am proud to share that in the same period, more than 100,000 teachers have used Kahoot! to deliver engaging, interactive learning experiences that are proven to significantly boost academic outcomes. They have hosted over a million games for their students, with the highest growth in KSA and Kuwait.

A report on the future of work issued this week by FII Institute, points to that as technological advancements reshape industries, there is a growing need for skill development of the workforce across the Middle East and Northern Africa. We see that companies, organizations, and governments in the region come to us for tools to upskill, reskill, and engage their employees-empowering them to build competitive advantages and foster talent development. Over the last 12 months more than one million (non-unique) participants have elevated their learning at work with Kahoot!, with an impressive 40% growth in professional use in KSA in the same period.

A region in change

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is definitely not the only country in the region investing heavily in their educational systems and digital transformation. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and others, have all set out on ambitious journeys that will prepare their people, businesses, and society for future demands.

Kahoot! is enthusiastic about supporting this agenda by providing a scalable, interactive platform that aligns with the national digital strategies. Our AI-powered tools can help reduce teacher workloads while enhancing content delivery.

On the corporate side, we will continue supporting professional and workforce development with engaging tools to upskill and reskill the region's workforce, helping nations meet the challenges of a modern digital economy.

I am excited to meet many interesting people here in Riyadh this week, and look forward to exploring opportunities to make learning awesome together.