Saudi Arabia has been making headlines—culturally, geopolitically, and economically. If you haven’t been paying attention, now’s the time to start.

If you were watching the Oscars earlier this month, you may have caught Conan O'Brien’s satirical commercial, which ended with the credits rolling ‘in partnership with... the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’ - a nod to the Kingdom’s growing cultural and entertainment influence.

A few months ago, Saudi Arabia hosted a premier fashion show by Eli Saab, featuring performances by Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, and Camilo Cabello. Saudi Arabia has also made waves in the sports world, expanding Saudi Arabia’s investment through LIV Golf and speed boat racing.

On the geopolitical stage, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a pivotal diplomatic force, playing a critical mediator role with Israel, Palestine, and Iran. The Kingdom is working to normalize ties with Israel and expand the Abraham Accords, which established formal relations between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain during Trump’s first term. Saudi Arabia is also seeking to broker solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and strike a strategic agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

But beyond the cultural and geopolitical influence, Saudi Arabia continues to make a bold economic push.

Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salam recently announced the Kingdom will be investing a staggering $600 billion into the United States. This follows years of strategic investments by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, which has funneled billions of dollars into U.S. companies such as Uber, Lucid Motors and millions into Paypal, Electronic Arts, Fedex, Costco, Starbucks, and more.

And now, Saudi Arabia is expanding its footprint further, setting up its second U.S. Office of Investment, and this time in tropical paradise Miami.

Economic Synergies

Saudi Arabia and Miami share a strategic vision for growth, fueled by technology, infrastructure, and global trade.

Some important economic facts:

The U.S. is one of Saudi Arabia’s top trade partners, with bilateral trade totaling ~$25.9 billion in 2024
Florida is a top five U.S. state exporting to Saudi Arabia, from transport equipment to electronics
Total trade between Saudi Arabia and Latin America amounts to ~$9 billion annually, with a Brazil alone accounting for $6.7 billion in agriculture, energy, and infrastructure

With Miami positioned as a gateway to both regions, the new Saudi investment office will enhance these economic flows and unlock new partnerships.

What This Means for Miami

The establishment of Saudi Arabia’s Office of Investment in Miami is a game-changer. As Miami’s innovation ecosystem continues to thrive, the new Saudi presence will:

Attract foreign investment from sovereign wealth funds and Saudi businesses seeking to expand to the US and Latin America

To put in perspective, Saudi Arabia’s PIF deploys 40% of its portfolio towards the U.S., according to Governor of PIF, Yasir Al-Rumayyan. Its current assets under management is $925 billion.

Open doors for Miami-based startups and businesses to tap into Saudi Arabia’s fast growing economy

Some US-based startups are already ahead of the game taking advantage of attending prominent tech conferences in Riyadh like LEAP Technology Conference. Just last month, in February, LEAP saw a staggering $25 billion in deals announced!

Foster collaboration in fintech, AI, cyber security, smart cities, and logistics - a new space for sharing best practices in these areas will emerge
Continue to cement Miami as a global investment hub, further solidifying its role as a bridge between the Middle East and Latin America

One Important Consideration for this Global Partnership

As Saudi investment flows into Miami, local concerns over affordability and community impact will emerge. To ensure a smooth integration, investing in workforce housing, sustainability, and infrastructure, alongside community engagement, local partnerships, and transparent engagement with local stakeholders will be key to ensuring inclusive growth and gaining public support.

What does this Mean for Saudi Arabia?

According to H.E. Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Investment, Miami is a “perfect gateway for the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 Plan.”

The new Office of Investment in Miami will supercharge the Kingdom’s achievement of Vision 2030, which is Saudi Arabia’s blueprint for economic transformation to reduce oil dependency and invest in strategic technologies, especially AI, tourism and entertainment, and the development of futuristic cities.

Having worked in Saudi Arabia myself, I’ve witnessed firsthand how rapidly the Kingdom is transforming and how when it sets its eyes on a prize, it stops at nothing to achieve it.

Through the new Miami-based investment office, the Kingdom will gain:

Increased trade and investment ties with Latin America

In 2023, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman and Brazil’s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva discussed increasing bilateral trade from $8 billion to $20 billion by 2030.

A Platform for Innovation, Collaboration, and Influence

Business and Tech Partnerships: Opportunities for Miami, Latin American and Saudi-based businesses to co-develop solutions around AI, healthcare, and infrastructure development
Investment & Policy Engagement: The first established Saudi Office of Investment in Washington D.C. frequently convenes industry leaders through roundtables to discuss opportunities across critical sectors, and FII Institute expanded its global reach last year with its inaugural Latin American summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Cultural Diplomacy: A presence in Miami enhances Saudi Arabia’s global influence, fostering cross-cultural exchange and strengthening ties between the Middle East and the Americas.

The success of Saudi partnerships in London, New York, and Singapore (future article alert) shows that when the Kingdom sets its sights on a market, it invests heavily and Miami will be no exception. Yalla!

What to Expect from this New Saudi-Miami Partnership

The Saudi-Miami relationship is just beginning, but the impact is already evident. Expect to see:

More Cross-Border Cross-Cultural Business Events

The third edition of the FII summit in Miami was only the start. Former Chairman and CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt called it the “most important investment conference in the world.” Look out for exclusive B2B matchmaking events, trade missions, and cultural exchanges between Riyadh, Miami, São Paulo, and beyond.
The Miami-Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Solu International will host a series of events to help Miami-based businesses understand how to succeed in the Arabian market.
- Upcoming Event: Cultural Insights & Business Etiquette for Doing Business in Saudi Arabia – on March 18th at the University of Miami, featuring expert Sara Alshareef, founder and CEO of SOLU INTERNATIONAL LLC, an initiative dedicated to helping businesses and individuals navigate the cultural landscape of Saudi Arabia

The Rise of Smart Cities & Tech Collaboration

Saudi Arabia’s Neom mega-city project and Miami’s Brickell Digital Twin initiative share a vision of AI-driven urban innovation. A potential partnership between some of the companies behind these projects could revolutionize smart city development worldwide.

Increased Investments in Key Sectors

Tech & AI: Saudi Arabia has already backed tech unicorns in the U.S., including Florida-based Magic Leap, an AR startup. With $40 billion earmarked for AI, don’t be surprised if your next chatbot greets you with ‘As-salamu alaykum’ :)
Real Estate & Infrastructure: Miami will be a key market for Saudi-backed real estate projects.
Tourism & Hospitality: The Kingdom aims to become a top tourism destination, enticing tourists to explore its breathtaking landscapes, including UNESCO world heritage site and Arabian oasis, AlUla; the luxurious Red Sea Project; and historic city, Diriyah. If you haven’t been tempted by stunning IG ads of these must-visit destinations, are you even online?
Sustainability & Energy: Saudi-backed green initiatives could transform Miami’s clean energy landscape. The Kingdom is currently building a green hydrogen plant in its futuristic city, Neom. It has also invested over $1 billion in eclectic vehicles (Lucid Motors). We will see more of these environmentally friendly investments in the years to come, and Miami and Latin America will serve as a launch pad for some of these initiatives.
Talent & Innovation Exchange: A joint Miami-Saudi accelerator could soon be on the horizon. In my previous article on Miami-UAE business synergies, I suggested a joint accelerator between Miami and UAE. Now that Saudi Arabia is coming to town, who will launch the first Arabian Gulf-Miami startup accelerator?

Final Thoughts: A Defining Moment for Global Investment

Miami’s new role as a Saudi-backed investment hub is more than a financial move—it’s a strategic shift that could reshape global trade patterns.

For business leaders, policymakers, and investors, NOW is the time to explore opportunities in Miami and Saudi Arabia. Whether through investments, strategic partnerships, or cultural diplomacy, this evolving relationship offers unparalleled economic potential.

And with direct Miami-to-Riyadh flights currently in the works of launching soon, the connection is only getting stronger.

The Kingdom has pledged a staggering $600 billion investment in the U.S.—the only question is, who will seize the opportunity?

Want to explore business opportunities between Miami & Saudi Arabia?

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