SambaNova to invest $140M in Saudi Arabia to support localization: CEO

Rodrigo Liang, CEO and Co-Founder of SambaNova Systems

Rodrigo Liang, CEO and Co-Founder of SambaNova Systems, said the company plans to invest up to $140 million (nearly SAR 525 million) in Saudi Arabia to develop the domestic technology sector, strengthen infrastructure, and employ competencies.

In addition, the company is working with the Saudi National Semiconductor Center to enhance design capabilities within the Kingdom, which aims to support GDP growth, he added.

In an interview with Argaam on the sidelines of the LEAP 2025 conference, Liang indicated that the company has a partnership with stc AI to launch the LLM 405 B model as a service, as well as a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to share its expertise in the field of semiconductors.

Regarding communications and AI integration, the CEO said the Ministry of Communications has been a partner of SambaNova in exploring collaboration opportunities at various levels. He added that an expansion of this cooperation was announced to include more specializations and capabilities, further enhancing knowledge exchange between institutions.

The company is engaged in knowledge exchange, even in semiconductor design, as discussions are underway about transferring design capabilities to the Kingdom and initiating the exchange of this expertise with local specialists.

SambaNova serves as a specialized AI computing platform, providing services through technology, computing infrastructure, and the development of its own chips.

The company is now collaborating with the Saudi National Semiconductor Center to transfer some chip designs and design capabilities to the Kingdom as part of its partnership to strengthen technological cooperation.