Keeta launches whitepaper on Saudi Arabia’s digital economy

Keeta unveiled a new report at LEAP East in Hong Kong examining how food delivery, AI and smart logistics could help advance Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation. The whitepaper also highlights opportunities for SMEs, workforce development and broader Saudi-Chinese tech collaboration.

Why it matters: - Keeta’s whitepaper frames food delivery as more than a consumer convenience. - The report argues that delivery platforms can help power Saudi Arabia’s next phase of digital growth. - It connects technology adoption with SME expansion, logistics efficiency and entrepreneurship. - The findings land as Saudi Arabia pushes broader economic diversification and digital transformation.

What happened: - Keeta launched a new whitepaper during its participation at LEAP East in Hong Kong. - LEAP East is the first edition of the flagship technology conference to be held outside Saudi Arabia. - The report is titled From the Silk Road to the Last Mile: Food Delivery as a New Frontier in Saudi-Chinese Partnership. - Keeta is backed by global technology company Meituan. - The whitepaper uses Saudi Arabia’s food delivery sector as a case study for digital transformation.

The details: - The report examines how digital platforms, artificial intelligence and smart logistics are contributing to Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation. - It says Saudi-Chinese collaboration is shifting beyond trade and investment toward technology, innovation and knowledge exchange. - Bilateral trade between Saudi Arabia and China reached US$107.53 billion in 2024, according to multiple reports. - The whitepaper says digital tools can help restaurants improve efficiency, understand demand and make better business decisions. - The report highlights demand forecasting, route optimisation and intelligent dispatch as tools that can improve last-mile operations. - Market forecasts cited in the whitepaper project about 19.3 million online food delivery users in Saudi Arabia by 2028. - The report says future demand will be supported by urban development and major events, including Expo 2030 Riyadh and the FIFA World Cup 2034. - The report says more than 1.7 million SMEs operate in Saudi Arabia, supporting about 8.88 million jobs and contributing 22.9% of GDP. - It says delivery platforms can help smaller and heritage food businesses access technology, operational capabilities and broader audiences. - The whitepaper also points to possible collaboration in workforce development and Saudization, SME digitisation, major-event logistics, smart urban mobility, culture and tourism, and technology-supported public health. - Keeta says its perspective is shaped by building a locally adapted delivery platform in Saudi Arabia. - The company entered Saudi Arabia in September 2024. - Keeta says it now works with more than 50,000 restaurant partners and a network of more than 25,000 riders.

Between the lines: - The whitepaper positions delivery platforms as infrastructure for commerce, not just logistics for orders. - The focus on SMEs suggests Keeta sees merchant enablement as a growth engine, not a side benefit. - The Saudi-China angle signals a broader strategy to link consumer technology with cross-border business cooperation. - Tony Qiu said the company wanted to share Saudi Arabia experience and contribute to discussion among businesses, investors and policymakers.

What's next: - Keeta said it will keep investing in technology, merchant enablement and local partnerships in Saudi Arabia. - The report suggests future growth opportunities may come from logistics, mobility, tourism and public health use cases. - The company also sees room for deeper dialogue around how technology can support the Kingdom’s digital economy.

The bottom line: - Keeta is using its Saudi Arabia expansion to make a broader case: delivery platforms can help build the digital economy, not just serve it.