THE CLIENT
NEOM Corporation; Economic Development Office
THE CHALLENGE
NEOM, as a new and ambitious economic and innovation hub, required a structured and tailored approach to activate priority sectors and translate its long-term vision into operational, ecosystem-based development. The absence of a dedicated methodology for ecosystem activation and coordinated sector development limited the ability to effectively mobilize stakeholders, design governance structures, and accelerate implementation in key strategic areas. Therefore, a customized framework and practical application were needed to operationalize ecosystem development and support economic diversification.
THE SERVICE
The project designed and implemented a tailored Ecosystem Activation Framework and Methodology for NEOM and piloted its application in three priority domains—event tourism, climate-proof agriculture, and population health. It included methodology transfer, stakeholder engagement, and support to define governance structures, action plans, and policy directions for ecosystem development.
- Primary data collection, database creation & market intelligence surveys
- Scenario modelling, forecasts & socio-economic impact analysis
- Climate resilience & just transition pathways
- Establishment & facilitation of program governance bodies and public-private dialogue platforms
RESULTS
The project delivered a customized and scalable ecosystem activation methodology aligned with NEOM’s development vision and equipped the Economic Development Office with the capacity to apply it independently. It produced concrete action plans, governance models, and policy recommendations for three pilot ecosystems, enabling structured sector activation and coordinated stakeholder engagement. The initiative provided NEOM with a practical tool to drive innovation-led, sustainable, and diversified economic development.
