GBT raises $1.3 million pre-seed to expand smart city technology in Saudi Arabia
News • January 21, 2026
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Saudi Arabia-based geospatial data company Gulf Business Technologies (GBT) has closed a $1.3 million (SAR 5 million) pre-seed round to support its expansion across Saudi Arabia’s telecommunications and IT sectors. The round was led by Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Alzamir & Sons Investment Company, with participation from angel investors and investment firms, and managed by SHORE Advisory Services. Founded in 2014 by Yousef AlNafjan, GBT operates in the geospatial data (GIS) field through its subsidiaries Penta-KSA and Penta-Labs. The funding will be used to strengthen our infrastructure, expand our team, and launch a new generation of GeoAI products tailored to the needs of the Saudi market.
press release:
Gulf Business Technologies (GBT) has announced the successful completion of a R5 million pre-seed funding round, marking a significant milestone in the company’s growth in Saudi Arabia’s telecommunications and information technology sector.
The round was led by Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Alzamir & Sons Investment Company, with participation from a group of angel investors and investment firms. The transaction was managed by SHORE Advisory Services.
GBT was founded to advance the use of spatial intelligence in decision-making and operates across the geospatial data (GIS) value chain through its subsidiaries Penta-KSA and Penta-Labs. Penta-KSA provides no-code GIS software solutions that enable non-experts to access, analyze, and manipulate spatial data, helping organizations break down data silos and improve operational efficiency. Penta-Labs acts as the group’s deep technology innovation arm, developing advanced GeoAI and digital twin solutions for smart cities and large-scale digital transformation initiatives.
Commenting on the funding, Yousef AlNafjan, Founder and President of Gulf Business Technologies, said the investment reflects growing confidence in the company’s vision and execution. He said this round will accelerate GBT’s growth trajectory and support GBT’s mission to transform complex spatial data into actionable and user-friendly solutions for decision makers involved in the country’s digital transformation projects.
Walid Nassar, managing director of SHORE Advisory Services, said GBT addresses a clear gap in the deep technology and spatial data market, areas that are becoming increasingly important to Saudi Arabia’s digital economy. He added that the company’s business model and market position position it well for scaling as demand for advanced geospatial analytics continues to grow.
The new funding will be used to strengthen GBT’s infrastructure, expand its team, and accelerate the development and launch of a new generation of GeoAI products through Penta-Labs. These solutions are designed to provide more proactive, data-driven insights in line with the evolving needs of the Saudi market.
The geospatial analytics market in Saudi Arabia is growing rapidly due to the Vision 2030 initiative, smart city programs, and government-led digital transformation. This market is estimated to be worth approximately $1.5 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $2.5 billion by 2030, supported by large-scale developments such as NEOM, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea project. These developments require advanced spatial analysis and digital twin capabilities.
