Culture as Capital - Toada at the Cultural Investment Conference 2025

Reframing Culture as a Core Asset Class

Under the patronage of HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Cultural Investment Conference 2025 in Riyadh marked a defining moment in Saudi Arabia's ongoing cultural and economic transformation. The event placed culture firmly within the framework of investment - not as a cost, but as capital, a multiplier, and a pillar of sustainable development.

Over the two days, ministers, investors, and thought leaders examined how culture is shaping the Kingdom's next phase of growth. They explored its power to create jobs, boost global competitiveness, and strengthen the Kingdom's soft power - with the Ministry of Investment confirming $500 million in foreign investment and 1,700 international investors now active in the cultural and creative economy

The message was clear: culture is no longer peripheral to the economy. It is central to Saudi Arabia's diversification, diplomacy, and national identity.

Toada x Mung Investments - Catalyzing Cultural Commercialization

Toada Consulting, in collaboration with Mung Investments, joined the conference as part of a shared mission to accelerate the commercialization of culture and unlock tangible value within Saudi Arabia's creative economy. Together, the partners are designing frameworks that help transform cultural potential into investable opportunities - from policy design and PPP models to new vehicles for cultural entrepreneurship and creative SMEs.

Toada's participation emphasized the firm's position as a Saudi-born consultancy operating at the intersection of culture, creativity, and commerce. Toada's mission is to build strategic ecosystems that convert cultural initiatives into economic engines - while maintaining the authenticity and human-centered purpose that define Vision 2030.

Insights from the Conference: From Policy to Infrastructure

The opening session, "From Policy to Prosperity - Culture as a Strategic Investment," set the tone for Saudi Arabia's evolving creative economy. Moderated by Arab News Editor-in-Chief Faisal Abbas, the session featured H.E. Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment, and H.E. Faisal Al-Ibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning - two voices defining how culture will transition from expression to infrastructure.

Culture as an Engine for Investment

H.E. Khalid Al-Falih positioned culture as a viable asset class within the national investment landscape. He outlined the Ministry of Investment's framework to identify sector requirements, attract investors, provide financing, and organize workshops in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture.

This collaboration has already produced over 40 investment opportunities, spanning both profitable ventures and high-potential projects. Parallel efforts are underway to streamline licensing procedures and activate engagement with governance bodies and donors - creating the regulatory clarity required for sustained private-sector participation.

His Excellency emphasized the impact of the cash and non-cash incentives introduced under the leadership of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, noting their role in revitalizing the film industry and attracting global producers. He cited the Ignite digital content initiative, which now encompasses animation, short films, culinary arts, visual arts, music, and fashion, as a cornerstone of this momentum. These measures, he projected, will triple employment opportunities within the cultural ecosystem over the coming years as the private sector scales its contribution.

Culture as Soft Infrastructure

H.E. Faisal Al-Ibrahim reframed culture as soft infrastructure - a platform that draws talent, innovators, and investors while reinforcing national competitiveness. He underscored that the global creative economy is valued at $3.4 trillion, highlighting culture's pivotal role in economic diversification and resilience.

According to His Excellency, every $1 invested in culture can generate up to $2.5 in economic impact and create direct employment. Since the inception of Vision 2030, the Ministry of Culture and its ecosystem have trained around 5,000 professionals and sponsored thousands of students pursuing degrees in creative disciplines - a deliberate strategy to build the Kingdom's next generation of cultural leaders.

He reaffirmed that culture has already fueled the first wave of diversification across tourism, entertainment, culture, and sports, and will remain a structural pillar of Saudi Arabia's economic transformation.

Global Lens: Culture as Strategic IP

Offering an international benchmark, Lord Ed Vaizey, Toada's and BOP Consulting Advisor and former UK Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, provided a global perspective during the panel "Cultural Innovation as the New Oil" on September 30.

Drawing from his tenure leading one of the world's most mature creative economies, Lord Vaizey observed that culture is as strategically important as the James Bond IP to the British economy - "generating hundreds of millions in investment, sustaining thousands of high-value jobs, amplifying soft power, and creating ripple effects across adjacent sectors."

His reflection reinforced the defining purpose of the Cultural Investment Conference: to articulate and operationalize the business case for culture - where policy, creativity, and capital intersect to deliver measurable national advantage.

A Blueprint for Investment in Culture

The conference demonstrated that Saudi Arabia's approach to cultural investment has matured from narrative-building to system-building. Discussions across panels and sessions revealed a coherent framework for "Culture as Infrastructure", driven by five key levers:

1. Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) - Building collaborative funding models where private capital complements government leadership to de-risk investment.
2. Cultural Funds and Creative Financing - Introducing instruments such as fractional ownership, impact bonds, and venture capital tailored for cultural enterprises
3. Digital and AI Integration - Leveraging technology to expand access, manage IP, and scale creative products, exemplified by the Google Arts & Culture initiative for Jeddah Historic District, launched at the conference
4. Talent and Education Pipelines - Creating structured ecosystems for youth and women to participate as producers, not just consumers, of culture
5. Cultural Diplomacy and Export Readiness - Developing creative products, events, and experiences designed for global markets, ensuring local authenticity with international resonance.

Toada's Role: Bridging Vision with Implementation

Toada's presence at the Cultural Investment Conference reaffirmed its role as a cultural architect and systems integrator for Saudi Arabia's creative future. Through its Trajectory Framework, Toada aligns culture-driven initiatives with measurable outcomes - from GDP contribution to social impact - helping partners design, perform, and measure transformation.

By engaging with policymakers, investors, and creative pioneers, Toada advocates for investability in culture: building the data, partnerships, and governance models required for sustainable scaling. The firm's readiness to engage in Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) and impact-driven joint ventures positions it to operationalize the ambitions set out at the conference - translating vision into frameworks, and frameworks into long-term value.

The New Cultural Economy

Framed within Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia's cultural sector is projected to reach SAR 180 billion ($48 billion) by 2030, generating thousands of jobs and cementing its role as a global creative hub

The Cultural Investment Conference illuminated the pathways for this transformation - but Toada's work represents the next stage: turning strategic discourse into tangible ecosystems of growth.

For Toada, culture is not a byproduct of prosperity; it is its blueprint. And as Saudi Arabia pioneers the new model of the cultural economy, Toada stands ready to design the systems, partnerships, and experiences that will define the Kingdom's creative future.