TLDR: The Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award (MIMA) has launched its first regional edition in the Middle East, hosted in Saudi Arabia. This initiative, a collaboration between Roland Berger Middle East, the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Microsoft Arabia, and Shurfah Holding, aims to spotlight and accelerate digital innovation, particularly in AI and cloud technologies, within the Kingdom’s industrial sector, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The prestigious Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award (MIMA) has officially commenced its inaugural regional edition in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia taking center stage as the host nation. Announced around November 8-9, 2025, this significant initiative is a collaborative effort involving Roland Berger Middle East, The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Microsoft Arabia, and Shurfah Holding.
The award seeks to identify and celebrate groundbreaking digital innovations within the industrial sector, fostering local talent and accelerating the adoption of advanced intelligent industrial solutions. This strategic move is deeply intertwined with the Kingdom’s ambitious Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to drive a transformative digital shift in its industrial landscape, enhancing competitiveness, innovation, and technological advancement.
Applications are currently open to small, medium, and large industrial companies across Saudi Arabia, with a deadline of November 12, 2025. The regional winner will earn the esteemed opportunity to represent Saudi Arabia at the EMEA edition of the MIMA and will be formally recognized at the Industrial Transformation conference in Riyadh. Furthermore, the top 15 finalists will gain exclusive access to the ‘MIMA Middle East Champions Circle’, providing a platform for networking and industry visibility.
Previous editions of the MIMA in Europe have consistently set benchmarks for excellence over the past six years. These have showcased remarkable advancements in areas such as predictive quality control and digital industrial transformation. Notable examples include ZEISS, recognized for real-time integration of measurement operations; Philip Morris, for smart factory engineering; and Continental Automotive, for its pioneering use of generative AI in engineering design. These examples underscore the tangible impact of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies across diverse sectors.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a central theme of this year’s award. Zainab Alamin, VP National Digital Transformation at Microsoft Arabia, emphasized the critical role of AI, stating, “Saudi Arabia’s manufacturing sector is rapidly evolving, fuelled by the transformative power of AI and cloud technology. At Microsoft, we’re committed to driving this progress—empowering manufacturers with secure, scalable cloud solutions and cutting-edge AI to unlock new levels of productivity and innovation. Bringing MIMA to the Kingdom amplifies our mission to elevate local champions, enabling Saudi innovators to redefine the future of intelligent manufacturing.”
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Marc Bayer, Director at Roland Berger Middle East, echoed this sentiment, highlighting that MIMA will serve as a premier platform to showcase the strength and global relevance of Saudi Arabia’s industrial sector. He added, “The award is more than a recognition of excellence — it is a launchpad for Saudi innovators to redefine the future of intelligent manufacturing and an opportunity to position the Kingdom as a global leader in this rapidly evolving field.” This strong emphasis on AI and cloud technologies confirms that the MIMA is directly related to artificial intelligence, as previous winning solutions were also AI-based.
