Samer Choucair: “Hodhod” Opens a New Investment Front in Data and Digital Sovereignty in Saudi Arabia
Investment strategist Samer Choucair said the development of “Hodhod,” a digital mapping platform, represents an important example of the growth of locally developed technology solutions in Saudi Arabia.
He noted that the economic value of such platforms extends far beyond providing navigation services to end users, reaching into the development of domestic geospatial-data capabilities that can support transportation, logistics, urban planning, and digital services.
Choucair explained that in March 2024, during LEAP 24, Hodhod signed a cooperation agreement with the General Authority for Survey and Geospatial Information and the National Technology Development Program to launch a digital mapping service in Saudi Arabia.
The application was developed in cooperation with the geospatial authority, with a focus on accurate mobility data, real-time updates, and comprehensive local coverage. At the time, the Saudi Press Agency reported that the agreement aimed to support national startups and strengthen technological infrastructure and innovation.
From Navigation Tool to Strategic Data Asset
Choucair said Hodhod’s current development reflects the transformation of geospatial data from a supporting navigation tool into a digital asset with applications across urban management, supply chains, logistics, and mobility.
The platform currently offers real-time navigation, road and location information, traffic and accident alerts, road diversions and speed-bump notifications, as well as virtual exploration, addresses, entrances, and metro routes. It is also available through CarPlay and Android Auto.
According to Choucair, the real investment opportunity does not lie simply in competing with global navigation applications for daily users.
Instead, the greater opportunity lies in the ability of local companies to build data layers and services that can be integrated across multiple industries.
The more accurate and frequently updated the underlying data becomes, he said, the greater its potential applications in logistics planning, fleet management, real estate, e-commerce, and smart-city infrastructure.
Geospatial Technology as an Investment Theme
Choucair said capital allocation in the geospatial-technology sector should focus on companies that possess scalable technological and data assets, clearly defined business models, and the ability to convert investments in artificial intelligence and data into economically sustainable services.
He cautioned against evaluating these companies solely according to user numbers or market penetration.
For institutional investors, the more important questions include the quality of the underlying data, the scalability of the technology, the ability to monetize data-driven services, and the extent to which the platform can become embedded in commercial and government workflows.
Digital Sovereignty Creates Strategic Value
Choucair emphasized that the development of domestic geospatial platforms also has a broader strategic dimension.
Local control over critical location and mobility data can strengthen Saudi Arabia’s digital capabilities and reduce reliance on external platforms for information that increasingly supports transportation networks, logistics operations, urban development, and emergency response.
He noted that this does not mean local platforms must replace global providers across every use case. Rather, the emergence of domestic capabilities can create an additional layer of technological resilience and give Saudi institutions and businesses greater control over data relevant to the local economy.
Opportunities Across Transportation and Logistics
Choucair said demand for geospatial technologies is likely to expand alongside Saudi Arabia’s investments in transportation infrastructure, logistics, smart cities, and digital services.
Accurate real-time location data can support fleet optimization, route planning, delivery operations, traffic management, and supply-chain coordination.
The same data infrastructure can also create opportunities in real estate and e-commerce by improving location intelligence, delivery efficiency, site selection, and customer targeting.
This creates a potential multiplier effect: one geospatial-data asset can support multiple industries rather than generating value solely through consumer navigation.
Supporting Saudi Vision 2030
Choucair said strengthening the local innovation ecosystem is an important component of Saudi Vision 2030, particularly as demand grows for digital solutions connected to infrastructure, transportation, and logistics.
From this perspective, he said, local mapping platforms could become part of a broader technology ecosystem if they succeed in building partnerships with government institutions and private companies and expanding the commercial and industrial applications of their data.
Such partnerships could help transform mapping platforms from consumer-facing applications into infrastructure providers serving multiple sectors.
Capital Allocation and the Next Stage of Growth
Choucair concluded that geospatial data has become an increasingly important component of the digital economy’s infrastructure.
He said the next stage will require capital to be directed toward companies capable of combining data, artificial intelligence, and technological infrastructure in ways that create measurable economic value.
In his view, the long-term opportunity is to transform maps from a consumer service into a strategic asset capable of supporting productivity, logistics, urban development, and economic growth.
The success of platforms such as Hodhod will therefore depend not only on their ability to attract users, but on whether they can turn high-quality local data into scalable services and build an ecosystem of commercial, industrial, and government applications around that data.