ENVNT

A Saudi Arabia-based information technology (IT) consultancy that uses the latest technologies to help companies along their digital transformation journeys. envnt.co

In a landscape marked by continuous technological innovation, one enterprise that’s definitely on the rise is Envnt (formerly known as Codelab), which was founded in 2013 by Saudi Arabian software engineer Hamad Al Saleh.

Al Saleh’s ambition with the concept was to establish a software development company that serves both the public sector and leads the charge when it comes to technological advancement in the Kingdom. The company’s flagship products include both a low-code solution integrator as well as a field inspection management solution. “Our offering is simplified into two major product or service lines,” Al Saleh explains. “Our low-code solution integrator enables digital transformation at a speed that provides clear customer value and lower total cost of IT ownership to our government sector partners and selected non-government partners. At the same time, Enspct is a field service management solution developed by Envnt, and currently being used by 10 government agencies. The solution is ‘built for purpose,’ highly configurable, and supports our government partners to ensure compliance, increase the quality of service, and reduce the time required to complete inspection or conformity journeys for all beneficiaries. Use case examples include value-added tax (VAT) compliance, road safety inspections, and the monitoring of healthcare workers in Ministry of Health facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Now, it’s important to note here that the aforementioned positive use cases and accolades were not an overnight achievement; that said, Al Saleh is happy to explain why Envnt has seen success in the market. “Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa region, with a gross domestic product of over US$1 trillion,” he says. “The country has a young and growing population, with over 70% of the population under the age of 30. Saudis are also increasingly tech-savvy, with over 80% of the population having internet access. Envnt followed the best practices for launching and building new digital products and services. Such practices included detailed market research, understanding consumer needs and culture, analyzing the competition, and carefully studying government regulations. While considering the success factors in the Saudi market, we took into account the Saudi government’s support programs, local knowledge and partnerships, and the localization of our products and services for market suitability.”

It is thanks to this foresight and dedication that, more than a decade after it launched, Envnt has more than 450 employees across three continents, with offices in Saudi Arabia, as well as the UAE, Egypt, and France. The company’s commitment to excellence has also been rewarded, with Al Saleh saying, “For five consecutive years, Envnt has received prestigious awards from its global technology partner Outsystems, and it has also been recognized by its customers as a trustworthy partner for success to whom they have recommended to other government departments. Envnt is now the largest partner for Outsystems in the EMEA.”

This, of course, is a massive change from what the company had to deal with when it had just started out in the market. “10 years ago, when Envnt was launched, the market response was slow, and the competition was tough,” the founder admits. “However, in recent years, following the launch of Vision 2030 programs and initiatives, the market response has become receptive, fast, and demanding. Our current growth is greatly enhanced by several initiatives from the KSA Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) and other government programs, such as the Saudi Export Development Authority.”

Here, Al Saleh also emphasizes the advantages of operating within the Kingdom, citing access to government projects, proximity to customers, and favorable government regulations as key catalysts for success. “The Saudi government is investing heavily in IT projects, and IT services providers that are based in Saudi Arabia have a better chance of winning these projects,” Al Saleh adds. “Being based in Saudi Arabia also allows IT service providers to be closer to their customers, which can improve communication and service delivery. The Saudi government has created several regulations that are favorable to IT services providers. For example, the support of the Saudi Export Authority and MCIT to include local companies in local content lists, and simplifying product registrations.” Al Saleh believes that there are also plenty of factors that will contribute to the long-term growth of Envnt. “The increasing importance of low-code technology will continue to play an increasingly important role in the development and deployment of software applications in the years to come,” he notes. “As low-code platforms become more sophisticated and easier to use, they will be accessible to a wider range of users, and they will be used to develop a wider range of applications. There is an increasing demand for inspection software, considering recent changes in Saudi Arabia; global regulatory compliance is becoming essential for the government of Saudi Arabia to ensure quality, safety, and cost optimization.” He also highlights the importance of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) for the future of Envnt. “Cloud computing is becoming increasingly popular in Saudi Arabia, as it allows businesses to access IT resources on demand without having to invest in their own hardware and software,” he explains. “This is creating new opportunities for Envnt to help businesses with their cloud management needs. AI is another rapidly growing technology that is creating new opportunities for Envnt, and our clients are increasingly looking at us to help them with AI development and deployment.”

Highlighting that most of Envnt’s projects in the Kingdom have been directly linked to Vision 2030’s objectives, Al Saleh says the company’s vision is to be a regional leader in deploying leading-edge technology solutions that help customers acceler- ate achieving their own ambitious goals. Citing that Envnt has a plan for the next three to five years, Al Saleh says, “Our plan is to diversify and expand the company into new industry verticals, geographies, and technologies that leverage the wealth of young people’s talent in the Kingdom. Envnt is very focused on continued success through differentiation, and positioning technology and the empowerment of our people to meet future customer demand.”