- At the SXSW London festival, the Executive Vice Chairman of Arada joined a fireside chat discussing city-building, investment in frontier technologies, and transforming national healthcare systems.
HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud — Executive Vice Chairman of Arada, founder and CEO of KBW Ventures, and President of the Saudi Sports for All Federation — took the stage at SXSW London 2026, the UK edition of the global SXSW festival that brings together business, technology, and creativity in the capital, for a fireside chat titled “A Future Worth Building.”
Moderated by Joel Huffman, Partner at GoldenPoint Global, the discussion brought together the interconnected themes that define Prince Khaled’s work: how cities are being reimagined, how artificial intelligence is transforming industries, and how new forms of capital are accelerating innovation.
Now in its second edition, SXSW London (1–6 June) serves as the UK chapter of the global SXSW festival, attracting more than 1,000 companies, over 450 startups, and delegates from more than 50 countries to Shoreditch. The event spans around 15 themed tracks covering areas such as AI, frontier technology, the creator economy, and the future of cities.
In relation to Arada, Prince Khaled discussed the company’s growth trajectory and expanding scale across multiple geographies. Founded in the UAE in 2017, the developer now has a current and planned portfolio exceeding 55,000 homes across the UAE, the United Kingdom, and Australia, with sales in the previous year rising by nearly 200%. He also highlighted Arada’s expansion in the UK, following the acquisition of British developer Regal and the majority stake in the £2.5 billion Thameside West development at the Royal Docks, which is scheduled to break ground in 2027 and is set to become one of the largest new neighbourhoods planned for London.
Turning to investment, Prince Khaled reflected on more than a decade of KBW Ventures, the global investment platform that has backed over 100 companies, with more than 90 currently active across its portfolio in sectors including fintech, health AI, frontier technology, energy, and transportation. He also addressed the broader question of where technology meaningfully enhances community life, and where it may not be appropriate.
Prince Khaled stated: “London is one of the world’s great cities, with unparalleled long-term demand, world-class infrastructure, and a shortage of housing. For investors with a long-term view, that is a compelling combination. Through Thameside West and our wider London pipeline of 16,000 homes, we are committed to bringing Arada’s proven expertise in large-scale community building to the UK capital.”
He also spoke about his role as President of the Saudi Sports for All Federation, the national body responsible for increasing physical activity across the Kingdom. Over the past seven years, the proportion of Saudis meeting recommended activity levels has risen from 13% to close to 60%, representing one of the largest public-health transformations recorded globally in modern history, and aligning closely with the wellbeing objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
Collectively, this reflects a body of work that connects how cities are developed, how technology is financed, and how populations are enabled to live longer and healthier lives at scale, across multiple continents.
Prior to his SXSW London appearance, Prince Khaled — accompanied by Arada London CEO Jonathan Seal — concluded a meeting at 10 Downing Street, highlighting the strengthening commercial and investment relations between the United Kingdom and the Gulf.
Prince Khaled also visited Shoreditch Exchange, the largest startup and scaleup coworking hub in the UK, which hosts global talent investors such as Entrepreneur First. Shoreditch Exchange is owned and operated by Arada.
