SAAB Research & Development Systems

What SAAB Research & Development Systems does

SAAB Research & Development Systems (SAAB RDS) is a privately held industrial technology integrator founded in 2019 and headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with a US commercial presence in Las Vegas. The company blends global technology partnerships with local engineering services to deliver AI and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions across four verticals: manufacturing, aerospace and defense, automotive and transportation, and academia. Its core product platform comprises six integrated solutions: Automated Test Equipment (ATE), Data Acquisition Systems (DAS), Predictive Maintenance, Zero Trust Cybersecurity for industrial networks, Software Defined Radios (SDR), and Connected Worker systems, supported by digital twin, generative design, and multimodal sensor fusion capabilities.

The technology stack is built on core tier partnerships with National Instruments, PTC, and Quanser, supplemented by more than ten additional technology and component partners. SAAB RDS addresses fragmentation in industrial operations, unplanned equipment downtime, lack of cybersecure infrastructure for connected factories, slow product validation cycles, and limited academic R&D infrastructure, with solutions positioned for alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Future Factory Program. Reported customer outcomes include up to 50% reduction in unplanned downtime, 5-10x ROI on ATE deployments, and 40-60% faster product time-to-market.

The business model is primarily consultative and project-based, combining professional engineering services, hardware sales (ATE and DAQ systems), subscription-style predictive maintenance offerings, and managed cybersecurity services. Sales are executed via direct enterprise engagement through website contact forms and phone, targeting government and enterprise buyers in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East. Named customers include PSDSARC, the National Center for Mathematics and Statistics (NCMS), King Abdul Aziz University, Beirut Arab University, the Aerospace Engineering Center (AEC), and IRC-IMR, alongside 150+ startup collaborations and partnerships spanning North America, Europe, and the Middle East. The company is led by Rodrigue Saab as President and CEO.

Name

SAAB Research & Development Systems

Legal name

SAAB RDS

Website

https://saabrds.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SAAB RDS is a Riyadh-headquartered industrial technology integrator that delivers AI and IIoT solutions spanning automated test, predictive maintenance, cybersecurity, and software-defined radios across manufacturing, aerospace and defense, automotive, and academia sectors in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Engineering & Automation Solutions

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Software Publishers (513210), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Business Services, Nec (7389), Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)

akta.pro primary industry

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

SCADA/HMI Platforms (IMAGABAB), Service Reliability Engineering (SLO/SLI) & Reliability Analytics (HDABAJAL), EDA Cloud/SaaS, Design Data Management & Collaboration (HDAHAFAJ)

Keywords

• Industrial IoT platforms
• Automated test equipment
• Predictive maintenance solutions
• Data acquisition systems
• Industrial cybersecurity services

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Vegas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Engineering and Technology Integration Services: Custom engineering solutions combining AI, IoT, and industrial automation to deliver tailored digital transformation across manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and academia. Revenue derived from system design, integration, deployment, and ongoing technical support engagements.
2. Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Platforms: Sale and deployment of flexible, scalable ATE testing platforms for automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and academic R&D environments. Open architectures and modular design drive recurring upgrade and expansion revenue.
3. Data Acquisition Systems (DAQ): High-speed multi-channel DAQ systems sold with custom sensor integration and signal conditioning for aerospace testing, autonomous vehicle validation, and industrial monitoring.
4. Cybersecurity Solutions: Zero Trust cybersecurity infrastructure for industrial networks, providing assessment, design, implementation, and managed security services for OT/IT converged environments.
5. Predictive Maintenance Subscriptions: AI-driven predictive maintenance platforms delivering real-time diagnostics, asset monitoring, and lifecycle analysis with cloud-based dashboards and edge analytics, likely as recurring subscriptions.
6. LabVIEW Consulting Services: Certified LabVIEW development and automation consulting for academic labs, manufacturing floors, and R&D facilities, including custom development, test automation, and system optimization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SAAB RDS is a technology advisory and engineering solutions company that designs, integrates, and deploys AI-driven industrial IoT platforms combining automated test equipment, data acquisition systems, predictive maintenance, Zero Trust cybersecurity, software-defined radios, and connected worker solutions. The company delivers these capabilities as tailored digital transformation programs across manufacturing, aerospace & defense, automotive & transportation, and academic clients, primarily in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, in alignment with Vision 2030 and the Future Factory Program.

Product overview

SAAB RDS offers a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on six core technology products: Automated Test Equipment (ATE), Data Acquisition Systems (DAS), Predictive Maintenance, Cybersecurity, Software Defined Radios (SDR), and Connected Worker solutions. These core products are delivered as integrated systems across four vertical solution areas: Manufacturing, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Transportation, and Academia. The company blends global technology partnerships with local engineering expertise to deliver tailored solutions aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, serving customers from startup companies to large industrial firms and government entities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Flexible, scalable testing platform for automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and academia that accelerates time-to-market while reducing defect rates through high-speed multi-parameter testing, automated fault diagnosis, and seamless factory integration. Reported outcomes include 40-60% faster time-to-market, 50% throughput increase, and 5-10x ROI.
• Data Acquisition Systems (DAS) High-speed, multi-channel data capture systems connecting sensors, systems, and operators with real-time feedback and decision-ready insights for aerospace testing, automotive validation, and academic experimentation, with custom sensor integration, signal conditioning, real-time visualization, automated logging, and cloud/edge connectivity.
• Predictive Maintenance IIoT-enabled condition monitoring platform using AI-driven failure prediction and alerts with real-time diagnostics, asset lifecycle analysis, and historical pattern recognition to reduce unplanned downtime across manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and automotive sectors.
• Cybersecurity Solutions Zero Trust cybersecurity infrastructure for industrial networks including OT/IT security integration, micro-segmentation, real-time monitoring, behavioral analytics, incident response, and resilience for smart factories, defense applications, and connected IIoT environments.
• Software Defined Radios (SDR) Adaptable, encrypted, and mission-critical SDR platforms built on USRP technology for secure communication in aerospace and defense applications, providing spectrum agility for defense-grade communications and research.
• Connected Worker Platform Workforce-centered platform with wearable technology, live visibility into human performance, and real-time safety alerts for industrial environments, integrating with factory floor data systems to support connected worker initiatives.
• Research & Development Solutions R&D platforms and engineering services for universities and research institutions enabling experimental design, lab automation, secure collaboration, and IP protection for academic innovation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 50% reduction in expected downtime via IIoT-enabled predictive maintenance
• +15 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability11 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• National Instruments (NI)coreTechnology or IntegrationGlobal technology partnership for automated test and measurement solutions. NI platforms are a foundational component of SAAB RDS's ATE offerings for automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing validation.
• PTCcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership for industrial IoT and smart manufacturing platforms, enabling augmented reality, PLM, and IIoT integration within SAAB RDS smart factory solutions.
• QuansercoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner for research and education platforms, providing hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) systems and real-time control solutions integrated into academic and manufacturing R&D frameworks.
• Ettus (NI Subsidiary)coreTechnology or IntegrationUSRP (Universal Software Radio Peripheral) platforms for software-defined radio research and defense communications, supporting SDR solution development for aerospace and defense clients.
• DigilentsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartner for FPGA-based educational and research hardware platforms supporting academic R&D and engineering training programs.
• FarnellsupportingTechnology or IntegrationComponent and test equipment distribution partner supporting supply chain and procurement logistics for ATE and DAQ deployments across Saudi Arabia.
• TMYTEKsupportingTechnology or Integration5G and mmWave antenna array technology partner supporting aerospace and automotive wireless testing and connectivity solutions.
• CBLsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for cable and connectivity solutions integrated into industrial and defense testing environments.
• RuggedEdgesupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartner for ruggedized edge computing and industrial hardware solutions supporting SAAB RDS's connected worker and field-deployable systems.
• CutsforthsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartner for industrial sensing and monitoring solutions integrated into predictive maintenance platforms.
• BitlismensupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartner providing specialized industrial hardware components supporting manufacturing and defense systems integration.
• Aquasmart-XLsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartner for industrial water management and environmental monitoring solutions, potentially integrated into smart campus and manufacturing sustainability initiatives.
• MacPanelsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartner for modular test and signal conditioning panel solutions supporting ATE and DAQ platform configurations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell: Industrial automation plus aerospace and defense conglomerate. Overlaps with SAAB RDS in factory automation, predictive maintenance, and aerospace/defense communications and ATE offerings.
• Rockwell Automation: Factory automation and industrial software leader with FactoryTalk and PTC-partnered IIoT stack. Directly comparable in smart factory, predictive maintenance, and connected worker domains SAAB RDS targets.
• Schneider Electric: Global industrial automation and energy management vendor with EcoStruxure IIoT platform. Comparable in smart factory, predictive maintenance, and industrial cybersecurity offerings, including in Middle East markets.
• ABB: Major industrial automation and robotics vendor with ABB Ability IIoT platform. Comparable in serving manufacturing process automation, condition monitoring, and connected worker use cases across the same regional verticals.
• Siemens Digital Industries: Global leader in industrial automation, factory digitalization, and MindSphere IIoT platform. Competes head-on with SAAB RDS in smart factory and predictive maintenance across KSA and broader MENA, but at vastly larger scale and with broader portfolio.

Emerging players

• Augury: AI-driven predictive maintenance platform for industrial assets. Comparable in AI-for-condition-monitoring use cases that SAAB RDS delivers as part of its IIoT stack, though Augury is a pure SaaS play versus SAAB RDS's hybrid integrator model.

Direct peers

• PTC: Listed IIoT, PLM, and digital twin platform vendor. A core technology partner of SAAB RDS, but also competes as a direct provider of smart factory software (ThingWorx) that SAAB RDS integrates for clients.
• AVEVA: Industrial software vendor covering smart manufacturing, digital twin, and process optimization. Comparable to SAAB RDS in serving manufacturing digital transformation use cases in the Middle East.
• Emerson (parent of NI): Owns National Instruments, SAAB RDS's core ATE partner. Competes directly in test & measurement, data acquisition, and industrial software for manufacturing and aerospace — making it both a partner and a competitor.
• Keysight Technologies: Electronic test & measurement leader. Closely comparable to SAAB RDS's ATE and DAQ offerings for aerospace, automotive, and academic R&D validation use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/energyexpertsarabia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saabrds

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SAAB Research & Development Systems