Riyadh, December 2025 — UNIDO Member States delivered a powerful endorsement for ScaleX, the Organisation’s new platform designed to accelerate the adoption and scaling of proven industrial and digital solutions. During the high-level roundtable “Accelerating the Scaling of Proven Innovations for Industrial Transformation” at the twenty-first session of the UNIDO General Conference (GC.21), four regions announced their readiness to anchor the initiative and issued a collective call for establishing a Global ScaleX Alliance.
ScaleX provides countries with a practical architecture for turning innovation into industrial transformation. By combining testbeds, policy sandboxes and coordinated investment pathways, the platform addresses the global “scaling gap” that prevents many technologies from reaching industry and markets. It positions UNIDO as a central partner for governments seeking to accelerate digital and technological transformation in a safe, evidence-based manner.
Strong political leadership from four regions
At GC.21, Member States announced major commitments demonstrating early ownership and leadership of the initiative:
● Slovenia confirmed its support as the first bilateral donor to ScaleX and formally called for establishing a Global ScaleX Alliance, signalling readiness to co-chair the process.
● Kenya proposed to host a ScaleX Hub for East Africa, called for a ministerial-level meeting to anchor the initiative regionally, and endorsed the formation of the Global Alliance.
● Georgia expressed interest in establishing a South Caucasus Hub and signalled willingness to co-chair regional and global sessions of the Alliance.
● Barbados highlighted the relevance of ScaleX for Caribbean and SIDS industrial resilience, offered to host a regional hub, and confirmed readiness to provide pilot funding and co-chair the Alliance launch.
These commitments form the first political coalition for ScaleX, spanning the Western Balkans, East Africa, the South Caucasus and Caribbean/SIDS. They also demonstrate that Member States view ScaleX not as a traditional project, but as a shared global platform they are committed to shaping and leading together.
A new moment for global cooperation on scaling innovation
The strong signals at GC.21 show that countries are seeking system-level solutions to accelerate industrial innovation—solutions that move beyond pilots and deliver results at scale. By responding to this demand, UNIDO is positioned to support a new generation of industrial transformation efforts driven by evidence, cross-country learning and real-economy impact.
UNIDO welcomes the call for a Global ScaleX Alliance and will continue working closely with Member States and partners to build on the momentum generated in Riyadh. ScaleX is set to become a flagship initiative helping countries navigate the next wave of digital and industrial innovation.
For more information contact:
Adnan Seric, Head of UNIDO Innovation Lab