ISR Expands to Saudi Arabia with AstroLabs to Build Esports Auto Racing Platform

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – May 19, 2026 – Intercontinental Sustainable Racing Ltd (ISR), a Finnish IP-owned sports entertainment media company, has announced its expansion into Saudi Arabia with support from AstroLabs, the Gulf's leading business expansion and growth platform. Through its newly established entity, ISR LLC in Riyadh, the company is positioning the Kingdom as the launch and production hub for its first commercial proof phase and the global rollout of a new spectator sport category built around esports auto racing.

Backed by Finnish motorsport IP and a production-driven operating model, ISR is building a scalable global spectator sport platform that combines motorsport storytelling, structured esports racing, sponsor-native commercial formats, destination licensing, and digital media distribution into a single entertainment business architecture. With its Saudi presence now established, ISR is preparing its Saudi MVP production window for July-August 2026 and has launched a new investor information platform to support a €200,000 commercial proof round.

ISR's approach centers on building esports auto racing as a true spectator sport, where competitions, media, sponsors and destinations operate together as one commercial platform. As a first proof of the destination model, ISR has built a digital racetrack environment around Maraya in AlUla – a production asset that demonstrates how cultural landmarks can host branded racing experiences and globally distributed media.

The company's core enterprise pillars include:

• Sponsor Activation: ISR designs sponsor-native commercial formats that move beyond traditional logo placement, embedding partners directly into competition narratives, media production, and audience touchpoints across the full content lifecycle.
• Destination Licensing: ISR's destination model turns cities, regions and landmark locations into digital racing venues and media assets, enabling tourism boards, giga-projects and destination owners to participate in global racing storytelling as featured stages.
• Media Production and Distribution: Produced from Saudi Arabia and designed for global distribution, ISR's media output blends live competition coverage, episodic storytelling and digital-first formats engineered for international broadcast and streaming audiences.
• Commercial Proof and Revenue Architecture: The company's Saudi pilot production phase is structured around clearly defined milestones, including first sponsor activations, destination integrations, media production proof, and first revenue loops that validate the platform's scalable commercial model.

"Saudi Arabia gives ISR the right environment to build from day one as a production-driven sports entertainment company with esports auto racing at its core. Our goal is to create a new spectator sport category where competitions, media, sponsors and destinations work together as one scalable commercial platform. With our Saudi presence now established through ISR LLC in Riyadh, this round is designed to fund commercial proof through Saudi pilot production, sponsor activation, media proof and destination integration," said Valtteri Leitola, Founder of ISR.

"Saudi Arabia is rapidly establishing itself as the global capital of competitive gaming and sports entertainment, and the next wave of category creation will come from companies that can fuse media, sponsorship and destination value into one operating model. ISR's combination of Finnish motorsport IP, esports format design and a production hub based in Riyadh makes them a distinctive entrant into the Kingdom's sports entertainment economy," said Fouad Fattal, Vice President, Commercial at AstroLabs.

The expansion comes as Saudi Arabia continues to position itself at the center of the global gaming, esports and sports entertainment economy. Under Vision 2030, the Kingdom has committed significant investment to esports infrastructure, hosted major international tournaments in Riyadh, and built a fast-growing audience profile supported by a highly connected population, with 99% internet penetration and more than 34 million active social media users. With giga-projects, destination tourism and national entertainment programs maturing in parallel, the country is creating a uniquely integrated environment for spectator sport platforms that combine live competition, digital media and destination storytelling.

By establishing a Saudi-based operating presence, ISR is positioned to produce its first commercial pilot from Riyadh, integrate with regional media and commercial opportunities, and build the foundation for an esports auto racing spectator sport platform designed for long-term global distribution. Further information on ISR's commercial proof round and investor materials is available through the company's investor information platform.

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Lara Fakih, Director of Communications at AstroLabs ([email protected])

About AstroLabs

AstroLabs is the leading business expansion platform in the Gulf, supporting high-growth companies to set up, operate, and achieve full market integration in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

With over a decade of experience and a network of 10,000+ decision-makers, we've helped 2,000+ companies successfully enter, scale, and embed themselves within the region's fastest-growing economies.

In partnership with government entities across Saudi Arabia and key global markets, we run strategic programs that accelerate market access, build foundational industries, and support regional visions like Saudi Vision 2030. For more information on AstroLabs, visit https://astrolabs.com/

About ISR

Intercontinental Sustainable Racing Ltd (ISR) is a Finnish IP-owned sports entertainment media company building a scalable global spectator sport platform for esports auto racing. ISR combines motorsport storytelling, structured esports racing, sponsor-native commercial formats, destination licensing, and digital media distribution into one entertainment business model.

The company operates in Saudi Arabia through ISR LLC in Riyadh and is developing Saudi Arabia as the launch and production hub for its first commercial proof phase, with its Saudi MVP production window scheduled for July–August 2026. ISR's commercial architecture is built around three core pillars — sponsor activation, destination licensing, and media production and distribution — designed to operate as one integrated spectator sport platform produced from Saudi Arabia for global audiences.

For more information, please visit: https://www.sportmedia.ai/