The Arab Planning Institute (API) is a regional independent non-profit organization established in 1980 and located in the State of Kuwait. The institute aim at supporting economic and social development across Arab countries through its several programs; including, national capacity building, consultancies, research, publications, specialized conferences as well as entrepreneurship and information technology. With over 40 years of experience in the domain of economic and social development API’s programs and services tend to provide a tailored response to issues that pertain to economic and social development in the Arab world in a fashion that takes in consideration the peculiarities of each Arab country.

The Arab Planning Institute, established the Small and Medium Enterprises Center in 2014; to enhance the capabilities of Arab youth and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship among them. The center is considered one of the first SMEs specialized centers in the Arab world and provides an array of services including training and consultancy services as well as technical support services and specialized publications directed at entrepreneurs and SMEs owners/managers as well as directed to government agencies working on improving SMEs work environments.

In the domain of information technologies and the dissemination of the development ideals in the Arab world, API established a digital Information Center which aim at providing technological and information support to trainees, experts and to those interested in acquiring information about the state of economic and social development in the Arab world.