#SaudiArabia #LEAP2026 - The fifth edition of Saudi Arabia’s flagship technology event, LEAP, will take place next week at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center. The event is expected to draw more than 1,000 global speakers, over 1,800 technology companies, more than 600 startups and over 1,900 investors and venture capital representatives. Organised by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, and Tahaluf, this year’s event will take place under the theme “Into New Worlds.” The event tuns from 31 August to 3 September 2026.
SO WHAT? - LEAP has become the venue where Saudi Arabia’s biggest AI announcements land, and this year follows a string of major partnerships, HUMAIN’s tie-ups with Mistral and Microsoft among them, that companies have explicitly said will make more announcements at the event. With DeepFest as its dedicated AI programme and thousands of investors in attendance, LEAP 2026 has become a barometer for how much of Saudi Arabia’s AI ambition, announced piecemeal over the year, is converting into concrete deals and products.
KEY POINTS:
LEAP 2026 will take place from Monday, August 31st to Thursday, September 3rd 2026 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, the event’s fifth edition.
The event is expected to bring together more than 1,000 global speakers and experts, over 1,800 technology companies, more than 600 startups and representatives from over 1,900 investors and venture capital firms.
The programme includes DeepFest, alongside sessions covering fintech, healthtech, smart cities, edtech, sports tech, space, gaming and digital infrastructure.
Dedicated zones include LEAP Connect for partnerships, the Sports Tech Hub, World Tech Zone for global innovation showcases, and LEAP Studios for live content creation, alongside dedicated programming for startups and investors.
LEAP has expanded internationally since its 2022 debut, including the launch of LEAP East in Hong Kong, positioning the event as a bridge connecting technology and AI ecosystems across East and West from Saudi Arabia.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]
Source: LEAP, SPA
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