Riyadh is gearing up for major deals and partnerships with global technology giants during the fifth edition of LEAP 2026, which opens Monday with more than 200,000 attendees, 1,900 investors and 1,000 speakers from around the world, as Saudi Arabia continues to expand its role as a global hub for technology and artificial intelligence. Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha said on the eve of the event that major deals were expected with global companies including Amazon and Nvidia, alongside the launch of Microsoft’s Azure cloud services. He described LEAP as “the largest technology movement of the 21st century.” Alswaha said Saudi Arabia’s digital economy had grown by more than 75 percent, from about SAR 300 billion ($80 billion) to SAR 522 billion ($139.2 billion), reflecting the sector’s expanding contribution to the national economy. Speaking at a government press conference, the minister said LEAP 2026 would bring together more than 250,000 creators and innovators, as well as global technology leaders and investors, while showcasing the Kingdom’s achievements and success stories. Global Technology Indicators Alswaha highlighted Saudi Arabia’s progress in the technology sector, noting that it now has nine unicorn companies and ranks first globally in digital readiness while placing among advanced countries on global technology indicators. Employment across the technology ecosystem has risen from 150,000 to 410,000 jobs, he said, adding that Saudi Arabia had become an exporter rather than an importer of technology. The Kingdom now has more than 80 specialized schools, while universities have adopted artificial intelligence programs aimed at training about 30,000 talented students. Fiber-optic penetration stands at 32 percent, Alswaha underlined. By 2028, 5G coverage in Al-Baha, in southern Saudi Arabia, is expected to reach 64 percent, while 50,000 homes will be connected to fiber-optic networks. The minister also highlighted the National Technology Development Program, which has supported more than 1,500 entrepreneurs and helped drive activity among 5,000 companies, including nine unicorns. About 60 percent of technology investments are being directed toward data centers. Over four years, LEAP has evolved beyond a technology conference into a global gathering of technology and AI leaders, investors, innovators and entrepreneurs, as well as a platform for launching investments, partnerships and major projects. Announced launches and investments across its first four Riyadh editions exceeded $44.2 billion. LEAP’s rapid growth reflects government support for the communications, technology and AI sectors, which has helped create a competitive digital environment, attract investment and advanced technologies, and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s position as a global center for innovation and the digital economy. Expanding Beyond Riyadh LEAP expanded into Asia in July 2026 with LEAP East in Hong Kong, its first international edition since launching in Riyadh. The expansion marked its transformation from an annual Riyadh event into a Saudi-born global platform connecting technology and investment ecosystems across the Middle East and Asia. LEAP began in 2022, when its inaugural edition drew more than 100,000 visitors, over 500 speakers, 700 exhibitors, 403 startups and more than 330 investors. Now in its fifth edition, the four-day event again brings together leading technology and AI executives, investors, innovators and entrepreneurs from around the world for discussions, announcements, partnerships and experiences exploring the future of the digital economy in the intelligent age. This year’s edition is being held under the theme “Into New Worlds,” building on LEAP’s evolution from a global technology event in Riyadh into an international movement extending into Asia.
