LEAP 2026 Concludes Fifth Edition as Riyadh Strengthens Position as Global Technology Hub
LEAP 2026 has concluded its fifth edition in Riyadh, bringing four days of technology announcements, investment commitments, strategic partnerships and startup activity to a close. The landmark edition featured 1,323 speakers and 1,397 investors from 1,027 firms across 72 countries, collectively representing $18.3 trillion in assets under management. More than 1,500 exhibitors, including over 750 global companies, took part in the event, while 1,294 companies participated across the exhibition and startup programme.
LEAP 2026 opened with more than $15 billion in technology investments and strategic partnerships announced on the first day, with additional commitments unveiled throughout the event across artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, cloud computing, startup funding and emerging technologies.
Mike Champion, CEO of Tahaluf and Co-Creator of LEAP, said, “As we close our fifth edition, our attention is already on what comes next. Our ambition is to build on LEAP’s momentum by deepening its international reach, creating greater opportunities for companies and founders to access capital and new markets, and strengthening the Kingdom’s connections with the global technology ecosystem. LEAP has never been about standing still, and we are already looking ahead to an even more ambitious sixth edition.”
The final day put the spotlight on startups through the Rocket Fuel Finale, which saw 10 finalists compete for a share of a $1 million prize pool. The finalists were selected from 100 semi-finalists representing more than 25 countries and over 40 nationalities. Each founder pitched live on the Main Stage before a judging panel comprising Armineh Baghoomian, Managing Director, Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Partners for Growth; Talal Alasmari, Founding Partner at Ra’ed Ventures; JF Gauthier, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Startup Genome; and Robin Schneider, Chief Strategy Officer and Acting Chief Investment Officer at HUMAIN.
Finalists were assessed against seven criteria, including innovation, scalability, traction, societal impact and the strength of their founding teams. The LEAP Award, the competition’s $250,000 grand prize, was awarded to Waspito, a Cameroon-based AI-powered software company focused on improving access to healthcare across Africa through teleconsultations and digital systems that connect healthcare payers, providers and consumers.
The remaining awards went to:
- Imagine Devices – $150,000 Shooting Star Award
- Ferveret – $150,000 Scaling Star Award
- SarsatX – $150,000 Into New Worlds Award
- Melt Water – $150,000 Tech for Humanity Award
- Carevision – $100,000 LEAP Landing Award
- Kanz – $50,000 Founder Award, selected with the LEAP audience
Talal Alasmari, Founding Partner at Ra’ed Ventures, who was part of the Finale judging panel, said, “What stands out to me after five years of LEAP is how it has evolved from a major technology gathering into a platform that connects ambitious founders from around the world with real opportunities in Saudi Arabia and the region. I’m excited to see that continue in the years ahead, with more companies looking at Riyadh not just as a place to showcase innovation, but as a place to build and scale.”
The final day also saw new commitments spanning national infrastructure, financial access and international expansion. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Nourah Cloud and SeeCubic AIMAGINEX KSA signed a memorandum of understanding to establish AIMAGINEX, a global hub for AI-powered applied immersive media technologies.
Valued at $104 million, the national innovation hub and AI centre of excellence will bring together government, academia and industry to accelerate the development, commercialisation and adoption of applied AI and immersive digital media technologies. The initiative supports Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s broader ambition to establish itself as a global centre for digital innovation.
Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice President of Tahaluf and Co-Creator of LEAP, said, “The scale of this fifth edition reflects how far LEAP has come, but what matters most is what that scale enables. Over five editions, we have built a platform that brings founders, investors, technology leaders and companies from around the world together in Riyadh, creating connections across markets, industries and ideas. LEAP today has a genuinely global community around it, and seeing that community continue to grow is one of the strongest indicators of what we can build from here.”
Momentum for the next edition is already building, with 653 applications submitted for the 2027 startup programme. The figure signals continued interest from founders looking to use LEAP as a gateway into Saudi Arabia and the wider regional technology ecosystem, as the event prepares for its sixth edition.
