LEAP All Set To Return To Riyadh For Its Fifth Edition Running From April 13-16, 2026

LEAP, Saudi Arabia’s award-winning global tech event, is set to return to the Kingdom's capital city of Riyadh for its fifth edition from April 13-16, 2026. 

LEAP 2026 will attract more than 201,000 visitors, over 600 startups, more than 1,000 speakers, and upwards of 1,800 global tech brands, with nearly 1,900 investors expected to descend on the Saudi capital for the event's most ambitious edition to date. As a proud Media Partner for LEAP 2026, Inc. Arabia is offering its readers a 25 percent discount on priority passes for the event on this link, as well as a 100 percent discount code on general passes on this link. 

Co-organized by the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones (SAFCSP), and KSA-based events organizer Tahaluf, this year’s edition will span more than 20 stages covering everything from climate and healthtech, to fintech, space, and smart cities. 

In a statement, Faisal Alkhamisi, Chairman of the SAFCSP, said, "Over the past four years, LEAP has evolved at a rocket-fueled pace, playing a critical role in nurturing talent, creativity and investment. Yet, this is just the beginning. LEAP will continue to reflect the ever-changing tech landscape and inspire pioneers from across the globe." 

Mike Champion, CEO of Tahaluf, added, "LEAP has become a place where the future is not just discussed but built. The momentum in Saudi Arabia is extraordinary, and as LEAP enters its fifth edition, it will take this ambition into new worlds, unlocking investment and shaping the technologies that will define the next decade. Five editions in, that ambition only grows and LEAP's impact grows with it." 

The roster of participants at LEAP this year reads like a who's who of the global technology industry. Executives and innovators from some of the world's most recognizable tech companies, among them Google, Amazon Web Services, Luma AI, AMD, Qualcomm, Cisco, Lenovo, HP, HPE, Huawei, Foxconn, and Cerebras Systems, will share the floor with homegrown Saudi champions including stc, Aramco, Elm, Alat, and HUMAIN. 

Among the headline speakers are Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services, Justin Hotard, President and CEO of Nokia, and Tareq Amin, CEO of HUMAIN. Also included in the speaker lineup are innovators pushing boundaries in fields from artificial intelligence hardware to defense technology, including Andrew Feldman of Cerebras Systems, Hanne Jesca Bax of EY, and Chandra Donelson of the US Space Force. 

A scene from an earlier edition of LEAP.

This year's edition of LEAP also brings a raft of new and returning experiences designed to move the needle from conversation to collaboration. Participants will gather across four days, participating in programming that spans 60 tech verticals and includes dedicated stages, pitch competitions, and matchmaking sessions. Headline backers including Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Venture Capital Company, 500 Global, Rakuten Capital, and 20VC will be on hand, while the US$1 million Rocket Fuel Pitch Competition once again puts early-stage ventures in the spotlight. 

New to this edition is LEAP Connect, a purpose-built environment for high-value networking that brings founders, investors, executives, and policymakers together through structured matchmaking. It is designed to ensure that the ideas and deals sparked on the show floor don't stop at the exit. Beyond networking, one of the standout new additions to LEAP this year is GameX Creative, a dedicated zone bringing together global gaming powerhouses and Saudi creative talent. Savvy Games Group, ESL FACEIT Group, Hero Esports, Steer Studios, OSN+, Red Sea Film Foundation, MDLBeast, and Kojima Productions are among those shaping an experience that puts a spotlight on the technologies, investment, and storytelling redefining the gaming and esports industries.

LEAP 2026 shall also see the Sports Tech Hub return in an expanded format, drawing together the organizations and individuals driving change across the global sports landscape. Representatives from the English Football Association, La Liga, the Saudi Pro League, Juventus FC, Atlético Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, Ferrari, and Aston Martin Formula One Team will join athletes and tech founders to explore how AI, data analytics, and immersive technologies are transforming everything from athlete performance to fan experience and commercial strategy. 

Meanwhile, running alongside LEAP 5, DeepFest makes its return as the region's foremost platform for AI and deep tech. Through keynote sessions, live demos, and hands-on technology experiences, the event will bring together leading voices from across the AI ecosystem. This year's participating organizations include EY, Snowflake, Alteryx, Agibot, and Xerox, while an expanded Tech Arena will give attendees direct access to practical demonstrations of AI in action.

Pictured in the lead image is a scene from an earlier edition of LEAP. All images courtesy LEAP.