What to do at LEAP 2024

LEAP 2024, the world’s most-attended tech event, will gather the most prominent names in tech from March 4-7 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center. Only in its third edition, LEAP 2024 is anticipated to shatter previous records by attracting more than 172,000 attendees and over 1,800 exhibitors. Attendees will witness more than 1,000 global and regional experts discuss GAI and the future of industries.

Organized by Tahaluf, a joint venture between Informa PLC, the world’s largest tradeshow organizer, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and the ​​Events Investment Fund (EIF), LEAP will see prominent tech players and industry leaders converge in the Saudi capital.

The 4-day event will feature talks, workshops, panel discussions, and fireside chats with tech leaders, CEOs, innovators, startup founders, influencers, and creatives from around the world.

Here are some of the key highlights from LEAP 2024.

Main Stage

LEAP’s main stage will bring a line-up of heavyweights from across the tech industry. “The keynote stage will bring inspiring insights into the exciting evolution of the tech ecosystem and its role in humanity, security, and well-being,” says Michael Champion, CEO of Tahaluf.

“This line-up will feature international tech leaders, global enterprises, policymakers, superstar athletes, and everything in between. Together, they will explore how exponential tech is expanding the social security sector and identify opportunities for shaping digital rights for the well-being of this and the next generation,” he adds.

Highlights from the main stage include a fireside chat between H.E. Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and IBM CEO Arvind Krishna on 4 March. On 5 March, the main stage will feature a ministerial panel featuring insights on the digital future in emerging economies as well as a deep dive discussion between CTOs about leading in the age of innovation and AI.  

Highlights from DeepFest

DeepFest, a premier AI event co-located with LEAP, will have a main stage featuring a thought leadership conference centered on the all-encompassing impact of AI from 4-7 March. Organized by Tahaluf in partnership with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), DeepFest 2024 has adopted the theme “AI Beyond Imagination” and is set to welcome over 20,000 attendees.

Key sessions across DeepFest Main Stage and DeepMedia Stage include the unveiling of the first Saudi-made bilingual male robot, Mohammad the Humanoid Robot, by QSS Robotics on 4 March. On 6 March, Egyptian entrepreneur and novelist Mo Gawdat will take to the stage to discuss how to maintain happiness and well-being in an AI-driven future. And on 7 March, attendees can attend “The Mirror Interview,” a meeting between Dutch YouTuber Jordi van den Bussche (also known as Kwebbelkop) and his digital doppelganger.

Future Energy Stage

The future energy stage will cover topics like net zero, green energy, drones, hydrogen, and the future of energy systems on 7 March. It will include talks by scientists, policymakers, business leaders, and tech specialists, as well as prominent figures from the oil and gas industry, as well as government ministers.

Code Stage

The code stage will feature discussions ranging from deeptech and design thinking to growth strategies for entrepreneurs, preparing for Series A, emerging markets, and AI from 4-7 March.

Startup Stage

From 4-7 March, the startup stage will feature talks, workshops, and fireside chats will practical guidance from experts for startups. On 4 March, it will feature a workshop by the founder and CEO of Blossom Accelerator Emon Shakoor about idea generation and validation, and on 5 March, Supreet Manchanda, founding partner of Raiven Capital, will give a workshop on business planning and strategy for startups. On the final day of LEAP, the stage will host regional focus roundtables on Europe, Africa, and Asia.

It will also host The Rocket Fuel Competition, with startups pitching daily before a star-studded panel.

Edutech Stage

From 6-7 March, the edutech stage will feature topics like education for jobs of the future; how tech companies can drive education; edutech in emerging markets; the global impact of digitizing education in Africa; the future of learning and the role of AI; and how to teach future unicorn founders.

Gaming

From 6-7 March, the gaming stage will cover topics like esports; the rise of gaming as the new global sport; the art of gaming; gametech and Vision 2030; women in gaming; fundraising for gaming companies; and the AI and Metaverse in gaming, among others.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)

The 4IR stage will feature panel discussions and sessions from 4-5 March. Featured topics include: Reskilling and upskilling for future jobs; GAI and the citizen experience; data and the future; how AI is impacting the workforce; the future of quantum computing; the ethical considerations of GAI and ML model development; digital forensics and incident response (DFIR); data privacy; 5G and industry digitalization in Saudi Arabia; robotics and automation; and how AI can help overcome language and cultural barriers.

Smart Cities Stage

From 4-6 March, the smart cities stage will host technologists, city planners, government representatives, and private sector stakeholders. Speakers will discuss the role of AI and XR in building cognitive future cities; climate-positive data centers; the future of smart cities in Saudi Arabia; smart traffic management systems; floating cities and floating farms; food security and agritech; supply chain management; the future of mobility; and AI and road safety, among other topics.

Retail Stage

From 6-7 March, the retail stage will spotlight the next generation of retail and shopping, including online marketplaces; beautytech; sustainability in logistics and fashion; immersive shopping; AI in fashion and styling; and storytelling through fashion, among other topics.

Fintech Stage

The fintech stage will feature topics like global trends in fintech; wealth management; blockchain, fintech, and AI; technology and financial inclusion; ethical lending and AI; AI and the Metaverse; cybersecurity; and financial literacy, among others.

Healthtech Stage

From 4-5 March, the healthtech stage will feature longevity and digital health innovation; smart hospitals; AI and robotics; patient-centric care and technology; data and healthcare; AI and pharmaceuticals; wearables and health; dentistry, mixed reality, and the Metaverse; virtual care; insurance; genomics; and 3D printing.

Space Stage

From 4-5 March, the space stage will feature topics like space solutions for oil and gas; space economy expansion; the future of the space industry; space and the Saudi economy; international partnerships in space exploration; and space policy, among others.

Investor Stage

The investor stage will bring together startup and unicorn founders, accelerators, VCs, and family offices from 4-7 March. Topics include pitching; cultivating startup ecosystems; sector-focused talks; female-founded startups; emerging markets; regulation; sustainability; ESG; valuation and deal structuring; and funding strategies.