LEAP 2026 opens its doors in Riyadh tomorrow, marking the landmark fifth edition of an event that has grown into one of the world’s largest gatherings of the global technology community. Since launching in 2022, LEAP has grown rapidly in scale and international reach, drawing technology companies, investors, startups, speakers and innovators from around the world.
LEAP 5 will welcome global technology leaders, investors, founders and innovators for four days of major announcements, live demonstrations and conversations across AI, advanced computing, mobility, gaming, sport and emerging technology. The programme will span 16 stages and more than 20 content tracks, alongside new zones and experiences that reflect how LEAP has evolved over its first five editions.
The Main Stage will feature some of the most influential voices shaping the global technology landscape, including H.E. Eng. Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology; Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO of AMD; Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO of Cisco; and Tareq Amin, CEO of HUMAIN. They will be joined by futurist and theoretical physicist Michio Kaku; Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga; and senior leaders and voices from companies including NVIDIA, Google, Roblox, Uber, Meta, Lenovo, Nokia and Luma AI.
With Saudi Arabia’s Year of AI providing a wider backdrop to the fifth edition, AI will run throughout the programme, speakers and experiences at LEAP 2026, with a particular focus on how the technology is moving beyond discussion and into real-world application.
Beyond the headline discussions, LEAP 2026 will bring technology to life through some of the event’s most eye-catching experiences. At Tech Arena, Unitree robots will take to the floor for live dance demonstrations, alongside AGIBOT’s A2 Ultra humanoid robot and COGNIXION technology that enables users to communicate with and control devices using brain signals.
The Future Mobility Zone will bring robotaxis, autonomous delivery drones and flying taxis to the show floor, while GameX Creative will feature new game reveals, LEAP’s Roblox obstacle course and an ESL FACEIT esports racing simulator experience. SportsHub will put visitors in the driving seat through an interactive F1 experience powered by Saudi Motorsport Company and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, including a racing simulator and an interactive journey through Jeddah Corniche Circuit. The new LEAP Studios will serve as a live hub for podcasts, interviews and creator-led content from across the event.
Global capital and startup growth will also be firmly in focus, with 1289 investors from 1016 firms representing a combined US$14.5 trillion in assets under management confirmed to attend. Rocket Fuel will see 100 finalists compete for a US$1 million equity-free prize pool following more than 3,000 applications, while Ecosystem Xchange will create further opportunities for founders to access new markets and build partnerships. LEAP Connect will provide a dedicated space for the international technology community to connect beyond the stages, bringing founders, investors and technology leaders together across the four days.
Beyond the venue, LEAP Nights will extend LEAP 5 across Riyadh from 30 August to 4 September, with 60 events across more than 15 venues bringing networking, business, culture and entertainment into the city. The programme will span executive and investor gatherings, founder and VC experiences, cultural activations and community events, giving the global technology community further opportunities to connect while experiencing Riyadh beyond the show floor.
The programme will also connect LEAP with experiences beyond the event itself through a new strategic motorsport partnership between LEAP Nights and F1 Saudi Arabia Motorsport, giving LEAP attendees access to a 20 per cent early-bird ticket offer for the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2027 in Jeddah.
Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice-President and Co-Creator of LEAP, said: “Five years ago, together with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and SAFCSP, we set out to create a place in Riyadh where the global technology community could come together and turn ambition into meaningful action. What LEAP has become since then goes far beyond its scale. It is about the people who connect here, the partnerships that begin here and the opportunities that continue long after the doors close. Tomorrow, we open our fifth edition, bringing the world’s technology community together once again and reflecting the extraordinary progress of both LEAP and Saudi Arabia’s technology ecosystem.”
