1,800 technology companies, 1,900 investors and more than 1,000 speakers gather in Riyadh as Saudi Arabia’s digital economy reaches SAR 522 billion

Riyadh | BETH

The fifth edition of LEAP 2026 opened in Riyadh on Monday, bringing together more than 1,800 technology companies, 600 startups and over 1,000 international speakers and experts, alongside more than 1,900 investors and representatives of venture capital funds.

The conference runs until September 3 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham under the theme “Into New Worlds.” It is expected to welcome more than 250,000 participants, including technology leaders, innovators and investors.

Yet the conference’s true value lies not in how many people enter its halls, but in how much remains within the Saudi economy after they leave.

Key Takeaways

• Saudi Arabia’s digital economy has grown from approximately SAR 300 billion to SAR 522 billion.
• LEAP brings global companies, investors and startups together in a single marketplace.
• The decisive test is how much technology, investment and high-value employment will be created inside the Kingdom.

A Market, Not a Show

LEAP began in 2022 as a global technology event hosted by Riyadh. As it enters its fifth edition, however, it has moved beyond the conventional role of an exhibition where products and ideas are merely displayed.

Bringing major corporations, investment funds, entrepreneurs and government bodies into one place transforms it into a marketplace where partnerships are formed, opportunities are tested and international companies seek a position within the Saudi economy.

This is the most important shift: the Kingdom no longer presents itself merely as a major consumer of technology, but as a market for developing, financing, manufacturing and exporting it.

SAR 522 Billion

Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha announced that the Saudi digital economy had expanded by more than 75%, rising from approximately SAR 300 billion to SAR 522 billion.

This figure matters more than visitor numbers because it measures the value that technology now represents within the national economy.

Digital transformation is not achieved through the proliferation of applications or conferences. It occurs when technology becomes companies, investments, jobs, products and local capabilities able to compete.

The Intelligence Race

This year’s edition comes as countries compete for leadership in artificial intelligence, data centers, cloud computing, semiconductors, cybersecurity and robotics.

Saudi Arabia is not entering this race from the starting line. It possesses financial strength, a large market, advanced digital infrastructure and the ambition to develop data centers and national capabilities in artificial intelligence.

But infrastructure alone is not enough.

The test is whether the Kingdom can move from purchasing technology to developing it, from hosting servers to owning the knowledge that operates within them, and from financing international companies to building Saudi businesses capable of reaching global markets.

What Should We Expect?

The success of LEAP 2026 will be measured by the investments, agreements and projects announced during its four days.

What matters is not only their total value, but their nature:

Will they establish research and development centers inside the Kingdom?
Will they transfer knowledge to Saudi professionals?
Will they build local companies?
Will they generate high-value technology jobs?

An agreement that imports a ready-made service is fundamentally different from one that builds a lasting Saudi capability.

From Riyadh to the World

LEAP has succeeded in making Riyadh an annual destination on the global technology map. The next stage, however, requires the Kingdom to become part of shaping technological decisions—not merely a venue where decision-makers gather.

True transformation does not begin when the world’s companies arrive in Riyadh, but when Saudi companies leave Riyadh and reach the world.