LEAP 2024, the groundbreaking technology event designed to foster technology adoption and contribute to the economic diversification of Saudi Arabia, is expected to attract an unprecedented number of over 172,000 visitors. The event will take place from March 4 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre, Malham, and will stretch over four days.
This year, the event will zoom in on Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) as its primary theme, aiming to advance the technology’s growth and application. DeepFest, which runs concurrently with LEAP and is in collaboration with the Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), promises to be larger than its previous editions. The event will showcase over 120 companies and feature a thought-leadership conference, sector-specific tracks, training sessions, live demonstrations, innovation workshops, startup pitches, and an expansive exhibition with top global tech firms at the helm of AI advancement.
The success of LEAP 2023, which saw on-event investment deals surpassing US$9 billion, has set the stage for LEAP 2024 to continue breaking records in the tech industry. Tahaluf, a joint venture between Informa PLC, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and Events Investment Fund, alongside the Saudi Ministry for Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), are working to exceed last year’s attendee milestone, which positioned LEAP as the most-attended tech event globally.
“LEAP 2024 is set to transcend beyond what we’ve previously achieved, with a keen emphasis on artificial intelligence and its vast potential to revolutionize various sectors,” stated Michael Champion, CEO of Tahaluf. “With an expanded venue to accommodate more participants, LEAP 2024 will showcase over 1,000 exhibitors, highlighting technological breakthroughs that promise to redefine our everyday lives and work environments. The event will feature over 1,000 experts across 25 content tracks, focusing on cutting-edge technology areas, while seven new content features will spotlight AI, sustainability, gaming, space, cybersecurity, future workforce, and digital twins.”
The event’s business impact has attracted new sponsorship deals from leading global companies. Strategic sponsors include Ericsson, Huawei, Salam, Family Office, Tawuniya, and Elm, with Neo Leap joining as a diamond sponsor. Platinum sponsors comprise Go Telecom, Lenovo, Schneider Electric, PwC, and Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, while gold sponsors include Mastercard, Zoom, Cyberani, Cognizant, Arabsat, Deloitte, Perfect Presentation, and Dinar Investment.
The Main Stage at LEAP will host 130 influential figures and business leaders, delivering talks in a four ‘act’ sequence—Impulse, Accelerate, Momentum, and LEAP—focusing on ideation, business, and personal growth. “The keynote stage is a platform for sharing inspiring insights into the evolution of the tech ecosystem and its significance in enhancing security and wellbeing,” added Champion. “An impressive lineup of tech pioneers, global corporations, legislators, sports icons, and more will share their perspectives on how advanced technologies are expanding the social security sector and shaping digital rights for future generations.”
Confirmed speakers for the keynotes include Angela Kane, Vice President and former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs; Elizabeth Adams, Affiliate Fellow and Former Chief AI Ethics and Culture Advisor at Stanford; Divya Gokulnath, Co-founder of Byju’s; Martin Vilig, Co-founder of Bolt; Borje Ekholm, CEO and President of Ericsson; Arvind Krishna, CEO of IBM; and many other renowned industry leaders.