Dubai: Saudi Arabia is to host a landmark technology event that will support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 for a knowledge-based economy. The LEAP will, according to the organisers, serve as a catalyst for digital transformation across every sector of Saudi industry and business.
The aim is to stimulate public and private organisations, drive female empowerment, unlock the Kingdom’s investment potential for economic diversification, and propel it into the ranks of the world’s Top 20 tech-enabled nations.
LEAP will have 14 innovation-focused areas such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and crypto, robotics, 3D printing, the Internet of Things, 5G and more.
Merging large-scale tech adoption solutions and pilot projects, the event will debut at the new Riyadh Front Exhibition Centre – the largest in Saudi Arabia – from February 1 to 3 next year.
A continental connection
Helmed by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), and organised by Informa Tech, LEAP will be used to position Saudi Arabia as a tech hub connecting three continents.
LEAP is integral to MCIT’s five-year strategy aimed at accelerating the growth of the Kingdom’s digital economy by 50 per cent, elevating its GDP contribution by $13.3 billion,and increasing foreign investments.
“Saudi Arabia already has a flourishing female participation in its tech sector, and we aim to nourish that passion and boost female representation to the highest in the world,” said Wadha Bin Zarah, Women Empowerment Director at MCIT. “LEAP will look to empower women in the local IT industry further through several measures such as recognizing and rewarding female tech leaders and giving female-led startups access to potential funding."
