LEAP Reschedules to September Amid Regional Tensions, Aiming for Global Impact

Mohammed Fathy

Last updated 23-03-2026

4 min

LEAP will move to 31 August–3 September amid regional conflict disruptions.

Organisers want “strong international attendance” and a full roster of speakers.

Since 2022, it has driven over $42bn in investment commitments.

Recent deals include AI cloud and robotics manufacturing partnerships worth billions.

Other major events have shifted, showing the region’s need for agility.

Saudi Arabia’s flagship tech gathering, LEAP, is changing its calendar. Instead of its usual April slot, the fifth edition will now take place from 31 August to 3 September at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre in Malham. The shift comes against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel, which has disrupted travel, logistics and large-scale events across the region.

Organizers said the decision followed extensive consultations with partners and stakeholders, aiming to secure strong international attendance and a full roster of speakers, investors and tech giants. Annabelle Mander, executive vice president at Tahaluf and co-creator of LEAP, said in a statement that the event has always focused on bringing together “the world’s most ambitious minds” to shape the future. She added that hosting LEAP 2026 through early September would help maintain the global participation and world-class experience the community expects.

If you’ve ever attended LEAP—or even tried to book a flight to Riyadh during it—you’ll know it’s no small affair. Since its launch in 2022, the conference has generated more than $42 billion in investment commitments across four editions. The 2025 event alone attracted over 200,000 visitors and secured $14.9 billion in announced deals. That’s not pocket change; it’s part of a wider push to position Saudi Arabia as a serious player in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital infrastructure.

Some headline-grabbing agreements last year included a $1.5 billion partnership between Groq and Aramco Digital to expand AI-powered cloud computing, and a $2 billion investment involving Saudi-based Alat and China’s Lenovo to establish an advanced AI and robotics manufacturing hub in the Kingdom. Deals like these are more than PR moments—they’re signals of where capital and ambition are flowing.

This year’s programme is expected to bring together founders, policymakers, investors and industry leaders to dig into AI, deep tech, gaming, cloud services and digital infrastructure. In many ways, LEAP has become a shop window for Saudi Arabia’s tech ambitions, connecting markets across Asia, Europe and Africa. Health, fintech, education, smart cities—you name it, it’s usually there.

That said, LEAP is not alone in adjusting plans. The Arabian Travel Market has been pushed back by three months to 17–20 August due to safety considerations. Meanwhile, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix have been called off for April after Formula 1 deemed it unsafe to proceed. Even the crypto crowd is feeling it: TOKEN2049 has delayed its Dubai edition all the way to 2027.

From where I stand, covering startups across MENA for years now, these events are more than dates on a calendar. I remember walking through packed halls at previous editions, bumping into early-stage founders who looked equal parts exhausted and hopeful—well… I mean, that’s the energy that keeps this ecosystem ticking. When gatherings like LEAP move, the ripple effect is real. Startups plan product launches around them; investors schedule regional tours; founders chase serendipitous corridor meetings that can change everything.

On the flip side, ensuring safety and meaningful global participation is spot on. There’s little point in hosting a world-class event if key players cannot attend or if travel becomes a bit of a faff. I reckon the late-summer slot might even work in LEAP’s favour, giving organisers extra breathing room to line up heavyweight speakers and fresh investment announcements.

Further details about speakers and programme highlights are expected in the coming months as preparations continue. For now, startups and investors will need to adjust their diaries. In this region, agility isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a survival skill. And LEAP, for all its scale and shine, is clearly not immune to the bigger geopolitical picture shaping the tech scene in the Midle East.

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