CLOSER connections built between Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong following recent trade and investment efforts are paying dividends for business events with a new tech show lined up for the Greater Bay city.
Saudi Arabia’s largest B2B events organiser, Tahaluf, is expanding into Asia with the launch of LEAP East – a Hong Kong edition of its Riyadh tech show, which has been credited with elevating the kingdom’s global tech-hub ambitions.
The announcement follows MoUs signed between King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh, along with Hong Kong Science and Technology Park and the city’s Cyberport hub.
Hong Kong officials have also visited the LEAP Conference in Riyadh as officials from both sides agreed to collaborate on trade, investment and cultural ties.
LEAP East is scheduled to take place at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, July 8-10, 2026. LEAP is owned and organised by Tahaluf, a joint venture between Informa, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity and Drones among with the kingdom’s Events Investment Fund.
More than 300 expert speakers and 300 exhibitors are expected at the Hong Kong event, which is aimed at gathering experts from various fields to explore fintech, gaming, robotics, AI, smart cities, digital transformation, and Web3, among other emerging technologies.
The Saudi edition of LEAP was launched in 2022 and the Hong Kong show will be the first outside Saudi Arabia. The four-day LEAP 2025 came to a close on February 12 and is reported to have attracted over 200,000 visitors and 1,500 exhibitors to Riyadh Convention and Exhibition Centre.
LEAP 2025 also featured a strong speaker representation from Hong Kong, including Danny Tang, CEO, Hero Esports; Cindy Chow, Executive Director and CEO of Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund; and Leiming Chen, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Ant International, and Ant Group.
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Previous speakers on LEAP’s main stage have included Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee; Shou Chew, CEO of TikTok; and Dr Kai Fu Lee, Chairperson and CEO of Sinovation Ventures.
A Tahaluf spokesman said the Hong Kong at LEAP2025 “underscores the fast-growing business relationship between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, as both regions continue to solidify their roles as vibrant global tech hubs”.
Faisal AlKhamisi, Chairman of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity and Drones, said: “LEAP East will serve as a catalyst for growing the global tech ecosystem and for Saudi Arabia’s status as a global events organiser.
With this timely and strategic expansion, we are bringing LEAP’s award-winning vision and world-class innovation into this exciting new Hong Kong venture, creating a powerful platform for entrepreneurs, investors, and businesses to connect, collaborate and build the future of technology.”
“Attendees will engage directly with the world’s leading innovators, investors, and industry pioneers, making LEAP East a must-attend event for anyone shaping the digital future,” said AlKhamisi.
LEAP East is being primed to explore fintech, gaming, robotics, AI, smart cities, digital transformation, and Web3, among other emerging technologies. Among the highlights are LEAP’s “content-rich Orbital tracks”, which delves into topics such as fintech and the creative economy, and the DeepFest hub for artificial intelligence, robotics, and deep tech.
The Tech Arena will present live demonstrations and interactive experiences to give attendees a glimpse into the future of tech applications, while networking will be key to the LEAP East Nights.
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Michael Champion, CEO of Tahaluf, predicted the inaugural event will further propel Hong Kong’s global tech credentials. “With an outstanding speaker line-up and an exhibition floor featuring the latest technological advancements, attendees will gain first-hand insights into the evolving tech landscape,” he said.
“We are building on the success we’ve had in Riyadh and the figures speak for themselves as LEAP 2025 had an attendance of over 200,000. LEAP East will foster a dynamic environment where investors, policymakers, and tech leaders converge to shape the future of innovation.
“Hong Kong, with its robust infrastructure and access to global capital, is an ideal host for this initiative, offering startups the necessary resources to scale their businesses,” Champion said.
