LEAP 2025 concludes after witnessing announcements about investments worth $25 billion
RIYADH — The fourth edition of the LEAP Technology Conference (LEAP25) concluded its sessions at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham, drawing significant participation from technology leaders, investors, and international experts.
A series of investments and technical launches worth nearly $25 billion were announced during the four days of the global tech event. These announcements and initiatives focused on enhancing innovation in digital infrastructure and developing digital talents, supporting research, development and innovation, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and enhancing technical infrastructure.
Faisal Al-Khamisi, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, announced at the end of the event that two editions of LEAP will be held next year, one in Riyadh and the second one in Hong Kong.
The final day of the conference featured a series of sessions on topics such as women leading tech innovation and harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) in business, alongside other discussions on AI and digital transformation.
Held from February 9 to 12, the event highlighted cutting-edge digital innovations, sustainability, the knowledge economy, and the role of technology in reshaping key industries.The conference attracted a diverse group of experts and innovators from around the world, all convening to explore the latest technological advancements and shape the future of critical sectors.
This year's conference aligns with the Kingdom's efforts to strengthen its leadership in technology and innovation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
4 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi women's employment and labor market participation rates rise to 31.8% and 36% in 2024
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has witnessed an unprecedented and historic transformation in women's empowerment, with their active participation in various fields becoming a cornerstone in achieving the goals of Vision 2030. The year 2024 reflects the continuation of this development path, empowering Saudi women to be active partners in decision-making and policy making. The latest data released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) for 2024 showed that the total number of Saudi women exceeded 9.8 million, while the employment rate among Saudi women rose to 31.8 percent, and their labor market participation rate reached 36 percent. The Saudi Women's Statistics Report 2024, released by GASTAT, gives a comprehensive overview of Saudi women aged 15 and above. This report provides a diverse set of statistical indicators across various fields, including education, health, employment, and culture. Based on the results of numerous surveys and census data, the report provides diverse statistics that reflect the progress and achievements of Saudi women. According to the report, the total number of Saudi women is 9,807,663, with the age group of 15-34 representing 35.7 percent of the total female population. Significant progress was highlighted in the labor market, where the unemployment rate for Saudi women dropped to 13 percent in 2024, a notable decrease from 19 percent in 2022. This coincided with an expansion of women's economic participation. The report also showcased the achievements of Saudi women in social, economic, educational, health, cultural, and recreational fields. There has been a significant decline in female unemployment, with the rate reaching 11.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 13.9 percent in the same quarter of 2023 and 15.7 percent in the same period of 2022. Saudi women have also achieved remarkable accomplishments in the fields of education, innovation, and sports. The percentage of women holding a bachelor's degree or its equivalent reached 35.3 percent of the total Saudi women aged 25 and above. Twenty-two Saudi women obtained patents in 2024, in addition to 1,956 local and international awards in the field of sports. The report highlighted the efforts made to empower Saudi women in the labor market, as the decline in unemployment rates coincided with an expansion in women's economic participation and an increase in their employment rates across various sectors. It revealed the distribution of women joining the labor market by sector, with the number of Saudi women in the private sector reaching 997,000, in the government sector 506,000, and in the public sector 157,600. It also showed that the average weekly working hours for Saudi women was 39 hours, while their average monthly wage was SR4,832 for the age group of 15-24 years, SR8,328 for the age group of 25-54 years, and SR10,739 for the age group of 55 years and above. In terms of lifestyle, the report indicated that 44.6 percent of Saudi women aged 18 and above engage in at least 150 minutes of weekly physical activity. Cultural and recreational activities are also popular, with visits to parks and gardens being the most frequent, at 62.7 percent. The Women 2024 Report also presents the latest statistics on women and highlights several indicators that help accelerate progress in women's empowerment, intensify efforts, and adopt quality and effective policies to achieve this. The GASTAT explained that it relied on several sources in preparing the report, including field surveys, population estimates, and sources from multiple entities. The most important indicators related to women were identified to provide the necessary data for decision-makers and policymakers, and to monitor progress made on gender and diversity indicators, with the possibility of international and local comparisons.
Saudi Gazette
5 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi trading in US stocks hits record SR193.4 billion in Q2 2025
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi investors' trading activity in U.S. equities surged to an all-time high in the second quarter of 2025, with transactions through licensed financial institutions reaching SR193.4 billion ($51.6 billion), according to data released by the Capital Market Authority (CMA). The figure represents a 230 percent increase from the same period in 2024, when trading totaled SR58.6 billion. On a quarterly basis, it rose 18 percent, or SR29 billion, compared to SR164.3 billion in the first quarter of this year. The CMA noted that while the report captures trading values by licensed Saudi brokers in global markets, it does not include data on the number of Saudi-owned portfolios abroad, nor trades executed directly through foreign intermediaries. The data showed that trading in U.S. markets accounted for 98.6 percent of the SR196.2 billion in total Saudi trading across international markets during the comparison, Saudi trading in Gulf equities reached SR2.2 billion, an 88 percent year-on-year markets saw limited activity, with Arab markets accounting for SR289 million, European SR157 million, Asian SR78 million, and other markets SR95 CMA's historical data indicates a consistent upward trajectory in Saudi interest in U.S. equities since 2022, with a sharp acceleration beginning in 2024.
Saudi Gazette
5 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia to launch voluntary pension and savings scheme for foreign workers
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi Arabia is preparing to announce a new voluntary pension and savings program that will be open to both Saudi and foreign workers, according to the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) latest Article IV consultation report, cited by Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper. The program is designed to boost household savings and is expected to help curb the outflow of workers' remittances abroad. The Public Pension and Savings Program is anticipated to be unveiled soon. Foreign remittances from Saudi Arabia rose 14 percent last year to SR144.2 billion ($38.4 billion). Over the past decade (2015–2024), they totaled SR1.43 trillion. As of the first quarter of 2025, Saudi Arabia had 12.8 million subscribers in the social insurance system, 77 percent of whom — nearly 10 million — were expatriates. The IMF report noted that recently implemented pension reforms, approved in July 2024, are expected to strengthen long-term financial sustainability. These reforms included raising the retirement age, extending contribution periods, increasing contribution rates, and restricting pension benefits. While the changes are unlikely to generate immediate fiscal savings since the system is currently balanced, the IMF stressed the need to fully assess and disclose the medium-term impact. The upcoming voluntary pension and savings program, open to both Saudis and expatriates, was described as a welcome step that could significantly enhance household savings and reduce external remittances. The IMF also highlighted the size of GOSI's assets, which amount to 32 percent of Saudi Arabia's GDP, underscoring the importance of improving transparency through stronger financial disclosures and clearer allocation rules.
