Rocket Fuel 2025 Set to Ignite Innovation at LEAP with $1 Million Prize-Pool
RIYADH, RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, January 27, 2025 / EINPresswire.com / -- The fourth edition of LEAP, Saudi Arabia's global award-winning tech event, is on the horizon and anticipation is growing for its annual high-stakes Rocket Fuel Startup Pitch Competition.
LEAP 2025 will take place at the Riyadh Convention and Exhibition Centre Malham from 9-12 February, with the fiercely contested startup contest pitting embryonic companies against each other for a share of a US$1 million prize pool. The Rocket Fuel Startup Pitch Competition will again be a key showpiece to highlight KSA's burgeoning Saudi startup ecosystem, as well as acting as a launchpad for the best young Saudi technology companies to see their ideas take flight in front of a global audience.
The Competition's semi finalists will be made up of 120 leading startups from across 40 sectors and 31 countries. Each will have met specific criteria for development stage, industry focus, funding, and location and will pitch to an independent panel of venture capitalists and industry leaders. Competing across six categories, only 12 will advance to the Grand Finale on 12 February, where the winners will be crowned.
The LEAP 2025 Rocket Fuel Startup Pitch Competition sees six awards available across the categories of innovation, market potential, team strength, business model, and societal impact. The overall 'LEAP Award', with a prize of US$250,000, will go to the standout startup across all sectors, with all other award winners taking home prizes of US$150,000. The 'Shooting Star' Award will go to a booming early-stage startup with the highest potential. The 'Scaling Star' Award will recognise a unicorn-ready, growth-stage venture, while the Tech for Humanity Award will acknowledge the startup with the most transformative, solution-driving social good. The startup judged to best revolutionise life as we know it will land the 'Into New Worlds Award', while a non-KSA startup with high-growth potential will claim the newest award, coined 'LEAP Landing' and have the lucrative opportunity to get started in the Kingdom.
In addition to Rocket Fuel, leading international and Saudi based investment firms have been confirmed as LEAP attendees this year. Saudi investment firms include STV, Wa'ed Ventures, Jada Investments and international investment firms in attendance include heavyweights UBS, Morgan Stanley, SC Ventures and The Carlyle Group. There will also be an array of speakers from both the global and Saudi based investment communities taking to the stage, including representatives from: General Atlantic, PIF, Scrum Ventures, Mantis, Mindvalley and LeapFrog Investments. Each day, the Investor Stage will cover a separate theme related to investing within technology - ranging from best practices in sustainable finance, through to global synergies and championing women leadership.
This year's Rocket Fuel Pitch Competition is sponsored by Saudi Arabia's National Technology Development Program (NTDP).
The four judges confirmed for the finale of the Rocket Fuel Pitch Competition include: Ahmed El Alfi, Founder & Chairman at Sawari Ventures; Vusi Thembekwayo, CEO of MyGrowthFund Venture Partners; Lateefa Alwaalan, Managing Director of Endeavour Saudi and Connie Chan, Board Partner of Andreessen Horowitz.
Michael Champion, CEO of Tahaluf, which co-organises LEAP with the Saudi Ministry for Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones (SAFCSP), highlighted the competition's transformative impact on startups and the broader industry.
'Successful startups are essential for the global tech ecosystem. By driving innovation, creating jobs, and fostering entrepreneurship, they set the stage for economic growth and societal progress. Rocket Fuel demonstrates Saudi Arabia's stance as a globally dynamic accelerator for startups and investors. As past editions prove, Rocket Fuel is more than just a competition – it is a platform for global exposure and growth. Last year's winner, Reme-D, secured the LEAP Award for its revolutionary diagnostic kits while other category winners, such as South Korea's Angelswing, India's Newtrace and Saudi Arabia's Playbook, have since leveraged their wins to amplify their impact globally,' said Champion.
The Launch Pad Beyond Rocket Fuel
The Rocket Fuel contest is one of a range of LEAP 2025 features that will offer startups unparalleled mentorship and heightened visibility. It aims to generate leads as well as funding and growth opportunities. LEAP's intensive pre-conference Founders Bootcamp, which is led by pitch and startup growth experts, will enable tech entrepreneurs to gain insightful training to refine their pitches and business strategies to best prepare for successful investor meetings.
The anticipated 680 startups attending the show will be able to connect with more than 2,000 investors through LEAP 2025's AI-powered matchmaking service. This includes mentorship 'Bonfire' sessions, and the newly launched Ecosystem Xchange, which is set to host private investor and founder deep dives, and on-site networking events by partners such as Carta, Angel School, Google Cloud and more.
'A multitude of possibilities await startups at LEAP 2025, where Saudi Arabia will look to further advance its Vision 2030 goals and redefine tech adoption and innovation,' added Champion.
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Trump tariffs live updates: US-China trade talks to continue on Tuesday after signs of progress
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The US and China are also now using their control over certain key materials to gain control in the trade war. Bloomberg reported on Friday that the US dominates in ethane, a gas used to make plastics, and China buys nearly all of it. Washington is now tightening control by requiring export licenses. China's curbs on exports of rare earth minerals, crucial for autos and more, have drawn Washington's ire. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet The US-China talks come as Trump pushes countries to speed up negotiations. The US sent a letter to partners as a "friendly reminder" that Trump's self-imposed 90-day pause on sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs is set to expire in early July. White House advisers have for weeks promised trade deals in the "not-too-distant future," with the only announced agreement so far coming with the United Kingdom. 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US import costs of steel and aluminum are expected to rise by more than $100 billion after President Trump doubled tariffs on the metals to 50% this week. That is expected to impact automakers such as Ford (F), as well as importers for a variety of goods, from baseball bats to aircraft parts. The Financial Times reports: Read more here. Tariffs have brought challenges for many, but Century Aluminum (CENX) and top recycler Matalco stand to benefit from President Trump's metal import duties as domestic prices rise. Reuters reports: Read more here. The US is keen to strike a firm deal with China on rare earths exports as both sides resume talks in London today. Reuters reports: Read more here. Global auto companies are hoping that trade talks between the US and China on Monday could help fast track rare earth exports from China, which are desperately needed. Reuters reports: Read more here. Outbound shipments of rare earths in May from China rose 23% on the month to their highest in a year, despite Beijing's export curbs on some of the critical minerals prevented some overseas sales, with shortages impacting global manufacturing. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Chinese exports rose less than expected last month, held back by the biggest drop in shipments to the US in over five years, despite strong demand from other markets. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The US and China will restart trade talks in London on Monday after President Trump and Xi spoke last week. The two sides have accused each other of breaking a May deal in Geneva to pause tariff hikes above 100%. Trump, after agreeing with Xi to resume critical mineral flows, said he expects the talks to go "very well." 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The FT reports: Read more here. Two of the largest economies in the euro zone saw industrial production decline in the first month of President Trump's sweeping tariffs, indicating a economic slowdown after a stronger-than-expected year, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal on Friday. Wall Street Journal: Read more here. The EU said on Friday that it is open to reducing tariffs on US fertiliser imports as a trade bargaining tool in talks with the Trump administration. However, the EU said it would not weaken its food safety standards in pursuit of a deal. EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen told Reuters: "That is definitely an option," Hansen said, of reducing US fertiliser tariffs. Reuters reports: Read more here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Stock market today: S&P 500, Nasdaq gain as upbeat US-China trade talks continue
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Relations between the two countries have soured since then, with the US and China accusing each other of not keeping to the trade truce and ratcheting up pressures in other areas. For now, markets appear to have shaken off the volatility that has plagued markets following Trump's early-April tariff hikes. Stocks ended last week on a high note, as encouraging jobs data helped ease fears of a recession fueled by his policy overhaul. The economic highlight this week is the May US consumer inflation print due on Friday, with the wholesale inflation report ushering it in on Thursday. On the corporate front, Apple (AAPL) announced a sweeping revamp of its iOS operating system at the iPhone maker's annual Worldwide Developers Conference. The new interface called Liquid Glass was designed to make the software feel more responsive across the company's hardware lines. 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Economic data: New York Fed one-year inflation expectations (May); Wholesale trade sales month-over-month (April) Earnings: Casey's (CASY) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: All eyes on AI as Apple takes the stage for WWDC A quieter summer is coming for stocks: Wall Street experts Hopes for US-China thaw as trade talks resume Senate GOP to lay out major revisions to Trump's tax bill Resilient economy to limit summer pullback in stocks: MS, Goldman Meta is set to throw billions at startup that leads in AI data China exports to US fall by most since 2020 despite tariff truce Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Robinhood (HOOD) stock fell 5% before the bell on Monday after the S&P Dow Jones Indices made no changes to the S&P 500 in its quarterly rebalancing. Tesla (TSLA) stock also dropped on Monday in premarket trading after CEO Elon Musk criticized President Trump's tax bill. Strategy (MSTR) stock rose on Monday by 2%. A SEC filing revealed the company had purchased 705 bitcoin during the period of May 26 to June 1 at an aggregate purchase price of $75.1M. Wall Street strategists are growing optimistic about US stocks, with forecasters at Morgan Stanley (MS) and Goldman Sachs Group (GS) the latest to suggest resilient economic growth would limit any pullback over the summer. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "good meeting" following the high level talks between China and the US which took place on Monday. Investors have been paying close attention to any developments on the trade front after President Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held a phone conversation last week. Yahoo Finance's Dan Howley reports: Bitcoin (BTC-USD) surged more than 2% on Monday, rising above $108,000 per token. As momentum for crypto builds, the cryptocurrency is up 16% year-to-date. Crypto-related stocks also rose. Strategy (MSTR), the largest holder of bitcoin among public companies, rose more than 4%. MARA Holdings (MARA) and Galaxy Digital (GLXY-TO) also gained on the heels of bitcoin's surge. Yahoo Finance's Josh Schafer reports: Read more here. Apple (AAPL) announced a new operating system redesign called "Liquid Glass" on Monday. The new design was unveiled at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, an event where the iPhone maker announces its latest tech advancements. Apple shares were down more than 1.5% during the event. Yahoo Finance's Pras Subramanian reports: Read more here. Shares of International Business Machines (IBM) hit all-time highs on Monday, surpassing a market cap of $250 billion for the first time in the company's history. IBM stock is up more than 23% year to date as recent acquisitions have helped the company, once known for computer mainframes, enter the high-growth software and services space. Over the past year, the stock is up roughly 60%. New data from the New York Fed suggests Americans are gaining confidence in the labor market, even as broad uncertainty around trade policy, interest rates, and other unknowns clouds the economic outlook. According to the New York Fed's May 2025 Survey of Consumer Expectations, the perceived chance that the US unemployment rate will rise over the next year fell by 3.3 percentage points to 40.8%. It's a notable drop as the labor force remains mostly stable. But the figure still sits above the 12-month average of 37.7%, suggesting caution hasn't disappeared entirely. Consumers are also feeling a bit more secure in their own roles. The perceived likelihood of losing a job over the next year fell to 14.8%, the lowest level since early this year. At the same time, the expected quit rate, or the probability of voluntarily leaving one's job, nudged slightly higher to 18.3%. Inflation expectations also cooled in May, mirroring the improved outlook in the labor market, just ahead of this Wednesday's Consumer Price Index (CPI) release. Tesla (TSLA) recovered from a 4% drop on Monday, following two analyst downgrades after CEO Elon Musk's public feud with President Trump. Baird has downgraded the stock from Outperform to Neutral, citing excessive optimism surrounding the company's Robotaxi rollout, fading EV tax credits, and the public clash between Musk and Trump, which sent the stock reeling last week. Argus Research also lowered its recommendation to Hold, pointing out the political fallout from Musk's war of words with Trump. The company is reportedly planning to launch its latest robotaxi on Thursday, June 12. Circle's stock (CRCL) surged for a third day in a row on Monday following its blockbuster IPO last week. Shares of the stablecoin issuer gained more than 15% to trade near $122 per share, raising the company's market cap to roughly $24 billion. The move follows gains on Thursday and Friday, when the stock rose as much as 200% shortly after its long-anticipated public market debut. Stocks edged higher on Monday amid hopes that US-China trade talks will ease tariff tensions and eventually lead to a permanent deal between the two leading economies. The S&P 500 (GSPC) rose to just above the flat line, after the broad benchmark closed on Friday at its highest level since February. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained 0.1%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) edged 0.2% higher. High-level trade talks between Beijing and Washington began in London on Monday. This follows a phone call between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week. Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) kicks off in Cupertino, Calif., today. While investors may get another taste of artificial intelligence features, including AI-powered Siri, Apple isn't expected to deliver any big announcements. The company will likely showcase new features and designs for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS. There's always a chance it will debut a new piece of hardware too. Apple (AAPL) stock rose 0.5% in premarket trading ahead of the event. Read our tech editor's preview of everything to expect from Apple WWDC 2025. Robinhood (HOOD) stock slipped 4% after it didn't make it into the benchmark S&P 500 index as some speculated it might. S&P Dow Jones Indices did not make any changes to S&P 500 membership as part of its quarterly rebalancing. Reuters reports: Read more here. Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) rose more than 6% in premarket trading on Monday after the media company said it would split into two companies. Warner Bros. will separate its studios and streaming business, which includes HBO Max, and its cable television networks, including CNN. The split is expected to be completed by mid-2026. Reuters reports: Read more here. Economic data: New York Fed one-year inflation expectations (May); Wholesale trade sales month-over-month (April) Earnings: Casey's (CASY) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: All eyes on AI as Apple takes the stage for WWDC A quieter summer is coming for stocks: Wall Street experts Hopes for US-China thaw as trade talks resume Senate GOP to lay out major revisions to Trump's tax bill Resilient economy to limit summer pullback in stocks: MS, Goldman Meta is set to throw billions at startup that leads in AI data China exports to US fall by most since 2020 despite tariff truce Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Robinhood (HOOD) stock fell 5% before the bell on Monday after the S&P Dow Jones Indices made no changes to the S&P 500 in its quarterly rebalancing. Tesla (TSLA) stock also dropped on Monday in premarket trading after CEO Elon Musk criticized President Trump's tax bill. Strategy (MSTR) stock rose on Monday by 2%. A SEC filing revealed the company had purchased 705 bitcoin during the period of May 26 to June 1 at an aggregate purchase price of $75.1M. Wall Street strategists are growing optimistic about US stocks, with forecasters at Morgan Stanley (MS) and Goldman Sachs Group (GS) the latest to suggest resilient economic growth would limit any pullback over the summer. Bloomberg reports: Read more here.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
AMD price target lift, Apple's WWDC, Chewy downgrade
Market Domination co-host Josh Lipton tracks today's top moving stocks and biggest market stories in this Market Minute. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) stock gains after Citi lifts its price target to $120 from $100, citing upcoming artificial intelligence (AI) catalysts and advantages over Nvidia (NVDA). Apple (AAPL) is kicking off its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, where the company is expected to unveil key software updates. Chewy (CHWY) stock slides after Mizuho downgraded the stock to Neutral from Outperform. Stay up to date on the latest market action, minute-by-minute, with Yahoo Finance's Market Minute. It's time for Yahoo Finance's market minute. US stocks seesaw as investors eye renewed US-China trade talks. Wall Street looking for signs of either side willing to dial down tensions and reach a tariff deal. AMD shares getting a lift as City raises its price target on that stock from 100 to 120. City highlighting potential positive catalyst, the second half of the year and sees the chip maker as having some advantages over Nvidia. The price target change comes ahead of AMD's advancing AI event, which is taking place on June 12th. Apple kicking off its worldwide developers conference on Monday. The iPhone maker offering a look at the changes coming to the company's software products throughout the next year. Apple expected to reveal software and design updates. And Chewy shares, they're sliding as Mizuho hits the stock with a downgrade, lowering its rating from outperform to neutral. Mizuho citing the pet food company's unattractive positioning, noting quote, several potential landmines for the first quarter. And that's your Yahoo Finance market minute. Sign in to access your portfolio