The 2022 edition of LEAP has set a new record to be the debut technology event having more than 100,000 registered attendees from more than 80 countries.
LEAP conference is a unique event that brings together great minds from technology Corporations, pioneers from global start-ups and venture capitalists with the aim of accelerating economic growth.
According to report, Over 700 exhibitors including the world’s leading technology companies and over 1,500 of the most innovative start-ups, along with more than 500 international speakers took part in LEAP22 which was held in Riyadh, making it the largest ever first edition for a technology event.
“LEAP22 saw more than $6.4 billion of investments and new technology initiatives announced, with US$1 million in prizes awarded to the winners of the Rocket Fuel Start-up Competition, an international contest to find the best new business ideas,” the report said.
However, the conference saw the announcement of multiple investments and funds for start-ups and entrepreneurs of over $266 million and among the announcement was the completion of closing of the second round of Khwarizmi Ventures fund with a value of $69.8 million, investment into the Emkan VC fund of over $49.8 million and the launch by Saudi Venture Investment Company of the Investment in Advanced Stage Funds, with a value of over $134 million, to promote the growth of start-ups.
Michael Champion, Regional Executive Vice President at MEA, Informa, explained that LEAP22 is a breakthrough success, attracting the biggest audience for a technology event in recent years, surpassing even CES, and setting a new record for most attendees to a new platform.
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“LEAP22 has been able to bring to Riyadh the leading names in technology with the most exciting new start-ups and creators, to present cutting-edge innovations that will reshape the world around us. We would like to thank our world-class speakers, sponsors and partners and look forward to hosting an even bigger LEAP next year,” he said.
Champion stated that the 2022 edition of LEAP was sponsored by stc, Ericsson, Mobily, Huawei, Cisco, SAP, Microsoft, Saudi Digital Academy, National Technology Development Program, Monsha’at and Jahez.
Meanwhile, the report noted that Start-up deals including Nana closed an investment round led by FIM Partners and the STV Fund, worth $50 million, and Quant closing an investment round worth $800,000 led by VentureSouq with participation by RaedVC and Seedra, while announcing an additional round of investment.
Muzn Artificial Intelligence also raised an investment round of $10.1 million, led by Raed Ventures with the participation of Shorooq Partners, VentureSouq, Sukna Ventures and others; while Taffi raised more than US$1.8 million investment, and SIFI and Tamawal closed pre-seed rounds.
Start-ups from around the world went head-to-head in the Rocket Fuel Start-up Competition, promoting their innovative business ideas to powerhouse venture capitalists and leading international investors, to win a share of the $1 million prize fund.
“Seven start-ups were victorious overall, taking home cash prizes for exciting and impactful new business ideas, scored on creativity, innovation, potential, functionality and impact on people and society,” the report added.
It also disclosed that Apple selected Riyadh for its first Apple Developer Academy headquarters in the Middle East and North Africa region,which caters solely to female programmers and developers and is located at the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.
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