Day three of LEAP 2026 on 2 September saw fresh investment committed across Saudi Arabia's technology ecosystem, from billion-riyal digital infrastructure projects to new AI-focused funds and startup expansion plans, underscoring continued confidence in the Kingdom's digital economy, organiser Tahaluf said.
The headline announcement came from NHC Innovation, which unveiled the SAR 3.3 billion Khuzam Digital Valley data centre project, to be developed across multiple phases, and welcomed NAVER Innovation and BytePlus as its first anchor customers.
"Through Khuzam Digital Valley, we are building the digital foundations needed to support growing demand for advanced technologies, while creating an environment that brings together global technology partners, businesses and innovators," said Eng. Rayan Alaql, CEO of NHC Innovation.
The scale of global technology investment in the Kingdom was further reflected by AWS, which is preparing to launch its first AWS Region in Saudi Arabia this December, backed by more than $5.3 billion in investment.
At the Investing in the Future of Mobility panel, Mercedes Cebrian, CEO and Founder of Parkron; Dong-su Kim, CEO of LG Technology Ventures; and Ahmed Mhiri, CEO of Free2Move, explored how investment is broadening beyond electric vehicles into autonomous technologies, connected infrastructure and smarter logistics.
New capital was also announced during the day: Foras AI, the MENA-focused AI investment platform, launched a $20 million investment and acquisition initiative to back and acquire AI companies across the region, while the Digital Government Authority (DGA) and STV announced a strategic partnership to accelerate innovation in government digital services and AI. Under the partnership, STV will provide technical expertise, identify and support startups and assess investment opportunities through its AI and emerging technologies fund, while DGA will support participating companies through government use cases, an innovation sandbox, procurement opportunities and regulatory and funding pathways.
In gaming, Yannick Theler, CEO of Steer Studios, highlighted investment in talent, skills development and local capabilities as critical to building a globally competitive games industry, while Dubai-based hospitality platform estaie announced a $5.2 million seed round to accelerate its expansion into Saudi Arabia.
"LEAP has always been where ambition turns into commitment," said Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice President and Co-Creator of LEAP at Tahaluf. "What we have seen across Day Three is investment taking shape at every level of Saudi Arabia's technology ecosystem."
LEAP 2026 concludes on 3 September.