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LEAP25 Concludes in Riyadh with Multibillion-Dollar Investments

The fourth annual LEAP25 conference, the region's premier technology event, concluded in Riyadh on Wednesday. Asharq Al-Awsat
The fourth annual LEAP25 conference, the region's premier technology event, concluded in Riyadh on Wednesday. Asharq Al-Awsat
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LEAP25 Concludes in Riyadh with Multibillion-Dollar Investments

The fourth annual LEAP25 conference, the region's premier technology event, concluded in Riyadh on Wednesday. Asharq Al-Awsat
The fourth annual LEAP25 conference, the region's premier technology event, concluded in Riyadh on Wednesday. Asharq Al-Awsat

The fourth annual LEAP25 conference, the region's premier technology event, concluded on Wednesday after it marked another success for Saudi Arabia as a global hub for investments in artificial intelligence (AI), infrastructure, and cloud computing, with total investments exceeding $14.9 billion.

The conference was held at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham under the theme "Into New Worlds,” reflecting Saudi Arabia's position as a key center for innovation and advanced technologies, as well as its growing role in the digital economy.
Its success also reflects the support and empowerment provided to the sector by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, reinforcing the Kingdom’s commitment to achieving the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 and solidifying its global leadership in technology, AI, and entrepreneurship.
LEAP is considered a global platform that brings together leading thinkers and practitioners in the digital field, empowering entrepreneurs, fostering innovation in the era of AI, and driving the transition toward a thriving and sustainable digital economy.

Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones board Chairman and Tahaluf Company board chairman Faisal Al-Khamisi emphasized that LEAP25 was not just a tech conference but a global platform that hosted its largest edition yet, contributing to innovation, connecting startups with investors, and opening new opportunities for entrepreneurs.
He pointed out that the conference was not only about major investments of nearly $15 billion but witnessed dynamic interactions between startups and investors, leading to significant deals and support for new entrepreneurial projects.
Al-Khamisi indicated that LEAP has become a global benchmark for the speed of deal-making and project launches, enabling major tech companies to close deals in just a few days—processes that would typically take a year.
Additionally, he announced that LEAP will expand beyond the Kingdom, with two editions set for next year—one in Riyadh and another in Hong Kong—further solidifying Saudi Arabia’s role as a global hub for digital economy, innovation, and AI.

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Saudi Aramco Launches First Direct Air Capture Test Unit

The logo of Saudi Aramco is pictured outside Khurais, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
The logo of Saudi Aramco is pictured outside Khurais, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
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Saudi Aramco Launches First Direct Air Capture Test Unit

The logo of Saudi Aramco is pictured outside Khurais, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo
The logo of Saudi Aramco is pictured outside Khurais, Saudi Arabia October 12, 2019. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo

Saudi oil giant Aramco has launched a pilot direct air capture unit able to remove 12 tons of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere, it said on Thursday.

The facility, developed with Siemens Energy, is Saudi Arabia's first carbon dioxide direct air capture (DAC) unit and will be used to test CO2 capture materials, Aramco said.

"The test facility launched by Aramco is a key step in our efforts to scale up viable DAC systems, for deployment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond," Ali A. Al-Meshari, Aramco senior vice president of technology oversight and coordination, said in Aramco's statement, Reuters reported.

"In addition to helping address emissions, the CO2 extracted through this process can in turn be used to produce more sustainable chemicals and fuels."

Aramco announced the pilot DAC unit with Siemens Energy in October 2023 and said at the time it would be completed in 2024 and was intended to pave the way for a larger pilot plant that would have the capacity to capture 1,250 tons of CO2 per year.

The state oil giant in December signed an agreement with oil services firms SLB and Linde to build a carbon capture and storage project in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The first phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, capturing and storing up to 9 million tons of CO2 a year.