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Day 3 of LEAP25 Conference in Riyadh Sees $1.79 Billion in Technology Investments

The third day of the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh featured a series of investments by major technology companies and startup rounds, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for technology and innovation. (SPA)
The third day of the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh featured a series of investments by major technology companies and startup rounds, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for technology and innovation. (SPA)
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Day 3 of LEAP25 Conference in Riyadh Sees $1.79 Billion in Technology Investments

The third day of the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh featured a series of investments by major technology companies and startup rounds, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for technology and innovation. (SPA)
The third day of the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh featured a series of investments by major technology companies and startup rounds, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for technology and innovation. (SPA)

The third day of the LEAP25 conference in Riyadh featured a series of investments by major technology companies and startup rounds, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a regional hub for technology and innovation and a global destination for tech and artificial-intelligence (AI) investments.

Tuesday's announced investments totaled $1.79 billion, focusing on digital talent development; support for research, development, and innovation; AI; cloud computing; and strengthening technological infrastructure.

The Saudi Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST) announced the launch of the third cohort of the Emerging Technology Regulatory Sandbox, enabling innovators and startups to test new technologies in a flexible and secure regulatory environment and facilitating their market entry.

Equinix announced the launch of the region's largest cloud-computing data center, with an investment exceeding $1 billion, further solidifying the Kingdom’s position as a global hub for cloud service providers and technological innovation.

White Helmets announced the launch of the "Asif" AI agent to enhance efficiency and accuracy in construction projects, keeping pace with future developments.

At the investment fund level, Hands On Global Management announced the launch of a $300 million fund to develop and distribute games locally and internationally. The company also revealed plans to establish a new headquarters in the Kingdom to support the growth of the gaming industry and expand its global reach.

In support of startups, the National Technology Development Program (NTDP) launched accelerators and funding funds worth $150 million to foster innovation in the information-technology (IT) sector and drive the growth of tech startups in Saudi Arabia.

Joa Capital launched the first infrastructure fund in partnership with Buildnow Trading, with an $80 million investment to meet the needs of the Kingdom's thriving construction sector.

Ula Capital announced the launch of the first Saudi fund dedicated to investing in applied AI and deep tech projects, with a value of $75 million, to strengthen the Kingdom’s leadership in these advanced fields and support technological innovation in the region.

To reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a leading driver of innovation and growth in the region, Sharaka Financial announced the launch of a $30 million investment fund to support the growth of startups across the Middle East and North Africa.

Meanwhile, Orbit Startups, in collaboration with Sanabil Investments, introduced a $60 million accelerator program aimed at investing in 200 early-stage tech startups.

Regarding startup funding rounds, Merit announced the successful completion of its Series B investment round, securing $28 million to enhance its innovative tech solutions and expand its global market presence.

In addition, UltiAcademy secured $28 million in a Series B funding round led by Rua Ventures, with key participation from the Jordan Investment and Venture Capital Fund. The investment will support the company’s expansion in the Kingdom and the launch of a generative AI-powered digital learning platform to enhance the digital learning experience across the region.

BRKZ closed the second phase of its Series A funding round, securing $22.5 million to expand the smart construction sector in the Kingdom through advanced technology solutions, supporting smart-city projects.

Buildnow announced securing $9.76 million in funding, led by Arbah and STV, to boost its advanced digital solutions for the construction supply chain across the Middle East and North Africa.

Hydratac Inc. announced a $3 million investment in Hands On Global Management’s fund to develop military shooting simulation games, aiming to drive innovation in the regional gaming industry and expand interactive experiences in this field.

As part of efforts to develop national digital talent, Microsoft announced a collaboration with the National Academy of Information Technology to launch the region’s first datacenter academy, offering specialized programs in AI and technological infrastructure.

Huawei announced the expansion of its investments in digital talent development with the launch of the AI Knowledge Hub, aimed at promoting lifelong learning and training 25,000 people.

Meanwhile, Accenture revealed the establishment of its first academy in the region, focusing on cybersecurity, data and AI, digital engineering and manufacturing, and emerging technologies, with a target of training 15,000 individuals.

Atomcamp announced the launch of a regional academy to provide advanced education in data science and AI, aiming to enhance the capabilities of talent in the Kingdom and the region, with a target of training 20,000 people.

Torod company closed its Series A funding round, raising $11.3 million, led by Waed company, to support the development of the first AI-powered logistics agent.

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Technology

Riyadh to Host Global Security and Technology Summit in December 2026

The agenda also includes the SAIIF global security and technology innovation competition to be held in Riyadh from November 19-21 - SPA
The agenda also includes the SAIIF global security and technology innovation competition to be held in Riyadh from November 19-21 - SPA
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Riyadh to Host Global Security and Technology Summit in December 2026

The agenda also includes the SAIIF global security and technology innovation competition to be held in Riyadh from November 19-21 - SPA
The agenda also includes the SAIIF global security and technology innovation competition to be held in Riyadh from November 19-21 - SPA

Under the patronage of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Ministry of Interior will organize the Global Security and Technology Summit (GSTS) in Riyadh from December 18-20, 2026, in partnership with Tuwaiq Academy.

Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz expressed gratitude to the Crown Prince for his patronage, noting that it reflects the leadership's commitment to enhancing the security ecosystem and enabling digital transformation across national, regional, and international security sectors, SPA reported.

The summit will feature specialized programs, knowledge sessions, and technical workshops covering cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, smart surveillance technologies, and crisis management, bringing together government entities, the private sector, and academic institutions.

The agenda also includes the SAIIF global security and technology innovation competition, to be held in Riyadh from November 19-21, 2026, with prizes valued at SAR5 million, focusing on AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation in the security sector.

Technology

AI Robot Cleaners Leave the Lab for China's Living Rooms

The service is a baby step towards a future in which robots increasingly take over manual labor from humans. WANG Zhao / AFP
The service is a baby step towards a future in which robots increasingly take over manual labor from humans. WANG Zhao / AFP
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AI Robot Cleaners Leave the Lab for China's Living Rooms

The service is a baby step towards a future in which robots increasingly take over manual labor from humans. WANG Zhao / AFP
The service is a baby step towards a future in which robots increasingly take over manual labor from humans. WANG Zhao / AFP

Beijing cleaner Lin Meiqiong found her work a little easier the day she was paired with an unlikely new colleague -- a tall, wheeled robot with AI-powered tidying skills.

The 56-year-old and her white-and-silver partner, fitted with cameras and two mechanical claws, are part of a new human-robot cleaning service offered by Chinese household help platform 58.com.

It's a baby step towards a future espoused by tech evangelists in which robots increasingly take over manual labor from humans -- though at the moment, such services are largely a data-gathering exercise for companies and a novelty for curious customers.

"It's definitely different," Lin told AFP in between cleaning the kitchen and wiping down windows.

"I used to have to do everything myself," she said. "It's reduced the workload a bit."

The cleaning service, a collaboration between 58.com and Chinese robotics company X Square, costs 149 yuan ($22) for three hours and is available in Beijing and tech hub Shenzhen.

Helped into the apartment by an X Square engineer, the AI-operated Quanta X1 Pro robot uses its cameras to identify areas it could spruce up.

As Lin scrubbed the floor on her knees, it picked up rubbish and folded clothes strewn across a sofa.

Grasping a pair of dark grey trousers, it raised its upper body to stretch the fabric taut, before laying it flat and arranging it into neat halves.

The process took several minutes and resembled a child learning to fold clothes for the first time.

Future iterations of the robot will respond to voice commands and even be able to chat, said the engineer, Hu Bowen.

- 'Better than a lab' -

Around 200 households have booked the service since it was rolled out in March.

Tan Pei, who works in advertising and booked the robot to clean her Beijing flat, said she had chosen the service because she was interested to "see what it could do".

"Even though it's not that perfect, there are still parts of it that surprised me," such as folding a pair of trousers "quite well", she said.

China's robots have wowed audiences with fluid dancing and set-piece martial arts displays onstage, but their application and performance in real-life settings remains limited.

For companies like X Square, the logic of launching an imperfect service lies in data collection for so-called embodied artificial intelligence.

Unlike large language models trained on vast quantities of internet content, robots lack comparable real-world datasets.

"We don't have a robot internet yet," Christoforos Mavrogiannis from the University of Michigan told AFP.

"It is much more informative to put the robot out there and study what happens than staying forever in the lab."

X Square engineer Hu said he sends his robots to work in a "completely unfamiliar environment".

"That is very challenging, but this unfamiliar data is also very helpful for the robot's growth."

As investment into embodied AI booms, similar trials in China include robots directing traffic in cities like Hangzhou or working on factory floors.

On the domestic help front, firm GigaAI also plans to deploy 100 humanoid robots into households in central Wuhan this autumn for free home-service trials.

Investors have poured more than 57.7 billion yuan ($8.5 billion) into China's embodied AI industry so far this year, already soaring past the total for last year as a whole, according to business database ITjuzi.

- 'Very elementary stage' -

But a myriad of hurdles stand in the way of widespread deployment.

As the Quanta X1 Pro's clothes folding demonstrated, robots still can't match human dexterity.

"Even though many companies are working on building better hands and building autonomy for hands, we don't have that yet," the University of Michigan's Mavrogiannis said.

There are multiple regulatory issues even once the physical capability is there.

Privacy will become a big issue, as robots would have access to huge amounts of personal data.

"We don't know where that data is going, where it's located... who is looking at that information," said Valeria Alessandra Macalupu Chira from Queensland University of Technology.

The safety of clients and their homes is another unresolved issue.

"I think we are still at a very elementary stage," said Yang Jianfei from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.

Robots currently require supervision by humans who can activate emergency stop functions, he noted, and there are not yet recognized industry-wide safety standards.

Experts agree broad adoption seems a long way off.

Asked whether she thought robots would revolutionize her industry, cleaner Lin did not seem too concerned.

"Compared with people, it's obviously still not quite there," she said. "After all, it's a robot."

Technology

Saudi Arabia Participates in GPAI Paris Meeting for First Time as Member

Saudi Arabia Participates in GPAI Paris Meeting for First Time as Member
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Saudi Arabia Participates in GPAI Paris Meeting for First Time as Member

Saudi Arabia Participates in GPAI Paris Meeting for First Time as Member

Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), participated for the first time as a member of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) during the partnership’s fifth plenary meeting, held at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) headquarters in Paris from June 9–11, the Saudi Press Agency said on Thursday.

The event brought together member countries, experts, and AI policymakers from around the world to discuss the future of artificial intelligence and international cooperation in the field.

The Kingdom was represented at the meeting by Rehab Alarfaj, General Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Indices at SDAIA, who participated in sessions and discussions focused on AI governance, the implementation of the OECD AI Principles, and the future direction of the GPAI’s work.

Alarfaj stressed the importance of developing practical tools to translate AI principles into actionable, real-world applications. These tools should account for differences in national priorities and levels of institutional maturity among countries, while ensuring the principles remain globally consistent and locally applicable.