How to Pitch at LEAP Tech Conference

LEAP is Saudi Arabia’s answer to CES and Davos combined — a five-day technology conference held annually in Riyadh that has grown from its 2022 debut into one of the world’s top-five technology events by deal flow and ministerial attendance. The 2024 edition saw over 215,000 attendees, $25 billion in announced deals, and a speaker roster that included ministers from 40 countries. For any company seeking to enter the Saudi technology market, raise capital from Gulf investors, or land a government contract, LEAP is non-negotiable.

This guide is written for founders, BD leaders, and investor relations teams preparing to pitch at LEAP. It covers the full cycle: applying months before the event, optimizing your booth and stage presence during it, and converting LEAP meetings into signed term sheets afterward.

Understanding LEAP’s Structure

LEAP is organized across four main zones, each serving a different purpose for exhibitors and pitchers.

The Main Stage

The Main Stage seats 12,000 and features keynotes from global tech leaders, Saudi ministers, and major announcement moments. Main Stage speaking slots are not open to application — they are invitation-only, extended by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the event organizers (Tahaluf). To get considered for a Main Stage slot, you need an existing relationship with MCIT or a referral from a Saudi anchor partner (STC, ARAMCO Digital, Humain, or similar entities). Budget 12–18 months of relationship-building if Main Stage is your goal.

The Startup Zone (Launchpad)

Launchpad is where the real action is for early-stage and growth companies. The zone runs a structured pitch competition across verticals: HealthTech, FinTech, Smart Cities, AI/Deep Tech, and Sustainability. Winners receive:

  • SAR 500,000 ($133K) in prize money per vertical winner
  • Introductions to PIF portfolio companies and regional VCs
  • 12 months of support from the MCIT startup acceleration program
  • Media coverage from Arab Tech media and regional financial press

Investor Meetings Hall

The most underutilized asset at LEAP for sophisticated operators. Pre-registered investors and corporates participate in a structured meeting program through the LEAP Connect matchmaking platform. Book your 30-minute slots 6–8 weeks before the event — the best meeting blocks fill within 48 hours of the scheduler opening.

Exhibition Floor

Over 1,000 companies exhibit on the main floor, organized by vertical. Booth presence signals commitment to the Saudi market. Walking the floor without a booth sends a weaker signal than you might expect — Saudi government buyers in particular equate no booth with no serious market commitment.

How to Apply for Launchpad

The Launchpad application opens 4–5 months before the event (typically September for the February conference). The process:

Step 1: Eligibility Check

Launchpad accepts companies that are:

  • Founded within the last 8 years
  • Raised less than SAR 75 million ($20M) in total funding
  • Operating in a qualifying vertical (AI, HealthTech, FinTech, CleanTech, Smart Cities, Web3)
  • Able to demonstrate a product (not concept stage)

Saudi-registered companies or companies with a Saudi co-founder receive scoring bonuses. Having an existing pilot with a Saudi government entity or a PIF portfolio company is the single strongest application signal.

Step 2: The Application

Apply at app.leap.sa. Required materials:

  1. Company one-pager (English and Arabic preferred)
  2. 3-minute video pitch
  3. Deck (10–15 slides maximum)
  4. Cap table and funding history
  5. Two letters of reference (investor, customer, or government partner)

Step 3: Selection and Preparation

Semi-finalists are notified 6 weeks before LEAP and given access to:

  • Two practice sessions with LEAP pitch coaches (take these seriously — the coaches have judged GCC competitions for years and their pattern matching is sharp)
  • Arabic translation support for your pitch materials
  • Pre-event introduction to three matched investors from the LEAP network

Finalists present on the Launchpad stage in 7-minute pitches followed by 5 minutes of judge Q&A. Judges typically include one PIF representative, one regional VC (500 Global, Wa’ed, Shorooq Partners, or similar), one MCIT official, and one corporate innovation lead.

Booth Costs and What to Expect

Budget ranges for LEAP exhibition participation:

Booth Type Size All-In Cost (USD)
Startup Zone shell scheme 9–18 sqm $50,000–$90,000
Standard exhibition booth 18–36 sqm $90,000–$200,000
Feature pavilion booth 36–72 sqm $200,000–$400,000
Country pavilion anchor 100+ sqm $400,000–$500,000+
Custom builds (major tech companies) 200+ sqm $1M–$5M

These costs include space rental, basic build, and event logistics. They do not include staffing, travel, accommodation, collateral printing, or entertainment costs. Plan for a total LEAP budget of 1.5–2x the booth cost when all expenses are included.

For early-stage startups, applying to Launchpad is dramatically more cost-effective than buying exhibition space. Launchpad finalists receive included floor space.

Who Attends: Know Your Audience

LEAP’s attendee profile is what separates it from other regional conferences. Expect to meet:

Government decision-makers: Ministers and deputy ministers from MCIT, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Energy, and SDAIA routinely attend all five days. Saudi Aramco, SABIC, STC, and Saudi Electricity Company send their C-suite. These are not figurehead appearances — actual procurement decisions are initiated at LEAP.

PIF and its portfolio: The Public Investment Fund and its 90+ portfolio companies have a significant floor presence. NEOM, ROSHN, Saudi Aramco Digital (Aramco’s tech entity), and Humain (the new AI compute entity) run active due diligence meetings during the event.

Regional VCs: Key investors attending LEAP include STV (Saudi Technology Ventures), Wa’ed Ventures (Aramco’s VC arm), Saudi Venture Capital Company (SVC), Shorooq Partners, 500 Global MENA, RAED Ventures, and Sanabil Investments (PIF’s VC arm). International VCs with MENA exposure — Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, and Insight Partners — send deal teams.

Global tech executives: Microsoft, Google, Amazon, NVIDIA, Alibaba, Huawei, and similar companies treat LEAP as a strategic stage for Gulf market announcements. Their presence creates partnership opportunity as well as competitive intelligence.

What Works in a Pitch Deck for the Saudi Audience

Saudi investors and government buyers evaluate pitches through a different lens than Silicon Valley VCs. Adapt your deck accordingly.

Lead with Saudi-Specific Problem Definition

Open with the Saudi version of the problem you solve. Use Saudi statistics: Vision 2030 targets, SDAIA published AI strategy numbers, NTP (National Transformation Program) gaps. “AI adoption in Saudi enterprise is X% versus Y% in comparable economies” is a stronger opening than a global market size number.

Show Localization Depth

Saudi buyers distinguish companies that have done homework from those doing copy-paste market entry. Demonstrate:

  • Arabic language product capability (or roadmap)
  • Saudi data compliance understanding (PDPL)
  • Knowledge of local competitors and why you win
  • Any existing Saudi pilot, customer, or government MOU

Emphasize Technology Transfer and Saudi Employment

Vision 2030’s localization requirements (Saudization) are not just regulatory hurdles — they are genuine government priorities. Decks that include a slide on Saudi hiring plans, technology transfer commitments, or collaboration with Saudi universities (KAUST, KFUPM) signal alignment with national priorities and score higher with government judges.

Be Specific About Capital Use in Saudi Context

“Expand to MENA” is not a use-of-funds statement. “Hire 25 Saudi engineers in Riyadh, localize platform for SEC and Absher integration, launch pilot with two PIF portfolio companies by Q4 2025” is. Specificity about Saudi operations signals genuine commitment.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

  1. Using outdated figures about Saudi economy or Vision 2030 targets — government officials in the room will notice
  2. Treating Saudi Arabia as “a Middle East market” rather than a distinct, leading-edge opportunity
  3. Ignoring UAE as a point of comparison — Saudi audiences are aware of Abu Dhabi’s technology investments and respect founders who understand the competitive dynamic
  4. Overpromising on timelines — Saudi government procurement moves on its own schedule, and founders who understand this earn more trust

Following Up with Government Delegates

The LEAP meeting ends; the real work begins after. Saudi government relationships operate on different timelines than VC relationships. A minister’s interest expressed at LEAP takes 6–18 months to convert into a signed agreement in most cases.

Step 1: The Day-Of Summary

Within 24 hours of any government meeting at LEAP, send a concise Arabic-language email summary of what was discussed and the agreed next step. Use a Saudi-based intermediary or translator if your Arabic is limited — the effort of sending an Arabic summary is itself a positive signal.

Step 2: The 30-Day Follow-Up

One month after LEAP, send a progress update: what you have done since the meeting, any Saudi progress (hires, customer conversations, regulatory filings), and a specific ask for the next meeting. Government officials respond to demonstrated momentum more than repeated expressions of interest.

Step 3: Leverage Saudi Embassies and MCIT Offices Abroad

If you are based outside Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Embassy Commercial Office and MCIT international offices can facilitate introductions to ministry counterparts after LEAP. This pathway is underused by foreign startups.

LEAP in Context: Timing Relative to FII and Davos

The Saudi strategic conference calendar runs in a predictable annual cycle:

  • January: Davos (World Economic Forum) — Saudi delegations attend in force; informal relationship initiation
  • February: LEAP (Riyadh) — Product announcements, deals, startup pitches; highest deal velocity of the year
  • March–April: GITEX Africa / regional follow-on events
  • October: Future Investment Initiative (FII) (Riyadh) — Investment-focused, higher ticket sizes, less startup-friendly than LEAP but critical for growth-stage and infrastructure deals

LEAP and FII serve different purposes. LEAP is where you launch and meet the ecosystem. FII is where you close. If you present at LEAP in February, aim to have a term sheet or signed MOU to announce at FII in October. The six-month window between conferences is the operating rhythm of the Saudi deal cycle.

Practical Logistics

  • Accommodation: Book in January or earlier. Riyadh hotels near the Riyadh Front conference venue (Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Marriott Marquis) are fully sold out by February. The conference shuttle from central Riyadh hotels runs reliably.
  • Visa: Most nationalities can obtain Saudi e-Visas online. Business visitors should apply for a business visa, not a tourist visa, if attending for commercial purposes.
  • Prayer times: All conference sessions pause for the five daily prayers. Schedule your pitch practice and meetings accounting for prayer breaks — typically 20–30 minutes, three times during business hours.
  • Dress code: Business formal. For women, conservative business attire; abaya is not required for non-Saudi women at business events but modest professional dress is expected.
  • Business cards: Bring 200+. Arabic-English double-sided business cards are appreciated and available from local print shops in Riyadh with 48-hour turnaround.

LEAP rewards preparation and punishes last-minute entries. Companies that treat LEAP as their annual Saudi market investment — building relationships year over year, deepening their Saudi story, and following up with discipline — consistently outperform those treating it as a one-time trade show appearance.

Building a 12-Month LEAP Preparation Calendar

Companies that consistently perform well at LEAP do not treat it as a five-day event — they treat it as the culmination of a 12-month relationship-building cycle. Here is a month-by-month cadence:

March–April (Post-LEAP recovery and planning): Debrief internally on which meetings generated pipeline, which booth interactions converted, and what Saudi feedback on your product revealed. Update your Saudi market positioning based on what you learned on the floor.

May–July (Saudi relationship maintenance): Visit Riyadh once during this period for in-person follow-up meetings with government contacts and potential partners. Saudi relationships deteriorate when they are only touched at annual conferences. A June or July visit — even if brief — signals that your Saudi commitment is genuine and not conference-dependent.

August (Launchpad application): Launchpad applications typically open in late August. Begin preparing materials in July. Commission Arabic translation of your one-pager and pitch deck well before the deadline.

September–October (FII and investor meetings): The Future Investment Initiative in October is your mid-year pulse check on Saudi investor sentiment. Attend if you are at growth stage or beyond. Use FII meetings to refine your LEAP pitch based on what investors are asking about.

November (LEAP preparation accelerates): Confirm booth logistics, finalize staffing plan, complete all LEAP Connect matchmaking profile entries, begin scheduling investor and government meeting requests through the platform.

December–January (Final preparation): Conduct two full pitch rehearsals with external Arabic speakers providing feedback. Brief your booth staff on Saudi cultural protocols. Finalize collateral printing (budget 2 weeks for Riyadh print shops during peak conference season). Confirm accommodation.

February (LEAP week): Arrive one day early. Walk the floor before the official opening to understand the layout and identify key competitors’ positions. Prioritize your morning hours for government meetings (Saudi officials have full calendars in the afternoon; morning slots are more productive). Attend the official ministerial receptions if you have invitations — these are where informal relationship-building happens.

Measuring LEAP ROI

A LEAP investment of $200,000–$500,000 (booth plus travel plus preparation) should be evaluated against a 12-month pipeline window, not a 90-day one. Useful metrics:

  • Meetings held: Track all substantive meetings (government, investor, partner) with a brief notes record. 30+ meaningful meetings is a successful LEAP for a $250K investment.
  • Pipeline generated: Opportunities with Saudi entities in active conversation 90 days post-LEAP.
  • Partnerships initiated: MOUs, pilot agreements, or letter of intent conversations started at LEAP.
  • Brand recognition shift: Survey Saudi enterprise contacts who did not attend LEAP — did LEAP coverage raise your brand awareness in the Saudi market?

For most companies doing their first LEAP, set the expectation that year one builds the relationships that convert in year two. Saudi deal cycles are measured in years, not quarters. Companies that quit after one LEAP because “nothing happened” systematically underestimate the compounding value of sustained presence.