The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) celebrated the successful conclusion of LEAP East 2026, the historic Asian debut of Saudi Arabia’s premier technology conference brand. Staged over three days at the HKCEC, the inaugural event utilized over 35,000 square meters of rentable space across Hall 1 and Hall 3, positioning itself as a global bridge on the Victoria Harbour waterfront. The summit brought together 300 startups and 600 investors, collectively representing more than US$6.5 trillion in assets under management.
HML welcomed the first flagship edition of LEAP ever held outside the Middle East, marking it as Hong Kong’s largest-ever inaugural technology event. The summit attracted over 25,000 professionals, policymakers, and investors, with a mix of 55% international and Chinese Mainland participants and 45% local attendees. The event’s success underscores Hong Kong’s strategic role as a super-connector bridging economies, innovation, capital, and cultures.
Ms Monica Lee-Müller, Managing Director of HML, emphasized the significance of the event: “The resounding success of LEAP East perfectly demonstrates Hong Kong’s strategic role as a 'super-connector' and 'super value-adder'. We are deeply grateful for the close collaboration between governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” She added that HML will continue to position the HKCEC as a leading platform for industries to demonstrate achievements, exchange insights, and unlock new opportunities, reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as the premier MICE hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The venue’s proactive efforts to introduce Muslim-friendly facilities and services earned it the distinction of being the first venue accredited as a Gold-standard Muslim-Friendly MICE Venue, contributing to the success of LEAP East. Ms Annabelle Mander, Executive Vice President of Tahaluf and co-creator of LEAP, commented: “LEAP East is far more than just an event; it is a bridge to the wider technology ecosystem. We see immense synergies between Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong, particularly in their shared ambitions and thriving technology hubs across AI, FinTech, and beyond. The HKCEC has proven to be the ideal venue to foster collaboration and innovation.”
HML applauds Tahaluf’s commitment to making Hong Kong the exclusive Asian host city for LEAP East through a three-year run, with the event set to return to the HKCEC in 2027. This deal reinforces Hong Kong’s global leadership in innovation and technology. For more information, visit the HKCEC website at http://www.hkcec.com.
