LEAP 2026 Day Two Unveils Over $2.5B in Tech Deals Led by Data Centers, Cloud, and AI R&D
The second day of the LEAP 2026 technology conference in Riyadh generated a wave of project announcements and capital deployments exceeding $2.5 billion. The investments focus heavily on data center expansion, sovereign cloud services, localized digital infrastructure, and specialized research and development in artificial intelligence.
The scale of capital deployed underscores Saudi Arabia’s accelerating demand for high-performance computing (HPC) capacity, driven by rapid enterprise digital transformation and expanding AI applications across both public and private sectors.
Major Investment Announcements
Entity / DealValueStrategic Focus
Al Moammar Information Systems (MIS)$1.2 BillionExpansion of domestic data center capacity, targeting an aggregate operational capacity of 192 megawatts (MW) for high-performance computing and AI workloads.
NHC Innovation$880 MillionDevelopment of hyperscale digital facilities in Khuzam Digital Valley, targeting a planned capacity of 65 MW by 2033.
WIOCC Group$300 MillionFunding secured from the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Vision Invest to expand pan-African digital backbone infrastructure, including fiber networks, data centers, and subsea cables.
Mobily & BytePlus$150+ MillionStrategic partnership to deploy and scale advanced localized cloud computing services across the Saudi enterprise market.
Advancing Domestic R&D and Tech Localization
Beyond physical infrastructure buildouts, Day Two placed strong emphasis on domestic technology development:
Nokia R&D Center: Nokia announced the establishment of its first-ever research and development facility in the Kingdom. Based in Riyadh, the center will spearhead the development of AI-driven network automation and advanced telecommunications solutions.
HPE & Intel Localization: Hewlett Packard Enterprise expanded its "Made in Saudi" initiative to transition beyond hardware assembly into comprehensive solution architecture, partnering with Intel to inaugurate an innovation center supporting domestic AI startups.
The wave of capital commitments positions Saudi Arabia as a primary regional nexus for digital infrastructure, transitioning the Kingdom from a net consumer of imported technology into a domestic developer and strategic international investor.