--- title: "From LEAP to Saudi Vision 2030: The Signals We Are Taking Forward - USETECH" description: "Usetech reflects on LEAP 2026 in Riyadh, covering Saudi Arabia’s AI infrastructure, cloud growth, smart operations, partnerships, and Vision 2030 execution." canonical: "https://usetech.com/blog/from-leap-to-saudi-vision-2030-the-signals-we-are-taking-forward/" language: "en-US" --- ![From LEAP to Saudi Vision 2030 The Signals We Are Taking Forward](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/From-LEAP-to-Saudi-Vision-2030-The-Signals-We-Are-Taking-Forward-e1789377870881.png) # From LEAP to Saudi Vision 2030: The Signals We Are Taking Forward Author: Ekaterina Samsonova Published: 14 September, 2026, 12:15 Usetech reflects on LEAP 2026 in Riyadh, covering Saudi Arabia’s AI infrastructure, cloud growth, smart operations, partnerships, and Vision 2030 execution. [AI & ML](https://usetech.com/blog/?tags=ai-ml) [Cloud](https://usetech.com/blog/?tags=cloud) [Data Integration](https://usetech.com/blog/?tags=data-integration) [Digital Transformation](https://usetech.com/blog/?tags=digital-transformation) [IT Strategy & Architecture](https://usetech.com/blog/?tags=it-strategy-architecture) Share Usetech reflects on LEAP 2026 in Riyadh and the trends shaping Saudi Arabia’s technology agenda: AI-ready infrastructure, local execution, data centers, smart operations, partnerships, and Vision 2030 delivery. LEAP 2026 in Riyadh offered a clear view of how Saudi Arabia is building the execution capacity behind Vision 2030. The event was not only a large technology showcase. It became a map of the practical layers now being assembled around the Kingdom’s digital agenda: AI-ready infrastructure, cloud regions, data centers, local technology production, sector partnerships, applied AI systems, and talent development. For Usetech, this was the main signal from LEAP. Vision 2030 is increasingly visible through the systems, infrastructure, partnerships, and operating models required to deliver it at scale. ![LEAP 2026](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/LEAP-2026-1024x576.png) ## LEAP 2026 as a Technology Execution Platform The scale of [LEAP 2026](https://onegiantleap.com/) was significant. According to official event data, the exhibition brought together more than **201,000 attendees**, **1,800+ global technology brands**, **1,000+ speakers**, **600+ startups**, and **1,900+ investors**. The Saudi National Portal also reported nearly **$15 billion** in investments and agreements announced during the event, covering AI infrastructure, data centers, cloud computing, technology manufacturing, and venture capital. These figures matter because they show that Saudi Arabia’s technology agenda is being built across multiple layers at once. AI is not developing separately from infrastructure. Infrastructure is not developing separately from cloud, data, cybersecurity, local production, or talent. The market is moving toward a connected execution environment. For companies operating in the region, this changes the way technology needs to be understood. The question is no longer only which solution is innovative. The more important question is whether the solution can work inside the infrastructure, institutions, data environments, and local delivery models that Vision 2030 requires. Sources: [LEAP official website](https://onegiantleap.com/), [Saudi National Portal / SPA](https://my.gov.sa/en/news/2842860) ![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC02536_resized-1-1024x576.jpg) ### Signal 1: AI Is Becoming a Capacity Question One of the strongest signals from LEAP was the connection between AI and capacity. AI discussions are often framed around models, applications, and use cases. At LEAP, the infrastructure behind AI was just as visible. Saudi Arabia is investing in the compute, cloud, connectivity, and data-center capacity required to support large-scale AI deployment. HUMAIN and DataVolt announced the development of **100MW** as part of the first phase of a **360MW AI-ready data center project** in NEOM’s Oxagon. stc Group, through center3, also highlighted AI-ready data center capacity starting at **250MW**, with infrastructure designed to support AI workloads and cloud-scale growth. Cloud infrastructure is moving in the same direction. The Saudi National Portal reported that the Microsoft Azure cloud region in Saudi Arabia is expected to become available in **November 2026**, while AWS is preparing its first cloud infrastructure region in the Kingdom in **December 2026**, as part of planned investment exceeding **$5.3 billion**. The implication is clear: AI in Saudi Arabia is becoming a question of national technology capacity. Models, applications, and agents will matter, but they will depend on the infrastructure that allows them to be deployed securely, locally, and at scale. Sources: [NEOM newsroom](https://www.neom.com/en-us/newsroom/HUMAIN-and-DataVolt-to-develop-AI-data-center-in-NEOM), [SPA on stc and HUMAIN](https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/w2668764), [Saudi National Portal / SPA](https://my.gov.sa/en/news/2842860) ### Signal 2: Infrastructure Is Moving From Background to Strategy The data-center announcements at LEAP also showed that infrastructure is becoming a strategic business and national priority. The Saudi National Portal reported several major infrastructure investments, including **$1.2 billion** from Al Moammar Information Systems to expand data-center capacity to **192MW**, and **$800 million** from NHC Innovation for Khuzam Digital Valley, with capacity expected to reach **65MW by 2033**. For enterprises and public-sector organizations, this creates a practical challenge. As infrastructure grows, so do cost, complexity, energy demand, resource allocation issues, and the risk of underutilized capacity. In an AI-ready economy, infrastructure optimization becomes part of digital resilience. The objective is not only to build more capacity, but to use existing capacity with greater visibility, control, and predictability. This is directly relevant to [Octopus](https://usetech.com/solutions/octopus/), Usetech’s AI-powered data center resource optimization platform. Octopus helps organizations continuously analyze CPU, memory, and storage consumption, identify unused or over-allocated capacity, predict future pressure, and safely rebalance resources across virtualized infrastructure. Source: [Saudi National Portal / SPA](https://my.gov.sa/en/news/2842860) ![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Signal-1-1-1024x576.jpg) ### Signal 3: Local Execution Is Becoming Part of the Technology Stack Another important signal was the growing emphasis on local execution. HPE, Intel, and Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology announced the **Saudi Made, Developed, Deployed** initiative. The program focuses on locally deployed infrastructure, Saudi-developed applications and intellectual property, and implementation and support through Saudi-based organizations. This is an important marker for the region. Localization is no longer only about market presence or compliance. It increasingly includes infrastructure, development, implementation, support, talent, and the ability to deliver technology in a way that fits national priorities. For Usetech, this aligns with our broader approach in MENA. Technology partnerships in the GCC need to connect engineering expertise with local operating context. Delivery models, product adaptation, implementation support, and knowledge transfer are part of the solution itself. Source: [HPE newsroom](https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2026/09/leap-2026-hpe-advances-saudi-made-strategy-with-expanded-portfolio-and-new-initiatives-to-accelerate-saudi-innovation.html) [![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC02744_resized-1024x576.jpg)](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC02744_resized.jpg) [![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC03644_resized-1024x576.jpg)](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC03644_resized.jpg) [![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC04256_resized-1024x576.jpg)](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC04256_resized.jpg) ### Signal 4: Sector Use Cases Are Becoming More Concrete LEAP also showed that technology conversations in Saudi Arabia are becoming more sector-specific. SAL and Microsoft announced a memorandum of understanding focused on digital transformation and digital logistics, including data, AI, customer experience, and operational efficiency. The Ministry of National Guard also signed several MoUs at LEAP, covering digital governance, cloud computing, emerging technologies, AI, IoT, data analytics, and service reliability. These announcements show where the market is moving. AI and digital transformation are being connected to logistics, government operations, public services, infrastructure, and mission-critical environments. This is where platforms such as [Launch](https://usetech.com/solutions/launch/) and [USEBUS AI-Code](https://usetech.com/solutions/usebus-low-code-integration-platform/) become relevant. Launch turns operational data, including video and visual streams, into alerts, analytics, and business events. USEBUS supports secure integration, data flows, governance, and automation across enterprise systems. For organizations moving from technology pilots to real deployment, the constraint often appears between the data source and the operating workflow. Systems need to connect. Data needs to move reliably. Alerts need to reach the right teams. AI output needs to become part of everyday operations. Sources: [SAL press release](https://sal.sa/press-news/sal_and_microsoft_announce_collaboration_to_advance_digital_transformation_and_digital_logistics_at), [Ajel English](https://english.ajel.sa/saudi-arabia/w6nd6xje6) [![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC01510_resized-683x1024.jpg)](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC01510_resized.jpg) [![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC01463_resized-683x1024.jpg)](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC01463_resized.jpg) [![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Signal-2-2-1-683x1024.jpg)](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Signal-2-2-1.jpg) ### Signal 5: Smart City Is Becoming an Integrated Operating Environment Smart city was one of the themes that connected LEAP most directly with Saudi Arabia’s urban development agenda. The strongest smart city conversations are no longer limited to dashboards, cameras, or sensors. The practical question is how city systems can detect incidents, attach context, coordinate teams, support response, and improve decision-making across public safety, traffic, emergency services, infrastructure, and municipal operations. This is the logic behind Usetech’s [Smart City portfolio](https://usetech.com/solutions/smart-city/). It connects CCTV, sensors, smart devices, analytics, alerts, dashboards, and operational workflows into a unified environment for city-wide visibility and coordinated response. Konstantin Petrosov also explored this theme in the article [Smart City Starts With Operations](https://usetech.com/blog/smart-city-starts-with-operations/), where the core idea is simple: a city becomes meaningfully smarter when it can move faster from detection to understanding, decision, and response. For Saudi Arabia, this operating layer will become increasingly important as mobility, tourism, major events, public safety, and urban development continue to scale. ![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Signal-6-1-1024x576.jpg) ### Signal 6: Industrial Transformation Requires Connected Control Industrial transformation was another important part of the wider LEAP agenda. As manufacturing, logistics, energy, and infrastructure systems become more digital, organizations need more than automation tools. They need connected operations: data integration, real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, computer vision, digital twin logic, and infrastructure capable of supporting higher operational loads. This is the role of Usetech’s [Smart Manufacturing portfolio](https://usetech.com/solutions/smart-manufacturing/). It connects machines, processes, and enterprise systems into a unified data layer, transforms operational data into actionable insight, and supports the transition from reactive operations to predictive and autonomous control. In the GCC, this is especially relevant because industrial growth is tied to localization, supply-chain control, productivity, safety, quality, and long-term competitiveness. Smart manufacturing is not only a technology category. It is a way to maintain control as industrial environments become more complex. Related reading: [Smart Manufacturing Starts When Growth Gets Harder to Control](https://usetech.com/blog/smart-manufacturing-starts-when-growth-gets-harder-to-control/) ### Signal 7: Partnerships Are Being Used to Shorten the Path to Deployment The partnership activity around LEAP confirmed another important point: in Saudi Arabia and across the GCC, partnerships are becoming part of execution. For international technology companies, regional growth depends on more than product readiness. It requires local knowledge, trusted relationships, delivery capacity, sector access, and the ability to adapt technology to specific operating environments. During LEAP 2026, Usetech signed partnership agreements with [Mannai Information Technology Co. LLC](https://usetech.com/news/usetech-signs-strategic-partnership-agreement-with-mannai-information-technology-co-llc-at-leap-2026/) and [Bahwan Saudi.](https://usetech.com/news/at-leap-2026-in-riyadh-usetech-signs-memorandum-of-understanding-with-bahwan-saudi/) These partnerships are important for us because they support a stronger regional cooperation model and help bring Usetech’s technology capabilities closer to local enterprises, government organizations, and industry leaders. This is also consistent with the wider LEAP pattern. Many of the event’s major announcements were not isolated product launches. They were partnerships designed to connect capability with deployment. [![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/MEL2799-1024x683.webp)](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/MEL2799-scaled.webp) [![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Usetech-Signs-Strategic-Partnership-Agreement-with-Mannai-Information-Technology-1-1024x683.webp)](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Usetech-Signs-Strategic-Partnership-Agreement-with-Mannai-Information-Technology-1.webp) ## Usetech at LEAP: Products, Services, and Regional Dialogue At LEAP 2026, Usetech participated as part of the Moscow Export Center stand and presented our portfolio for operational excellence and digital growth. Our focus included: - [Octopus](https://usetech.com/solutions/octopus/) for data center resource optimization; - [Launch](https://usetech.com/solutions/launch/) for operational AI, monitoring, anomaly detection, and response; - [USEBUS AI-Code](https://usetech.com/solutions/usebus-low-code-integration-platform/) for integration, data flows, and enterprise automation; - Teal HR for employee engagement and organizational performance; - [Smart City](https://usetech.com/solutions/smart-city/) for city-wide monitoring, incident detection, and coordinated response; - [Smart Manufacturing](https://usetech.com/solutions/smart-manufacturing/) for connected industrial operations, real-time insight, and predictive control. The conversations we had at LEAP confirmed that the strongest demand in the region is not for isolated tools. Organizations are looking for technology that can work inside real operating environments: existing infrastructure, sector-specific processes, legacy systems, local requirements, and measurable delivery expectations. ![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Journal-1024x576.jpg) ## Our Journal: The New Operating Logic of Technology in MENA At LEAP, we also presented the latest issue of Usetech Magazine: **The New Operating Logic of Technology in MENA**. The issue explores many of the same themes that became visible at LEAP: regional differences, trust, localization, smart city, smart manufacturing, ESG, partnerships, AI, and product architectures built around real tasks rather than isolated product categories. For us, the journal became an editorial extension of the conversations we had in Riyadh. It reflects the same direction: technology in MENA is becoming more closely connected to operating context, national priorities, and practical execution. ![](https://usetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/the-new-operating-logic-of-technology-in-mena-2026-cover.webp) ## Usetech Magazine 2026: The New Operating Logic of Technology in MENA - regional opening reflections on how technology priorities are changing in MENA - product and solution layers relevant to public, industrial, and enterprise environments - practical logic around smart city systems, control, and response - connected viewpoints on AI, infrastructure, and local operating relevance **Get the magazine [here](https://usetech.com/magazine/#leap-2026).** You can download the digital version and explore previous issues here: [Usetech Magazine](https://usetech.com/magazine/) ## What We Are Taking Forward The main signal from LEAP 2026 is that Saudi Arabia is building the technology foundations behind Vision 2030 through multiple connected layers: AI infrastructure, cloud regions, data centers, local production, sector use cases, partnerships, and talent. For Usetech, this confirms the direction of our work in MENA. Organizations in the region need technology partners who can connect advanced digital capabilities with operating reality. That means infrastructure optimization, systems integration, applied AI, smart city, smart manufacturing, workforce adoption, and local delivery models that fit the market. LEAP gave us an opportunity to meet partners, clients, and technology leaders in Riyadh. It also clarified the next stage of the regional technology agenda: the priority is no longer only to demonstrate innovation, but to build the systems that can carry it into real operations. That is the work we are taking forward. **Further reading:** - [What to Watch at LEAP 2026: Saudi Arabia’s Operating Agenda for AI](https://usetech.com/blog/what-to-watch-at-leap-2026-saudi-arabias-operating-agenda-for-ai/) - [Saudi Arabia’s AI Agenda Is Entering the Operating Layer](https://usetech.com/blog/saudi-arabias-ai-agenda-is-entering-the-operating-layer/) - [Designing for the Task, Not the Product Architecture](https://usetech.com/blog/designing-for-the-task-not-the-product-architecture/) - [The New Operating Logic of Technology in MENA](https://usetech.com/magazine/) **Sources ** - LEAP official website: [https://onegiantleap.com/](https://onegiantleap.com/) - Saudi National Portal / SPA on LEAP 2026 announcements: [https://my.gov.sa/en/news/2842860](https://my.gov.sa/en/news/2842860) - NEOM / HUMAIN / DataVolt AI-ready data center: [https://www.neom.com/en-us/newsroom/HUMAIN-and-DataVolt-to-develop-AI-data-center-in-NEOM](https://www.neom.com/en-us/newsroom/HUMAIN-and-DataVolt-to-develop-AI-data-center-in-NEOM) - SPA on stc and HUMAIN: [https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/w2668764](https://www.spa.gov.sa/en/w2668764) - HPE / Intel / MCIT Saudi Made, Developed, Deployed: [https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2026/09/leap-2026-hpe-advances-saudi-made-strategy-with-expanded-portfolio-and-new-initiatives-to-accelerate-saudi-innovation.html](https://www.hpe.com/us/en/newsroom/press-release/2026/09/leap-2026-hpe-advances-saudi-made-strategy-with-expanded-portfolio-and-new-initiatives-to-accelerate-saudi-innovation.html) - SAL and Microsoft MoU: [https://sal.sa/press-news/sal_and_microsoft_announce_collaboration_to_advance_digital_transformation](https://sal.sa/press-news/sal_and_microsoft_announce_collaboration_to_advance_digital_transformation_and_digital_logistics_at) - Ministry of National Guard MoUs coverage: [https://english.ajel.sa/saudi-arabia/w6nd6xje6](https://english.ajel.sa/saudi-arabia/w6nd6xje6) ## Let’s work with us. 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