Pakistan Software Export Board is subsidising 58 percent of booth costs for Pakistani technology companies looking to exhibit at LEAP 2026 in Riyadh, positioning the event as a direct opportunity to reach Saudi buyers actively sourcing AI, cloud, fintech, cybersecurity, and smart city solutions. The board said Pakistan’s IT exports to Saudi Arabia grew 45 percent last year, describing the kingdom as an active rather than emerging market for Pakistani technology firms.
LEAP, now in its fifth edition, has grown into one of the world’s largest technology conferences since its founding in 2022 by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology alongside event organiser Tahaluf. The previous edition drew around 200,000 tech professionals and 1,900 global investors, with organisers reporting 14.9 billion dollars in deals announced at the event. This year’s edition is scheduled for August 31 to September 3 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre, having been shifted from its original spring date following consultations among organisers.
Under the Pakistan Pavilion arrangement, Pakistan Software Export Board is offering companies curated business to business meetings with more than 300 Saudi decision makers ahead of the event itself, in addition to the subsidised booth costs. The board has positioned the pavilion as a way to place Pakistani firms directly in front of buyers aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification programme, which has prioritised investment in artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, fintech, cybersecurity, and smart city development as the kingdom works to reduce its reliance on oil revenue.
The pavilion initiative builds on Pakistan Software Export Board’s participation in previous editions of LEAP, having brought a similarly subsidised Pakistan Pavilion to the event last year as part of its broader strategy of supporting Pakistani IT and IT enabled services companies at major international conferences. The board has run comparable subsidised pavilion programmes at other global technology events over the past year, including Japan IT Week in Tokyo, as part of its ongoing effort to expand market access for Pakistani technology exporters.
Interested companies can apply for a spot in the Pakistan Pavilion through Pakistan Software Export Board’s official application form, with the deadline for applications set for July 22, the same closing date as a separate delegation programme to LEAP 2026 being organised by Pakistan IT Industry Association. With spots limited and Saudi Arabia continuing to represent one of the fastest growing destinations for Pakistani IT exports, the board is positioning early application as important for companies looking to secure a place at the event.
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