LEAP 2026 Day 03:Tech Expands Its Physical Footprint
Day 03 of LEAP 2026 featured major investment announcements totaling $857 million, focusing on expanding cloud computing, localizing data center component manufacturing, supporting venture capital funds, and exploring the real-world deployment of autonomous mobility.
LEAP 2026 continued to strengthen the Kingdom's digital infrastructure on its third day with new investment announcements reaching $857 million, distributed as follows:
$300 Million: Investment by Snowflake through 2030 to set up a regional HQ, add two cloud regions in H2 2026, and train 25,000 individuals.
$150 Million: Investment by Alfanar to manufacture data center components locally.
$293 Million: Allocated to venture capital and growth funds.
Strategic Partnership: Between CTS Global Group and Saudi Desert Technologies to localize the design and manufacturing of data center components and integrated power units.
Autonomous Mobility in Practice
The "AI at the Wheel" session—featuring industry leaders (Google, GM, Volvo Group, Pony.ai, CARIAD)—focused on transitioning autonomous vehicles from pilot projects to real-world operational scale across four core pillars: Safety, Regulation, AI Governance, and Building Trust.
Nama's Perspective: Day 03 highlights that digital economy growth extends beyond software, demanding real-world readiness in physical assets, power, and surrounding infrastructure.
