The inaugural LEAP East 2026, held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from July 8 to 10, gathered more than 35,000 technology professionals, policymakers and investors from 30 countries and regions. The three-day event, the first LEAP summit staged outside Saudi Arabia, featured over 340 speakers, 450 exhibitors and over 400 investors, covering cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, deep tech, smart cities and new energy industries.
Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG), said at the opening ceremony, "This turnout speaks volumes about the global appeal of LEAP East and the strength of our shared vision." He added that the conference will continue to be held in Hong Kong for the next three years. Other top officials attending included Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSARG, and Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia.
The event underscored the deepening partnership between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, and highlighted Hong Kong's role as a unique gateway connecting the Chinese Mainland with the world. "Hong Kong is perhaps the only city in the world that connects seamlessly to both the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world at the same time," Chan said. He cited Hong Kong's common law system, robust intellectual property protection, free flow of capital, goods, talent and data, and low taxes as foundations for business and creativity.
Chan invited Saudi and Gulf enterprises to use Hong Kong as an international fundraising and risk-management platform, and expressed the HKSAR's commitment to strengthening co-operation with Saudi Arabia in innovation, infrastructure, green technology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing and professional services. "Innovation needs capital, and Hong Kong is where capital and ideas meet. This is the heart of our 'Finance+' strategy - using finance as a powerful enabler to drive the real economy," Chan said.
Professor Sun noted that the HKSARG's efforts in promoting innovation and technology (I&T) are bearing fruit. The number of start-ups in Hong Kong has surged by 40% since 2021, reaching 5,200 in 2025. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou innovation cluster ranked first globally in the Global Innovation Index 2025, and Hong Kong ranked fourth globally in the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2025 and second globally in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2026. Hong Kong also topped the world in IPO in 2025, with 119 listings raising some US$35 billion.
Professor Sun also met with Alswaha to exchange views on I&T collaborations between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia. "This international gathering reflects the rising global I&T momentum, and Hong Kong is proud to serve as a 'super connector' and 'super value-adder' for international exchanges," Sun said. Meanwhile, Chan revealed plans to lead a Hong Kong delegation to Saudi Arabia later this year, bringing leading companies in infrastructure, green tech, healthcare and advanced manufacturing, plus professionals in finance and professional services, to explore concrete projects and further partnership.
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