Notable contributions include Investcorp's $500 million growth stage fund, Oasis Capital's Fund II at $100 million, and the establishment of the $40 million Gaming and Esports Investment Fund by the National Development Fund and the Social Development Bank.
Other initiatives include Takamol Holdings' $50 million investment arm and Plug and Play's inaugural fund for tech startups. Tahaluf's CEO, Michael Champion, emphasises LEAP's role in fostering industry collaborations and partnerships to drive technology-driven progress.
Zoom's Expansion in Saudi Arabia
Zoom, the communication technology giant, made several announcements at LEAP 2024, reaffirming its commitment to Saudi Arabia. Plans include making Zoom AI Companion available for Kingdom-based customers by July 2024, introducing Zoom Phone by October 2024, and launching Zoom Contact Centre by the year's end. Founder and CEO Eric Yuan discussed the integration of AI into Zoom's products, envisioning a future where a 'Digital Twin' could represent users in meetings.
UK and Saudi Arabia Collaborate on Research
The UK and Saudi Arabia signed a significant agreement at LEAP 2024 to enhance research collaboration in deep science and technology. The aim is to address global challenges ranging from food security to clean energy. Andrew Griffith MP emphasized the importance of global collaboration in realizing the ambitions of science and innovation.
AI and Content Creation
Moon Baz, Head of Global Partnerships for Middle East, Africa, and Turkey at META, discussed the impact of AI integration on content creation at LEAP's Creative Economy and Gaming Orbital Stage. Baz highlighted the rise of creator-first brands and the experimentation with AI, AR, VR, and visual arts to create immersive content.
Saudi Arabia's Space Exploration Plans
On LEAP 2024's Orbital Talks Stage focused on Space, Sharif Abdel-Magid, Vice President – Space Operations at the Saudi Space Agency (SSA), outlined Saudi Arabia's vision to become a leading nation in space exploration. Plans include establishing a permanent presence on the Moon and eventually reaching Mars.
Cognitive Robots and Future Technologies
David Reger, CEO of Neura Robotics, discussed cognitive robots and their potential to collaborate with humans in modern society at LEAP 2024's Orbital Talks – 4IR Stage. Reger emphasized the need for robots and AI to enable humans to focus on tasks they prefer.
Floating Cities of the Future in Saudi Arabia
Itai Madamombe, Founder and CEO of Oceanix, highlighted Saudi Arabia's suitability for floating cities of the future at LEAP 2024's Orbital Talks Stage focused on Future Energy & Smart Cities. Madamombe explained how Oceanix's sustainable floating city prototype could expand Saudi's residential, commercial, and environmental footprint.
For more information, visit onegiantleap.com.
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