Asia's Tech Hub.
Hong Kong Secures Asia's Debut LEAP East, Becoming Largest Inaugural Tech Summit.
Anonymous
Hong Kong just hosted its biggest-ever inaugural tech summit. LEAP East 2026, the Asian debut of Saudi Arabia's top technology conference brand, wrapped up a three-day run at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), drawing more than 25,000 professionals, policymakers, and investors, according to Street Insider.
The event was no one-time experiment. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited (HML) signed an exclusive three-year deal with Tahaluf, the company behind the LEAP brand, to keep the summit coming back, Northern News reported.
35,000 Square Meters and a Sold-Out Hall
LEAP East filled over 35,000 square meters of rentable space across Hall 1 and Hall 3 of the HKCEC. That scale made it the largest inaugural tech event the venue has ever hosted. The conference brought together a wide mix of attendees — 55% came from international markets and mainland China, while 45% were local Hong Kong participants, Chatham Daily News reported.
The crowd included startup founders, government officials, and major investors. The sheer size of the turnout signals strong appetite for a serious, recurring tech gathering in Asia's financial hub.
LEAP Brand Crosses From Riyadh to Hong Kong
The original LEAP conference runs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and has quickly become one of the world's biggest tech events. Tahaluf, its organizer, chose Hong Kong as the site for LEAP's first Asian expansion. The three-year exclusive deal means HKCEC will anchor this partnership through at least 2028, according to Fort McMurray Today.
Bringing LEAP East to Hong Kong was a deliberate bet on the city's ability to connect East and West. Hong Kong sits at the crossroads of global capital and Asian markets — a position Tahaluf clearly wanted to tap into.
Hong Kong's 'Super-Connector' Role on Full Display
HML described the summit's success as proof of Hong Kong's role as what it called a "super-connector" and "super value-adder" — a city that bridges economies, innovation, capital, and cultures. Those aren't empty words in this context. The event drew participants from across Asia, the Middle East, and beyond, Paris Star reported.
Hong Kong has faced questions in recent years about its standing as a global business hub. LEAP East's strong debut — over 25,000 attendees on its very first run — gives city officials a concrete data point to push back against that narrative.
What a Three-Year Deal Means for Hong Kong's Tech Scene
Locking in a multi-year agreement matters. It means exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers can plan ahead. It gives Hong Kong a recurring, flagship tech event on the global calendar — something the city has lacked compared to rivals like Singapore and Tokyo.
If attendance grows year over year, LEAP East could reshape how Hong Kong positions itself in the global tech conversation. The first edition cleared the bar. Now the pressure is on to build on it, according to Northern News.
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