Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre hosted the inaugural LEAP East 2026, 8-10 July, gathering more than 35,000 technology professionals, policymakers and investors from 30 countries and regions. The first LEAP summit staged outside Saudi Arabia featured over 340 speakers, 450 exhibitors and over 400 investors, covering fields such as artificial intelligence, deep tech, smart cities and new energy industries.
“This turnout speaks volumes about the global appeal of LEAP East and the strength of our shared vision,” said Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) at the opening ceremony of the three-day event. “I am particularly delighted to note that this conference will continue to be held in Hong Kong in the coming three years.”
Also attending the opening ceremony were professor Sun Dong, secretary for innovation, technology and industry of the HKSARG, and Abdullah Alswaha, minister of communications and information technology of Saudi Arabia.
“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,” Mr Chan said. “Working under the common law system, we have robust protection for intellectual property. As a free port, capital, goods, talent and data freely flow in and out of this city. Simple, low tax is a standing feature of our regime. And we are one of the safest, most stable cities anywhere in the world. These are the foundations on which businesses, talent and creativity thrive.”
“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,” Mr Chan added.
Professor Sun says 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 was 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 (initial public offering) in 2025, with 119 listings raising some US$35bn, including many world tech champions.
“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,” Professor Sun said, adding that he 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 the finance, investment and professional services sector, to explore concrete projects and further partnership.
Source: www.exhibitionworld.co.uk
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