Saudi’s LEAP 24 tech conference has drawn fresh investments to foster innovation and job opportunities and enhance competitiveness in the dynamic technology sector.

One of the most notable announcements at the conference was the unveiling of Amazon Web Services (AWS) plans to establish a new infrastructure region in Saudi Arabia, scheduled for 2026, with an anticipated investment surpassing $5.3 billion.

The new region will offer developers, businesses, and organizations across various sectors, including healthcare, education, and gaming, the ability to leverage AWS services from data centers in the kingdom. This caters to customers seeking data residency within Saudi Arabia.

“Today’s announcement supports the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation with the highest levels of security and resilience available on AWS cloud infrastructure, helping serve fast-growing demand for cloud services across the Middle East,” said Prasad Kalyanaraman, vice president of Infrastructure Services at AWS.

Engineer Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, welcomed the initiative, highlighting its contribution to research, innovation, and empowering entrepreneurs.

Beyond infrastructure, AWS is launching a new initiative, the AWS Saudi Arabia Women’s Skills Initiative, in collaboration with Skillsoft Global Knowledge, to train 4,000 women on AWS Cloud fundamentals and equip them for careers in cloud computing.

Additionally, two new innovation centers will be established to provide startups with mentorship and training on AWS technologies. 

The Innovation By Design Summit is in Doha on April 24. Attendance at the summit is by invitation only. Delegates can register here to receive their exclusive invite.