LEAP 2026 Tech Push: Riyadh is gearing up for LEAP 2026, with Saudi officials saying the Kingdom is shifting from tech importer to exporter as the event opens and showcases AI, advanced computing, mobility, and enterprise tech. AI Infrastructure & Data: NetApp will use LEAP to highlight AI-ready, secure data management across hybrid and multi-cloud environments, aligning with Saudi’s push to scale AI beyond pilots. Food Science for Public Health: The SFDA launched Saudi Arabia’s first National Food Composition Database, aiming to give region-specific nutrition data for local foods and traditional dishes to support health policy, research, and digital nutrition tools. Agri Trade Boost: Saudi Arabia and Pakistan agreed to target $3 billion in Pakistani agricultural and food exports over two years, prioritizing rice, red meat, fruits, green fodder, and water-efficient farming tech. Water Regulation Forum: The Saudi Water Authority will host the inaugural Water Regulation Forum in Riyadh on Nov. 1, bringing global regulators and experts to tackle governance, scarcity management, compliance, and financing. Maritime & Logistics Growth: Saudi Arabia’s Maritime and Logistics Congress will run in Jeddah Oct. 21-22, focusing on ports, corridors, energy transition, and digital infrastructure as the Kingdom targets major port-capacity expansion by 2030. Cybersecurity Platform Spotlight: A Saudi developer discussed building T-PHANTOM OS, emphasizing distribution-level engineering and integration of open-source security tools with a bilingual Arabic/English user experience. Regional Defense Talks: Pakistan, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia are set for the first committee meeting under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Istanbul, with interoperability and defense-industry cooperation on the agenda.