International startups to compete in US$ 600,000 Rocket Fuel Startup Pitch Competition at LEAP22

Startups from around the world are being invited to go head-to-head to win a share of a US$ 600,000 prize fund at the Rocket Fuel Startup Pitch Competition, and to pitch their businesses to powerhouse VCs and leading international investors.

The competition will be held as part of LEAP, the world’s largest debut technology event, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in February 2022. Entries are now open for the Rocket Fuel Start-up Pitch Competition, which will challenge start-ups in a pitch contest to find some of the most exciting and impactful new businesses from around the world. Ninety start-ups will be invited to pitch their business ideas live on stage during LEAP on February 01, 2022 and Februray 02, 2022.

The finalists will have just five minutes to present their best pitches to a panel of international and local investors during LEAP, and convince them that they have what it takes to be one of the top 10 businesses who will go into the Grand Final on February 03, 2022.

LEAP has assembled a world-class judging panel of celebrity investors and business leaders to assess the Rocket Fuel Pitch Competition contestants and put them through their paces. The panel will include: Steven Bartlett, businessman, speaker, investor and content creator, best known for the BBC’s Dragons’ Den; Baroness Karren Brady, business executive and television personality; James Caan, entrepreneur and television personality; Kelly Hoppen, interior designer, author and entrepreneur; Michael Salgado, retired Real Madrid footballer and celebrity investor; Dr. Nabeel Koshak, CEO and board member of the Saudi Venture Capital Co., a prominent Saudi academic, entrepreneur and angel investor, and Hattan Ahmed, Director of Entrepreneurship at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)

“Innovation and entrepreneurship are at the core of the technology sector, so it is fitting that the Rocket Fuel Startup Pitch Competition will recognise some of the best startups worldwide as part of LEAP. Saudi Arabia is developing its own booming startup ecosystem, supported by the Saudi government and private investors, and we look forward to welcoming outstanding international start-ups to join us in Riyadh for LEAP,” said H.E. Eng. Haitham Alohali, Vice Minister, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

“I am honoured and excited to be speaking at LEAP, which brings together the worlds of technology, entrepreneurship and innovation all in one place,” said Steven Bartlett, Founder, Social Chain and an investor on BBC One show Dragons’ Den.

“LEAP will feature an extensive, dedicated program of activities for investors in line with Saudi Arabia’s aims of developing its own entrepreneurial ecosystem and technology industry. Informa is very excited to be organising the program and the Rocket Fuel Startup Pitch Competition to showcase the ingenuity and business potential of local and international startups and to connect them with a global investor audience,” said Michael Champion, Regional Executive Vice President – MEA, Informa.