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Saudi Arabia to Take Latest Giant LEAP into New World Economies with Multi-Sector Future Technology Event

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3 years ago

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Saudi Arabia

The event will host over 700 billionaire investors, astronauts, technocrats, and sporting superstars turned tech investors across LEAP’s various stages housing 15 conferences

RIYADH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, January 16, 2023/APO Group/ — 

100,000-plus participants anticipated as world’s most visionary tech event gets even bigger with globe’s leading disruptors heading to Kingdom in February 2023; Billionaire investors, technocrats, tech integrators, and sporting royalty from 50 countries among stellar 700-plus talent line-up.

After breaking a host of industry records during its 2022 launch, LEAP – the world’s most visionary technology event – returns to Riyadh in February with an even bigger format promising to attract the greatest digital thinkers and doers to empower the entrepreneurs, ignite innovation and leap into new worlds.

An expected 100,000 global tech innovators and disruptors will gather at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Centre from February 6-9, 2023, to unveil and accelerate a huge platform of breakthrough products and ideas, and forge partnerships that will drive new worldwide collaborations leveraging technology’s limitless potential.

Taking place alongside LEAP, the inaugural DeepFest – in partnership with the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) – will run from February 7-9 and gather drivers of the global Artificial Intelligence eco-system to unveil life-changing, multi-sector initiatives in a thought-leadership conference and sector-specific tracks, trainings, live-demos, start-up pitches and an exhibition featuring companies transforming the world we live and work in. Support comes from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), which is powering LEAP in conjunction with Tahaluf – a strategic joint venture co-owned by Informa PLC and the SAFCSP.

Global business leaders, technocrats and experts will take to LEAP’s main stage to bring new perspectives to pressing world issues, including climate emergency and sustainable development, health crises, equality, inclusion, belonging and diversity. They will discuss the leadership strategies of tech giants and unicorns, explore web3’s business potential, and look to redefine governance paradigms for privacy, safety, and security.

The event will host over 700 billionaire investors, astronauts, technocrats, and sporting superstars turned tech investors across LEAP’s various stages housing 15 conferences.

With over 900 exhibitors confirmed for 2023, LEAP has drawn a powerful international line-up, some of which will take part in new mega tent displays and include world-leading names from throughout the USA, Middle East, Levant, North Africa, the Sub-continent, Europe, and Scandinavia. They include Saudi Arabian heavyweights STC, NEOM, Saudi Aramco, Mobily and ELM lining up alongside an international cadre of the biggest names in the tech business, including Snapchat, Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, Visa, Alibaba cloud, Ericsson, Huawei, Dell, Nokia, SAP, Microsoft, Cisco, and IBM.

Some of LEAP’s speakers this year include football legend and tech investor Thierry Henry; billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper; two-time World Boxing Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua; Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO of Nokia; Borje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson; Steve Bartlett, the youngest Dragon’s Den investor, podcaster, and founder of Social Chain; Gitanjali Rao, the 17-year-old American inventor and TIME’s first-ever Kid of the Year; Susan Kilrain, NASA astronaut and the second woman and youngest person to pilot the Space Shuttle; and Sian Proctor, an explorer and mission pilot for the Inspiration4 all-civilian orbital mission to space. The scheduled investors control a combined and unprecedented US $1.6 trillion fund pool.

LEAP is the window to tomorrow’s world, an event which powers the future and empowers those looking to shape it

“Our rapidly changing world demands we keep pace with appropriate regulation and governance, and we need the best brains in the business to help us navigate a globally appropriate pathway,” said Faisal Al Khamisi, Chairman of the SAFCSP.

A series of precision-focused Orbital Talks at LEAP will lift the lid off new parameters impacting the creative economy, smart cities, 4IR, energy, sustainability, FinTech, HealthTech, retail, education, NFTs and space tech. The LEAP Investor Stage, meanwhile, will see the world’s most sought-after tech investors deep-mine emerging opportunities. Among those scouting potential at LEAP’s Investor Stage will be industry titans GV Ravishankar, Managing Partner of Sequoia Capital India; Tim Ringel, Investor & Advisory Board Member of Adit Ventures; and William Bao Bean, General Partner, SOSV, who will witness first-hand the exhilarating Rocket Fuel Start-up Pitch Competition, where 90 incredible start-ups will compete for a prize pool of more than US$1 million.  LEAP has also launched a Mentorship Scheme where up to 30 creative start-ups can connect with globally experienced experts before, during and after the event.

Themed ‘AI Beyond Imagination’, DeepFest will see thought-leaders, change-makers, big tech, data scientists, innovators, enterprises, academia, start-ups, and innovative business entrepreneurs unveil government AI initiatives and multi-sector innovations through a thought-leadership conference and sector-specific tracks, trainings, live-demos, and innovation sessions. The new conference program this year has tracks for clean tech, the Metaverse, , and women in technology, while the DeepFest exhibition will feature the world’s top tech companies and breakthrough stars.

The Future is Here and Now

Mingling with exhibitors and visitors will be robotic humanoids from Japan and Hong Kong, dancing robots from the USA,  the American innovators of the ‘Space 4 Girls’ weather balloon, which captures flight and low orbit images from space, and the team behind Roybi, the AI powered companions designed to tutor children. They will demo alongside Magic Keys augmented reality, which helps budding musicians learn to play instruments without reading music; the Stage11 music experience, which combines gaming, mixed reality and digital collectables; the South Korean haptic suit that has been integrated into VR games; Italy’s ‘Mirror’, which customises PINKO bags and mints them into NFTs; Interstellar Lab advanced farming technologies; and, from Estonia, the world’s first hydrogen-powered autonomous vehicle.

“These are the 21st century inventors who are presenting the world of living and work – but not as we currently know it,” said Michael Champion, Regional EVP, MEA at Informa Markets, which organises LEAP. “This is an unprecedented and universal exhibitor mix which will send technology advancement into a whole new world-living orbit. LEAP is the window to tomorrow’s world, an event which powers the future and empowers those looking to shape it.”

LEAP has garnered support from numerous leading government and private sector organisations. Strategic partners and sponsors for LEAP23 include NEOM, STC, Saudi Aramco, Mobily, IBM, Microsoft, Ericsson, Huawei, and Najm Insurance. The 2023 edition will also host country pavilions from the United Kingdom, Finland, Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Oman and India.  

For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/3kkG2mw

Read more: https://bit.ly/3w6H48j

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Action Global Communications.

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Afreximbank Posts Robust Q1 2026 Results with 25% Growth in Net Income and Improved Profitability

Published

9 hours ago

on

May 22, 2026

By

Afreximbank

The results demonstrate continued resilience, disciplined balance sheet management and strong deal execution despite a challenging global operating environment

The growth in net interest income and profitability demonstrates the strength of our operating model and the continued relevance of our mandate

CAIRO, Egypt, May 22, 2026/APO Group/ –African Export-Import Bank (“Afreximbank” or the “Bank”) (www.Afreximbank.com) and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) announced its results for the three months ended 31 March 2026. The results demonstrate continued resilience, disciplined balance sheet management and strong deal execution despite a challenging global operating environment.

 

The Group continued to expand its lending activities in Q1 2026, resulting in total credit exposure growing by 2% to reach a portfolio of US$42 billion, up from US$41 billion as of 31 December 2025. This performance reflects Afreximbank’s leading role as a Development Finance Institution (DFI) in financing trade and trade-enabling infrastructure, and its strategic contribution to economic resilience across Africa and the Caribbean.

Average loans and advances for Q1 2026 stood at US$32 billion, up 8% compared to the same period in the prior year, driving the recorded growth in interest income. The Group’s liquidity position remained strong, with cash and cash equivalents of US$5.6 billion, representing 14% of total assets, consistent with FY2025 and above the Bank’s strategic minimum.

Asset quality also remained strong, with the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio at 2.40%, broadly in line with 2.43% at FY2025 and below industry average.

Shareholders’ funds increased to US$8.6 billion at 31 March 2026, up from US$8.4 billion at FY2025, supported by internally generated capital of US$268.9 million and new equity investments received during the quarter, underscoring the Bank’s continued ability to mobilise capital from its shareholders in support of its growth and development mandate.

The Group delivered strong profitability during the quarter.  Notwithstanding declining benchmark rates, total interest income rose by 14% year-on-year to reach US$813.6 million, while net interest income increased by 24% to US$510.0 million, compared with US$411.2 million in the first quarter of 2025. The Group’s cost-to-income ratio remained contained at 19%, well within the Group’s strategic ceiling of 30%. As a result, Profit for the period increased to US$268.9 million, up from US$215.4 million in Q1 2025.

The Group continued to maintain a strong capital position, with a capital adequacy ratio of 23% as at 31 March 2026, in line with the Bank’s long-term capital management targets.

During the quarter, Afreximbank continued to demonstrate its counter-cyclical role in response to external shocks. In March 2026, the Bank launched a US$10 billion Gulf Crisis Response Programme to help member countries mitigate adverse spillover effects from the Gulf crisis. The facility is designed to support liquidity, stabilise trade and payments, and address supply-side disruptions, particularly in energy, tourism and aviation, fertilisers, food and other critical imports.

The Bank also continued to deploy targeted financing and advisory support to strengthen trade flows, industrial capacity and economic resilience across Africa and CARICOM. Regional integration received further momentum following South Africa’s ratification of the Bank’s Establishment Agreement in February 2026, bringing one of Africa’s largest and most diversified economies into the Bank’s membership and giving the Bank full continental coverage.

Highlights of the results for Afreximbank Group are shown below:

Financial Performance Metrics

Q1’2026

Q1’2025
Gross Income (US$ million)

874.1

784.9
Net Income (US$ million)

268.9

215.4
Return on average equity (ROAE)

13%

12%
Return on average assets (ROAA)

2.62%

2.38%
Cost-to-income ratio

19%

16%

 

Financial Position Metrics

Q1’2026

FY’2025
Total Assets (US$ billion)

41.7

42.3
Total Liabilities (US$ billion)

33.0

33.9
Shareholders’ Funds (US$ billion)

8.6

8.4
Non-performing loans ratio (NPL)

2.40%

2.43%
Cash/Total assets

14%

14%
Capital Adequacy ratio (Basel II)

23%

          23%

 

Mr. Denys Denya, Afreximbank’s Senior Executive Vice President, commented:

“Against a backdrop of continued global uncertainty, heightened geopolitical risks and tight financial conditions, the Group delivered a resilient first-quarter performance, underpinned by disciplined balance sheet management, sound asset quality and strong capital and liquidity buffers. The growth in net interest income and profitability demonstrates the strength of our operating model and the continued relevance of our mandate. Our swift launch of the US$10 billion Gulf Crisis Response Programme further underscores Afreximbank’s counter-cyclical role in supporting member countries during periods of disruption. We remain focused on stabilising trade flows, easing liquidity pressures and advancing the industrial and economic transformation of Africa and the Caribbean.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Via Licensing Alliance Expands Voice Codec Program with New Licensee, New Licensors, Publishes Comprehensive Pool Rate Structure

Published

15 hours ago

on

May 22, 2026

By

Via Licensing Alliance

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES – Media OutReach Newswire – 22 May 2026 – Via Licensing Alliance (Via) today announced continued momentum for its Voice Codec patent pool, including the addition of a new unnamed licensee and new licensors, NovaVoice Limited and Cordial IP, further growing the program’s patent stack and market penetration from its initial five, large global licensors.

The addition of the new licensee, unnamed at this time, reflects growing industry adoption of the collaborative licensing pathway Via’s Voice Codec program creates for accessing IP rights to critical voice technologies. This addition reflects a growing market uptake of advanced voice technologies, including EVS and IVAS, driven by rising demand as 5G and 5G-Advanced technologies are adopted worldwide.

Additionally, Via continues to prioritize transparency and has published its full rate structure for the Voice Codec pool, providing further clarity and predictability for implementers and to the broader market. For implementers, the full rate structure allows for complete visibility as they consider the appropriate royalty structure to choose from to meet their product level costs, evaluate future growth paths for their product lines, or plan their geographical expansion plan needs. This level of disclosure not only reduces uncertainty in licensing decisions but also enables more consistent benchmarking, reinforcing confidence in fair, market-aligned SEP licensing practices. The program’s royalty rates are listed on Via’s website at https://www.via-la.com/licensing-programs/voice-codec/#license-fees.

The addition of the new licensors indicates increased interest from patent holders in licensing their voice technology SEPs through highly efficient, aggregated licensing vehicles such as patent pools. Future growth in both the licensor list and the number of patents consolidated through the pool license will continue to enhance the value of the Voice Codec License for implementers. Via’s Voice Codec program licensors are listed here: https://www.via-la.com/licensing-programs/voice-codec/#licensors.

Via’s Voice Codec pool covers Enhanced Voice Services (EVS), which supports voice communications across more than one billion and growing active devices globally, as well as Immersive Voice and Audio Services (IVAS), which will play a central role in next-generation voice and spatial audio applications.

“We are pleased to welcome these new entrants to our pool, which signal continued growth and momentum our Voice Codec program,” said Kevin Mack, President of Via Licensing Alliance. “This pool license offers strong value relative to other market options and represents the only collaborative licensing solution for EVS and IVAS technologies, making it a smart and efficient pathway for companies seeking to license critical voice capabilities.”

EVS remains a foundational technology for high-quality voice communications in 5G and 5G-Advanced networks, with adoption continuing to expand as 5G, 5G-Advanced and future network iterations reach global scale. As spatial audio and advanced voice technologies expand into 6G and a broader range of non-cellular devices, the importance of IVAS technologies is expected to increase, with Via’s pool offering an early and effective licensing pathway.

For more information about the Voice Codec patent pool, including information for prospective licensees, please visit https://www.via-la.com.

About Via Licensing Alliance:
Via Licensing Alliance is the collaborative licensing leader, dedicated to accelerating global technology adoption, fostering participation, and generating return on innovation with balanced licensing solutions for innovators and manufacturers of all sizes around the globe. Via has operated dozens of licensing programs for a variety of technologies. Via is an independently managed company owned by industry-leading participants with over 25 years of intellectual property licensing leadership. For more information about Via, please visit https://www.via-la.com.

 

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Joint statement welcoming the Republic of Togo’s announcement on Visa facilitation for African nationals

Published

16 hours ago

on

May 22, 2026

By

Togo

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank commend the Government and people of the Republic of Togo for hosting Biashara Afrika 2026 and for their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s economic integration agenda

LOMÉ, Togo, May 21, 2026/APO Group/ –The AfCFTA Secretariat and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) welcome the announcement by the Government of the Republic of Togo, under the leadership of H.E. Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council of the Republic of Togo, regarding measures to facilitate visa-free entry for all nationals of African States holding valid passports, as announced by the Minister of Security on 18 May 2026.

The announcement was made in Lomé on the sidelines of Biashara Afrika 2026, the continent’s premier trade and business platform, which has brought together policymakers, private sector leaders, investors, and stakeholders from across Africa to advance dialogue on intra-African trade, investment, and regional integration.

Throughout the engagements, participants underscored the importance of facilitating the movement of African citizens, entrepreneurs, and investors as an important enabler of intra-African trade and economic cooperation. Against this backdrop, the announcement reflects the growing continental momentum towards strengthening connectivity and deepening African integration.

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank, to which Togo is a State Party and a Member State, envision a continent where goods, services, capital, and people move more freely across borders in support of an integrated African market. Measures that facilitate mobility and connectivity continue to contribute towards advancing the broader mandate of both institutions; the attainment of the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

The AfCFTA Secretariat and Afreximbank commend the Government and people of the Republic of Togo for hosting Biashara Afrika 2026 and for their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s economic integration agenda.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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