WAM Saudi 2026 convenes global leaders in Riyadh to define future of advanced manufacturing and logistics

WAM Saudi 2026 officially opened on February 15, 2026 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Centre, convening global leaders, policymakers and industry executives to chart the future of advanced manufacturing and logistics in Saudi Arabia. Held under the patronage of H.E. Bandar bin Ibrahim Al‑Khorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, the three‑day summit and expo is organised by KAOUN International in strategic partnership with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON).

"WAM Saudi is designed to foster meaningful connections and accelerate collaboration, particularly through Startup Competitions, showcasing the region’s most promising innovators across three flagship pitch platforms:"

The opening day featured main‑stage and industry sessions focused on human‑centric automation, the transition to Industry 5.0, Saudi Arabia’s new industrialisation model linking energy and manufacturing, quantum implications for production, and the business case for green manufacturing. Speakers included H.E. Dr Margarete Schramboeck, Former Minister of Economy & Digital Affairs, Austria and Board Member at Aramco Digital; Eng. Bader Almady, VP Business Development at MODON; and Victor Gao, Chairman of The China Energy Security Institute.

Speakers, sessions and strategic partners

• Notable sessions included Andreas Jahn (Member of the Executive Board and Head of Government Affairs and Foreign Trade at BVMW) addressing "Hyperconnected or exposed? Securing the 5G factory against the next cyber-attack", and panels with Dr Sami Ben Jamaa (Digital Innovations Officer, JERA Co. Inc.) and Rt. Hon. Michelle Donelan (former UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology).
• Other delegates included Chris Courtney, CEO of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, and Eman Martin‑Vignerte, Director of External Affairs and Government Relations at Bosch UK.
• WAM Saudi is powered by a partner ecosystem that includes MODON, UNIDO, BVMW, Business Finland, INSME, AfriLabs, CyberTech Acceleration, nTrepreneur, IQBN and Kearney, and is supported by sponsors such as SIDF, AWS and Infor.

The forum also launched the first international startup pavilions from Singapore and India and drew representation from more than 20 countries, including the USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Canada, UAE, Türkiye, Portugal, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Egypt, Pakistan, Russia and Uzbekistan. Exhibitors brought Industry 4.0 technologies aimed at accelerating Saudi Arabia’s industrial transformation and supporting Vision 2030 ambitions.

Central to the summit is an Investor Programme and a trio of startup pitch platforms intended to bridge entrepreneurs and industrial investors: the Supernova Industry X Pitch Competition (awarding USD 10,000 in equity‑free funding); the River Venture Studio Pitch Competition (offering access to up to USD 2 million in potential investment and partnership opportunities); and 1Trepreneur’s 1Tank, which connects founders with industry leaders and active investors.

Day two programming will broaden the discussion to global competitiveness, resilient supply chains, and the commercial trade‑offs of resilience. Sessions will explore the rapid rise of digital twins, AI‑powered simulation to optimise planning and yield, and how smart utilities and high‑speed connectivity are reshaping industrial parks. The summit will close with an interactive entrepreneurship workshop guiding participants through the journey of scaling industrial startups in the region.