2026 agenda

Join the conversations shaping the future of technology – from new opportunities for growth to the partnerships and innovations driving what’s next.

EXPLORE TICKETS

19:00

LEAP East Nights Fusion

July 10, 2026
19:00 to 23:00

An exclusive LEAP East Nights networking event set in the heart of Hong Kong’s most vibrant district. Guests will experience a curated journey across three premier venues, enjoying live DJ entertainment, international cuisine including halal options, and a dynamic, high-energy atmosphere. The evening is designed to foster meaningful connections, offering a premium setting to engage with a select group of innovators and industry peers.

End of

Day 1 - 7th July

07:30

Peak tram Experience

July 7, 2026
07:30 to 23:00

Operating since May 1888, the Peak Tram is a timeless symbol of Hong Kong’s rich heritage. To celebrate our 138th Anniversary, enjoy a time-limited offer of up to:

15% off on Special combo return tickets when you enter our promo code: LEAPC2026 online!

12% off on Ruby Special when you enter our promo code: LEAPR2026 online!

Experience a scenic ride on Asia's first funicular railway and take in breathtaking panoramic views from Sky Terrace 428, Hong Kong’s highest observation deck.

Please ensure you have your event badge available upon arrival, as it will be required for entry and verification at the venue entrance.

09:00

Only on Klook. Only for LEAP Nights

July 7, 2026
09:00 to 10:00

Skip the planning. Klook has curated Hong Kong's top experiences exclusively for LEAP East Nights — from Victoria Harbour sunset sails to five-star spa retreats. Your exclusive LEAP East Nights discount is waiting at checkout.

10:00

M+ Special Exhibitions

July 7, 2026
10:00 to 18:00

Lee Bul (South Korean, born 1964) is one of the most prominent contemporary artists to emerge from Asia in recent decades. “Lee Bul: From 1998 to Now” is a comprehensive survey of her career to date, featuring major works from the artist’s studio and collections across Asia and beyond.

Enjoy our special offer on admission ticket- simply enter the promo code before checkout to redeem. Purchase your ticket here: (Link). Terms and Conditions apply.

Please ensure you have your event badge available upon arrival, as it will be required for entry and verification at the venue entrance.

MC Welcome

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
10:00 to 10:10

Opening Ceremony

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
10:00 to 10:15

Hong Kong Palace Museum

July 8, 2026
10:00 to 18:00

Experience world-class exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum with one ticket granting access to special and thematic exhibitions, including Treasures of Global Jewellery, Ancient Egypt Unveiled, and The Forbidden City and the World: Cultural Encounters.

Enjoy a special discounted admission ticket by entering the promo code at checkout. Limited discounted tickets are available, so book early to avoid disappointment.

13:00

Build East – HKSTP x Animoca Minds Agentic AI Demo Day + Tour

July 7, 2026
13:00 to 18:00

Discover Hong Kong’s leading innovation and tech ecosystem firsthand at Build East, Agentic AI Demo Day + Tour on 7 July 2026 at Hong Kong Science Park, co-hosted by Minds (Animoca Brands) and HKSTP on the eve of LEAP East 2026.

Kick off with an exclusive HKSTP tour, showcasing how the park supports 2,600+ tech companies and fosters a builder-first environment for next-generation innovation.

Then, attend eight live pitches from Hong Kong’s agentic AI builders, backed by the Minds Investment Programme (up to US$10M) with teams competing for access to capital, distribution, and ecosystem support.

Whether you’re a builder, investor, partner, or LEAP East attendee, this event is where Hong Kong’s next generation of intelligent agents gets discovered—right when the world turns its spotlight to the city.

Please ensure you have your event badge available upon arrival, as it will be required for entry and verification at the venue entrance.

Keynote: How AI Could Save Your Life...Even 100 Million Miles Away

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
13:00 to 13:20

In a world where AI is advancing at unprecedented speed, healthcare faces a critical challenge: how to harness its power responsibly to save lives rather than put them at risk. In this keynote, Dr. Atul Gupta, Philips’ global Chief Medical Officer of Diagnosis & Treatment, explores how clinically grounded AI is transforming care – from empowering frontline clinicians in remote settings with AI-enabled imaging and connecting them to global expertise, to guiding complex procedures through augmented reality and robotics, and predicting life-threatening conditions before they occur through wearable technologies.

Atul Gupta

Chief Medical Officer

Philips

15:00

The Innovation Tour

July 7, 2026
15:00 to 16:30

Exclusive guided tour available for selected VIP guests.

The Digital Tech Centre by Cyberport showcases innovative technologies developed by its community companies, including AI, blockchain, and Web3. Through interactive experiences and real-world applications across healthcare, education, and smart cities, the Centre offers an engaging look into the future of innovation in Hong Kong.

Where Capital Is Flowing in Fintech (2026–2030)

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
15:00 to 15:40

As fintech enters its next cycle, capital is becoming more selective, more geopolitical, and more infrastructure driven. This panel brings together global bank capital, venture leadership, institutional investors, macroeconomic insight, and operators at scale to unpack where money is really flowing, and why.We will examine how banks, venture capital, and sovereign-aligned capital are reassessing fintech bets across payments, infrastructure, AI, and platforms.We will also consider the perspective from building and scaling financial systems across Asia, where inclusion, interoperability, and resilience are not abstract goals but commercial imperatives.This panel moves beyond trendspotting to reveal what qualifies as bankable fintech in the next decade, which models will struggle to attract capital, and why Asia is increasingly shaping the future of global financial investment.

Nobutake Suzuki

President & CEO

MUFG, Innovation partners Co, MUFG Group

Pratyush Prasanna

Group CEO

Flip

Rocket Fuel East Round 1

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
15:00 to 17:00

10:10

How AI Is Reshaping the Real Economy

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
10:10 to 10:20

AI is moving beyond experimentation into the core systems powering commerce, finance, logistics, and everyday consumer experiences. From intelligent payments and digital platforms to enterprise automation and large-scale decision-making systems, this keynote explores how AI is being deployed at scale across Asia’s real economy, and what it takes to operationalize intelligent systems across industries and ecosystems.

Leo Li

President of International Business

Ant Digital Technologies

10:15

Welcome Remarks

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
10:15 to 10:25

H.E. Abdullah Alswaha

Minister of Communication & Information Technology

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

10:20

What Does It Take to Move AI from the Lab to the Real World?

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
10:20 to 10:40

What does it take to move AI from the lab into the real world? In this visually driven keynote, explore how Sony AI is transforming breakthrough research into real-world systems across gaming, robotics, and consumer products. From the Gran Turismo Sophy racing agent to advances in sensory and motor intelligence, discover how AI is being trained, tested, and deployed in dynamic environments. This session reveals what it truly takes to bridge research, performance, and productization at scale.

Michael Spranger

President

Sony AI

Where Startups and Corporates Actually Get Stuff Done

Ecosystem Xchange - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
10:20 to 11:00

Most corporate-startup collaborations die in the pilot. The press release gets written, the innovation theatre plays out, and eighteen months later nothing has shipped. This session is for the ones that didn't.Three practitioners — a corporate that committed, a startup that survived the procurement process, and the ecosystem builder who's watched hundreds of both — unpack what real collaboration actually requires: honest problem statements, decision-makers in the room, and the willingness to move past proof-of-concept into something that changes how a business operates.No case studies dressed up as strategy. No innovation for the annual report. Just the unfiltered playbook for making corporate-startup partnerships work across the APAC–Middle East corridor — and the hard lessons from the ones that didn’t.

Ted Howland

Senior Director, Group Sustainability

CapitaLand Investment

Johannes Jaeger

Vice President of Enterprise

Agorize

Ashish Jerry Justin

Co-Founder and CEO

Carnot Innovations

Dr. Ali AlHasan

Founder & CEO

NanoPalm

10:25

Welcome Remarks

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
10:25 to 10:35

Prof. Sun Dong

Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry

Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

10:50

Re-engineering Global Money Rails: APAC, Interoperability & Scale

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
10:50 to 11:30

As global finance fragments and real-time money movement becomes a strategic imperative, the future of financial infrastructure is being redesigned, rail by rail. Nowhere is this transformation more visible, or more complex, than in Asia-Pacific, where scale, regulation, and innovation intersect at speed.This panel brings together leaders shaping money movement from every layer of the stack: global banks, payments platforms, ecosystem architects, digital-asset infrastructure providers, and next-generation tokenised networks. We will move beyond vision to execution, examining what scales, where interoperability breaks down, and how APAC is shaping the architecture of global money in an era of real-time finance, regional divergence, and platform-driven growth.

Lewis Sun

Managing Director, Head of Domestic and Emerging Payments

HSBC

Dr. Yanan Wu

Chairman & CEO

Surfin

10:55

Strategic Bridges: How Cross-Border Growth Happens

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
10:55 to 11:05

The most significant economic transformations of our time are no longer happening within borders, but across them. As capital, technology and business networks move more actively between the Middle East and Asia, new growth corridors are taking shape. Through the lens of ewpartners’ experience connecting Asian companies with Middle Eastern opportunities, this session explores how strategic bridges are built in practice, and how trusted partners turn market interest into real commercial outcomes.

Jerry Li

Founder & Managing Partner

ewpartners

11:00

First Money In: What VCs Actually Look for Before the Traction Is There

Ecosystem Xchange - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
11:00 to 11:40

The pitch deck is the easy part. This conversation goes inside the head of an early-stage investor — what signals matter before revenue, why most APAC and MENA founders misread what "conviction" actually means, and what separates a fundable company from a fundable founder. One serial entrepreneur who's been on both sides of the table and one seed-stage VC manager get brutally honest. No fundraising folklore — just the real framework.

Guillermo Ginesta

Managing Director

brinc

Cristina Ventura

General Partner & Chief Catalyst Officer

White Star Capital

Ryan Manuel

Founder

Bilby

Agentic Commerce and the New Consumer Economy

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
11:00 to 11:30

As AI systems evolve from recommendation engines into autonomous agents capable of discovery, decision-making, and transaction execution, a new era of commerce is emerging. From intelligent shopping assistants and AI-driven retail operations to transaction-grade explainability and consumer trust, this session explores how agentic AI is reshaping customer journeys, merchant ecosystems, and the future of digital commerce. How should retailers, platforms, and consumers prepare for a world where AI agents increasingly act, decide, and transact on our behalf?

Oliver Tan

Co‐founder & CEO

ViSenze (Rezolve AI)

Jovan Trajceski

Chair of Innovation Committee, Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

co-chairs the AI & Big Data Committee, FinTech Association of Hong Kong

11:20

Shaping Strategic Industries: How Hong Kong Lands the Next Generation of Global Tech Leaders

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
11:20 to 11:30

Hong Kong is making a clear move for the next generation of global tech champions. In this keynote, Peter Yan will share how the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) is bringing strategic enterprises into the city and helping them scale across AI, advanced manufacturing, life sciences and fintech. The session will spotlight how Hong Kong is turning its connectivity, capital and innovation ecosystem into a launchpad for companies building the future.

Peter Yan

Director-General

Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, the Government of the HKSAR

11:30

AI as the Operating System of Finance

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
11:30 to 12:10

Banking, data, and fintech leaders explore how AI is becoming the decision layer of financial systems. From risk and fraud to operations and compliance, this session focuses on what scales inside regulated institutions, and how governance, data, and architecture determine success.

Jessica Liu

Co-founder & Chief Strategy Officer

Planto

Alina Timofeeva

Influence Board Member

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT

David Walker

Chief Technology and Operations Officer

Mox Bank

Where are Asia's Next AI Unicorns Hiding?

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
11:30 to 12:00

Where are Asia’s next AI unicorns emerging? Investors and founders discuss the sectors attracting capital and the unique innovation models shaping the region.

Harry Man

Founding Partner

MPC

Alex Zhavoronkov

Founder & CEO

Insilico Medicine

Somsubhra GanChoudhuri

Co-founder & CEO

AI Palette

Dr. Christina Yan Zhang

CEO

The Metaverse Institute

11:40

Is Venture Exit Window Finally Back?

Ecosystem Xchange - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
11:40 to 12:00

For three years, venture capital endured its longest liquidity drought in a decade — leaving LPs staring down nearly $200 billion in negative cash flow and 59,400 VC SG Analytics-backed private companies competing against just 4,386 public US companies for a way out. Now 2026 is being billed as the year the door swings open: SpaceX has filed for a June Nasdaq listing at a $1.75 trillion valuation TECHi®, OpenAI is preparing a Q4 2026 IPO targeting $1 trillion IndexBox, and M&A deal value has surged past pre-pandemic peaks.But is the window really open — or just cracked open for a privileged few?

Jed Ng

Founder

Angel School VC

11:50

Unlocking Asia & Global Growth – HKSTP As the Launchpad for Global Tech

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
11:50 to 12:00

As LEAP East’s exclusive Tech Ecosystem Partner, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) connects innovators to the Chinese Mainland, Asia, and global markets – accelerating ideas from R&D to commercial success. In this keynote, discover how HKSTP opens doors to world-class infrastructure, talent, and policy support, turning breakthroughs into worldwide impact.

Terry Wong

CEO

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP)

12:00

Scaling Enterprise AI Across Asia

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
12:00 to 12:20

A strategic conversation exploring how enterprises across Asia are moving from AI experimentation to real-world deployment, balancing innovation, operational scale, governance, and measurable business impact.

Madhav Timalsina

Vice President & Group Director - Head of Greater China Markets

Infosys

Capital Without the Dilution Tax: Venture Debt, Emerging Market Financing, and the Tools Founders Don't Know They Have.

Ecosystem Xchange - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
12:00 to 12:40

Most APAC and MENA founders treat equity as the only option. It isn't. Venture debt, revenue-based financing, Shariah-compliant structures, and blended instruments are reshaping how the most capital-efficient founders in emerging markets grow — without giving away the company to do it. Two investors who deploy across the corridors that matter most share when debt beats equity, how to structure a round that doesn't haunt you at Series B, and why the founders who understand their full capital toolkit consistently outperform those who don't.

Fariha Ansari Javed

Partner, GCC

Stride Ventures

Kyane Kassiri

Solo GP

Delusional Capital

Vishal Harishchandra

Chairman and CEO

Ocean AI. The Valkin Group

Alan Kuan Hsu

Synergy Creator

Synexia Ventures

Ambition At Infrastructure Scale: How Saudi Turns Digital Vision Into Operational Reality

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
12:00 to 12:20

Saudi’s digital transformation is being built at infrastructure scale, combining national ambition, public-sector platforms, global enterprise technology and on-the-ground execution. This fireside chat explores how Saudi is turning digital vision into real operational systems, and how cross-sector partnerships are helping build the infrastructure and capabilities behind long-term transformation.

Juliet Mann

Anchor, CGTN Europe

Majed Al Otaibi

Chief Government Proudest Officer

elm

Lawrence Yu

Chief Strategy and Businesses Development Officer

Lenovo Group Middle East, Türkiye and Africa Region

12:10

Inside the AI-Native Bank: Culture, Infrastructure and Intelligent Finance

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
12:10 to 12:30

Tat Lee, CEO of Welab Bank, joins Nicole Sandler of Ubyx to explore how AI is reshaping digital banking from the inside out. From credit and fraud prevention to culture, governance, and next-generation payment infrastructure, this session examines what it takes to build and scale truly AI-native financial institutions.

Tat Lee

Chief Executive and Board Member

WeLab Bank

12:20

When AI Touches the Physical World

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
12:20 to 12:40

As AI moves from digital to physical environments, a new paradigm is emerging called Physical AI. Drawing on large scale deployments across industries, this session explores how real-world intelligence is transforming manufacturing, logistics, retail and healthcare. From operational data to AI alignment and human in the loop systems, discover what it takes to scale AI in mission critical environments and how this shift will redefine industries and economies.

Yousuke Okada

Founder & CEO

ABEJA

The New Tech Diplomacy: From Tech Exchange to Strategic Advantage

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
12:20 to 12:55

As technology becomes central to national competitiveness, countries are taking a more active role in shaping how innovation moves across borders and translating tech exchange into strategic advantage

Adam Shaw

Multi Award Winning Journalist & Presenter

Chris Woodward

Director General

British Consulate-General Hong Kong

12:30

The Death of Checkout: Embedded Finance & Invisible Payments

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
12:30 to 13:10

Finance is disappearing into platforms. This session examines how embedded finance, real-time payments, and platform-native models are reshaping commerce, banking, and inclusion, revealing where value is captured as payments become invisible and financial services integrate directly into digital experiences.

Jayant Kulkarni

Global Product Head Merchant Services

HSBC

Lito Villanueva

Executive Vice President / Chief Innovation & Inclusion officer

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)

13:10

From Testbed to Scale-Up: How Innovation Ecosystems Build Global Growth

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
13:10 to 13:45

This session explores how innovation ecosystems can help companies move from research, pilots and testbeds into real-world scale. With Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area becoming important platforms for applied innovation, the discussion will look at how infrastructure, capital, policy support and cross-border partnerships can help startups and technology companies commercialize faster and expand into new markets.

Ahmed Al-Darwish

Managing Partner

Noa Capital Partners

Vincent Ma

CEO

Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park

Chibo Tang

Managing Partner

Gobi Partners

13:20

Powering the Next Frontier of Sustainability Intelligence

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
13:20 to 13:40

The future of sustainability is intelligent, predictive, and embedded at the heart of business strategy. This session examines how AI is redefining sustainability - shifting from static reporting to dynamic, data-driven action. By embedding intelligence across operations, enterprises can transform sustainability from a compliance exercise into a strategic lever for resilience and long-term growth.

Farrukh Shad

Head of Sustainability Business for the Asia Pacific, India, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) region

Schneider Electric

13:40

Trust Is the New Infrastructure: Security, Identity, Fraud & Regulation at Scale

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
13:40 to 14:20

How financial systems embed trust across technology, policy, and real-world use cases.As financial systems become real-time, cross-border, and increasingly embedded, trust is no longer a layer, it is the infrastructure itself. Security, identity, fraud prevention, and regulation now shape how financial products are designed, scaled, and adopted.This session examines how banks, fintechs, infrastructure providers, and regulators are building trust into financial systems by design, rather than treating security and compliance as afterthoughts. It explores how regulatory frameworks, identity models, and fraud controls are converging with technology to enable scale, without sacrificing resilience or user experience.Rather than focusing on threats alone, the discussion centres on practical use cases where trust infrastructure enables growth, interoperability, and inclusion across Asia and global markets

Tianwei Liu

Co-founder & CEO

StraitsX

Petra Janez

Financial Counsellor

Ministry of Finance Slovenia

How AI Is Transforming Software Engineering

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
13:40 to 14:00

AI is reshaping the software development lifecycle, from coding assistance and intelligent testing to automated quality assurance and deployment workflows. This session explores how enterprises are integrating AI into engineering operations to improve speed, reliability, scalability, and product delivery.

Ahmad M. Dulli

General Manager of Technology Excellence

Elm

13:45

Forging New Frontiers: Expanding from Hong Kong to the Middle East and Beyond

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
13:45 to 14:20

This panel session will bring together senior executives from strategic technology enterprises from the Chinese Mainland and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) of the HKSAR Government. The discussion will centre on sharing first-hand success stories and valuable operational insights from their ventures in the Middle East, other Belt-Road countries and beyond. The session would highlight the opportunities present in these regions. It will also demonstrate how tech enterprises can leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages to effectively expand their global presence and establish sustainable, mutually beneficial international partnerships.

Juliet Mann

Anchor, CGTN Europe

Tony Qiu

VP of Meituan & CEO

Keeta

Kay Yang

CEO

Westwell Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited

Stephan Wang

Head of ASEAN Markets

WeBank Technology

Bryan Peng

Executive Director

Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, the Government of the HKSAR

14:00

Sovereign AI Is an Infrastructure Problem, Not a Model Problem

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
14:00 to 14:20

Nations across Asia and the Middle East are racing to deploy AI at scale — but model access is no longer the binding constraint. The real competition is over compute sovereignty: who controls the infrastructure, where data lives, and which economies can run inference within their own borders. Drawing on national AI strategies across the US, Europe, Japan, and Korea, this session examines why sovereign AI is ultimately a data center decision, and what it means for the Asia-Middle East innovation corridor taking shape today.

Jennifer Glore

Executive Vice President of Product Management

Rebellions

14:20

From Capital to Co-Creation: How Institutions Back & Scale Financial Innovation

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
14:20 to 14:40

As fintech matures, capital alone is no longer enough. The next generation of financial innovation is being shaped by co-creation, deep, long-term partnerships between banks, investors, and institutions that can take technology from pilot to global scale.In this fireside chat, we will unpack how institutions are redefining their role in fintech growth.The conversation explores how banks and long-duration capital providers evaluate innovation beyond valuation and hype, focusing instead on strategic fit, governance, regulatory readiness, and real commercial pathways. From venture to private equity to bank-led co-creation, the speakers share what it takes for startups to move from experimentation to integration inside complex financial systems.This session offers founders, investors, and operators a rare look at how institutional capital actually works, what separates investable fintech from scalable fintech, and why collaboration, not disruption alone, will define the next phase of financial innovation.

Shane Shin

Founding Partner

Shorooq Partners

What Happens When AI Systems Operate Where Humans Cannot?

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
14:20 to 14:40

AI is becoming critical infrastructure for the space economy, enabling autonomous satellites, real-time orbital decision-making, and large-scale data analysis. As commercial activity in space accelerates, AI is unlocking new opportunities across telecom, climate intelligence, and defense, transforming space into a scalable, data-driven industry.

Dr. Bidushi Bhattacharya

former NASA scientist-turned-astropreneur. CEO

AstroHub

Seamless Scale: Building the Trusted Rails for Global Expansion

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
14:20 to 14:40

Behind every smooth cross-border experience is a complex layer of trust: payments, compliance, identity, risk and local market execution. In this fireside, leaders from fintech and payments discuss how companies can build the infrastructure and partnerships needed to expand globally with speed, security and confidence.

Adam Shaw

Multi Award Winning Journalist & Presenter

Kai Wu

Chief Revenue Officer

Airwallex

14:40

Fireside chat

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
14:40 to 14:55

Juliet Mann

Anchor, CGTN Europe

Jack Chan

Chairman, China, Regional Managing Partner, Greater China

14:50

Day 1 Closing Reflections

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
14:50 to 15:00

Dr. Bidushi Bhattacharya

former NASA scientist-turned-astropreneur. CEO

AstroHub

14:55

The Ecosystem Multiplier: From Models To Markets - What Makes AI Deployable At Scale

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
14:55 to 15:30

This session brings both lens to the table: investors who are actively shaping where conviction turns into capital across the AI stack, and a founder & operator who has built AI into the core of a regulated, multi-market digital bank from day one, proving that scalable, profitable AI deployment is not a future state, but an operating reality. This will be a conversation grounded equally in where the money is going, and in what it actually takes to get there.

Alexandra Vidyuk

CEO & Founding Partner

Beyond Earth Ventures

Amal Dokhan

Managing Partner MENA

500 Global

Cindy Chow

Executive Director & CEO

Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund

Simon Loong

Founder and Group CEO

WeLab

15:30

The Agentic Enterprise: Going Global With Digital Sovereignty

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
15:30 to 15:45

Hans A.T. Dekkers talks about IBM’s approach to digital sovereignty and how it makes the agentic enterprise viable. He shares a framework for enterprises in Asia to scale towards the agentic future while maintaining governance, security, and control.

Hans Dekkers

General Manager, Asia Pacific & China

IBM

15:45

Beyond The Hype: Turning AI Into Business Impact

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
15:45 to 16:00

Ben Goodman

President JAPAC

Adobe

16:00

Digital and Innovative Silk Road - the New Asia-MENA Economic Corridor

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
16:00 to 16:35

As Asia and the Middle East deepen their ties, technology is becoming a new driver of regional connectivity. These session explore how digital infrastructure, innovation partnerships and cross-border collaboration can shape a modern Silk Road, opening new pathways for investment, trade and long-term economic growth.

Nicholas Ho

Commissioner for Belt & Road

Government of the HKSAR

Prof. Kai Lung Hui

Elman Family Professor of Business

HKUST Business School

Dr. Martin Zhu

Co-founder and CEO

i2Cool

Dr. Yufeng Wang

Partner & Head of Decarbonization and Energy Transition Investmen

Templewater

16:10

From Policy to Platforms: Building Global Fintech Ecosystems That Scale

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
16:10 to 16:30

Petra Janez

Financial Counsellor

Ministry of Finance Slovenia

Josh Du

Chief Investment Officer

Animoca Brands

16:35

TradeTech's Invisible Rails: The Infrastructure Powering SME Globalisation

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 8, 2026
16:35 to 17:00

Three operators reshaping how goods, data and capital move across borders - and why the biggest logistics revolution is still mostly invisible.

Ian Goh

Managing Partner

01VC

Neil Ni

Chief Strategy Officer

XTransfer

Paul Loo

Chief Operating Officer

Lalamove

Peter Wang

Chief Strategy Officer

Hai Robotics

End of Day 1 - 7th July

Day 2 - 8th July

09:00

Trackside Thrills & Network by LEAP East Nights

July 8, 2026
09:00 to 10:00

An exclusive LEAP Nights networking event set at one of Hong Kong’s most prestigious venues. Guests will experience live horse racing from a private trackside terrace, enjoy a guided journey through key racecourse moments, and connect with a curated group of industry peers. The evening combines refined hospitality, international cuisine, and a premium setting designed to foster meaningful conversations and high-value connections.

10:00

MC Welcome

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:00 to 10:10

Opening Keynote - Biotech

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:00 to 10:10

Opening Keynote: Powering Global AI Innovation: Hong Kong as a Super Connector & Super Value-adder for Cross-Regional Growth

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:00 to 10:10

As AI reshapes industries and economies, global collaboration has become essential to unlocking its full potential. In this keynote, Mr. Simon Chan will explore how Hong Kong, as an international innovation and technology hub, is uniquely positioned to bridge the Chinese Mainland, Asia, the Middle East, and global markets. Drawing on Cyberport’s vibrant ecosystem of over 2,300 tech companies and over 500 network partners, he will highlight how Cyberport ecosystem steers AI+ innovation, technology translation, commercialisation, and cross-border partnerships to actualise AI and tech empowerment for real impact. The keynote will also underscore Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”, enabling enterprises, start-ups, and investors to collaborate, scale, and drive progressive growth in the evolving intelligent economy.

Simon Chan, BBS, JP

Chairman

Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited

10:10

Building Capital Efficient Cross Border Startups

Ecosystem Xchange - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:10 to 10:50

Learn from Leo capital's experience on how to scale to the US and beyond without burning millions of dollars. e will cover how to set up, market, sell globally, and raise your next rounds internationally. This workshop is for globally ambitious B2B founders.

Shwetank Verma

Co-founder and Managing Partner

Leo Capital

The Next Frontier for Therapeutics: AI Driven Innovation

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:10 to 10:40

Technology is enabling the next generation of scientific breakthroughs that is evolving what is possible to achieve with medicine. We explore the transformative potential of AI and machine learning that are enabling drug discovery and treatments that were not possible before.

Daniel Wee

Chief Execution Officer

Enveda

AI + Everything: China’s Innovation and Global Impact

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:10 to 10:45

China’s AI ecosystem is moving from model breakthroughs to real-world deployment. This forum brings together founders, investors and operators to discuss where China’s AI companies are scaling next, how they are applying AI across industries, and what it takes to compete in global markets.

Victoria Guo

Partner

SEC Newgate China

Yanping Xiang

CEO

AICT

Fan Zhang

Founder & CEO

Yoolee AI

Harry Man

Founding Partner

MPC

MENA to APAC: Defining the Next Era of Wealth

Ecosystem Xchange - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:10 to 10:30

The boundaries of wealth are shifting. As investors look beyond familiar markets in search of new opportunity, the corridors connecting the Gulf and Asia-Pacific are emerging as defining arenas for the future of capital. This panel explores what it means to manage wealth in an era of expanding horizons; where ambition outpaces convention, and the old playbooks no longer hold.

Bilal Abou-Diab

Co-Founder and CEO

Vault Wealth

Sarah AlSaleh

General Partner

Outliers Venture Capital

10:20

Global AI Governance: Privacy, Risk, and Accountability at Scale

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:20 to 10:40

As AI systems expand across borders and industries, this keynote explores the governance frameworks needed to manage risk, protect privacy, and ensure responsible AI deployment.

Ivana Bartoletti

Vice-President, Global Chief Privacy and AI Governance Officer

Wipro

10:40

Building AI into Regulated Finance

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:40 to 11:20

Financial institutions are embedding AI into core systems while navigating strict regulatory environments, cybersecurity risks, and growing demands for explainability.

Jason Lau

CISO, Board of Directors

ISACA

Jovan Trajceski

Chair of Innovation Committee, Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

co-chairs the AI & Big Data Committee, FinTech Association of Hong Kong

Prof. Andy Chun

Professor of Practice

Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Details Coming Soon

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:40 to 11:20

Cliff Chau

Managing Partner

ewpartners

10:45

The Asia Expansion Equation: What It Takes To Win Across Markets

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:45 to 11:20

Cliff Chau

Managing Partner

ewpartners

John C. Lee

Vice Chairman/ Co-Head of Asia Country Coverage, Global Banking

UBS

10:50

Building Capital Efficient Cross Border Startups

Ecosystem Xchange - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
10:50 to 11:10

Learn from Leo capital's experience on how to scale to the US and beyond without burning millions of dollars. Leo will cover how to set up, market, sell globally, and raise your next rounds internationally. This workshop is for globally ambitious B2B founders.

Shwetank Verma

Co-founder and Managing Partner

Leo Capital

11:10

Japan-Global South Innovation Corridor 2026

Ecosystem Xchange - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
11:10 to 11:50

Discover how Japan’s regional economies are driving innovation and creating new opportunities for growth. This session explores the latest market trends, cross-border collaboration strategies, and partnership models connecting Japanese corporations with global startups. Learn how these synergies are unlocking new value within the startup ecosystem and strengthening Japan’s ties with global markets.

Yu Aruga

Director and Board Member

ICMG Ventures

Junichiro Etoh

Managing Director

JRE VENTURES

11:20

Banking 3.0: The Age of Intelligent Money and Autonomous Finance

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
11:20 to 11:35

MoxBank's CEO on what digital banking looks like when AI runs the full stack- from credit decisions to customer experience to capital allocation.

Barbaros Uygun

CEO and Executive Director

Mox Bank

Reimagine the FSI Ecosystem – Financial AI Fabric Powered by IOWN

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
11:20 to 11:40

Steven So

Chief Operating Officer

NTT Com Asia

11:40

The Economics of AI Adoption in Asia

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
11:40 to 12:00

This session examines the economic forces shaping AI adoption across Asia, including productivity gains, labor market shifts, and investment dynamics.

Prof. Kai Lung Hui

Elman Family Professor of Business

HKUST Business School

11:50

Tech for Healthcare: How AI is revolutionizing Drug Discovery

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
11:50 to 12:05

New technologies like AI & Quantum computing are revolutionizing drug discovery by predicting biological interactions and reducing costly trial failures. This keynote explores how AI-driven platforms are reshaping pharmaceutical R&D and dramatically shortening the path from discovery to clinical trials.

Alex Zhavoronkov

Founder & CEO

Insilico Medicine

12:00

The Human Stack: The Last Unfair Advantage

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
12:00 to 12:30

The last unfair advantage is the human touch. In a market where AI tools have flattened the GTM playing field, the founders extending reach, cutting CAC and closing harder deals are the ones running a different stack - built on judgment, trust, and the moves no algorithm can replicate. Andreas Mueller, Melissa Meredith and Aida Takyrbasheva on the human stack underneath the AI one.

Andreas Mueller

Founder & CEO

Bloofusion

Melissa Meredith

VP of Strategy

Bloofusion

Aida Takyrbasheva

Founder

Break The Ice

12:05

Engineered Health: The Future of Gene Therapy

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
12:05 to 12:45

Cell and gene therapies are transforming treatment for cancer, rare diseases, and genetic disorders. As the technology matures, Asia-Pacific is emerging as a key region for clinical trials, manufacturing capacity, and patient access.

Jielun Zhu

Co-Founder, CFO & CBO

Excalipoint Therapeutics Inc.

12:10

Corporate IP & Tech: The Untapped Fuel Powering Startup Support in Today's Tech Ecosystem

Ecosystem Xchange - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
12:10 to 12:30

This talk explores how the vast patent portfolios and technologies held by multinational corporations are being unlocked and channelled into the hands of early-stage startups, creating a new paradigm for innovation and startup enablement. From bypassing costly R&D cycles and strengthening investor pitches to accelerating market entry and opening doors to a global network of partners, attendees will walk away with a fresh perspective on how dormant corporate IP is quietly reshaping the way startups are built, supported, and scaled in today's technology landscape.

Jason Loh

CEO & Founder

Piece Future

12:30

Agentic AI in Global Trade Finance: Trust, Governance and Cross Border Supply Chains

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
12:30 to 12:50

Global trade moves $32 trillion a year, yet still runs on email, PDFs and manual KYC. Embedding AI agents into this flow is no longer a technology question — it is a governance one. Vishal Harishchandra, Founder & CEO of OceanX AI, will share how a regulated, agentic-AI platform is automating trade finance and supply chain decisions across four jurisdictions — while satisfying bank-grade controls, AML/KYC, sanctions screening and auditability. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for evaluating regulated AI deployments and a clear view of where agentic finance is heading.

Vishal Harishchandra

Chairman and CEO

Ocean AI. The Valkin Group

Unlocking Growth in Emerging Digital Economies

Ecosystem Xchange - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
12:30 to 12:50

Hakeem Alrasheed

General Manager - International Department

Elm

12:40

Old Money, New Moves. A Next-gen Family Office Conversation On VC, PE & The Private Markets Opportunity

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
12:40 to 13:15

The next generation of family office leaders from Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia are inheriting vast pools of capital- and rewriting the rules on how to deploy it. This session brings together emerging stewards of multi-generational wealth to explore why VC and PE are moving from alternative to essential in the modern family office portfolio, and what it takes to build conviction, deal flow, and governance in private markets from scratch.

Ahmed Al-Darwish

Managing Partner

Noa Capital Partners

Alex Ma

Managing Principal

AO Holdings

Sultan Ghaznawi

Chairman and Managing Director

Scene Holding

13:15

The Academic Edge: Scaling Medical Research into Life-Changing Medicine

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
13:15 to 13:45

Join us for a conversation that explores K-Pharma’s journey from a Keio to a pioneer in regenerative medicine and the strategic hurdles of scaling iPS cell technology to treat intractable neurological diseases

Yu Aruga

Director and Board Member

ICMG Ventures

Masato Matsumoto

Managing Director & CFO

K-Pharma

Saudi’s Creative Economy: Where Culture, Technology, Esports And Entertainment Converge

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
13:15 to 13:50

Saudi’s cultural and entertainment sectors are becoming a new arena for technology-led experiences. From music and film to esports and fashion, this session looks at how creative industries are using platforms, digital tools and immersive formats to engage audiences, build new markets and expand Saudi’s cultural influence on the global stage.

Juliet Mann

Anchor, CGTN Europe

Burak Cakmak

CEO

Fashion Commission, Ministry of Culture, Saudi Arabia

Rawan Al Butairi

CEO

Saudi Esports Federation

Faisal Baltyuor

CEO, Board Member, Film Producer

Red Sea Film Foundation

Nada Alhelabi

General Manager

MDLBEAST Foundation

13:20

Who's Building and Powering Asia's Compute Economy?

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
13:20 to 13:50

Scaling AI across Asia requires powerful cloud platforms, regional compute infrastructure, and new architectures designed for enterprise-grade AI deployment.

Jennifer Glore

Executive Vice President of Product Management

Rebellions

Roland Morales

Director of Business Development and Strategy

Hong Kong Data Centre Association

13:45

Robotics in Healthtech: From Training To Surgery

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
13:45 to 14:25

Medical Robotics and AI are playing a critical role in modernizing the health sector. In this session we explore the application of these technologies in training doctors, diagnose patients and provide treatment.

13:50

From AI Ambition to Enterprise Value

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
13:50 to 14:10

Join EY and Microsoft for a candid fireside chat that moves beyond the hype to explore how organizations are driving frontier transformation with AI – turning ambition into measurable enterprise value. Hear what’s working, what’s not, and how EY and Microsoft are partnering with customers to lead this next wave of transformation across strategy, governance, talent, and technology, with practical, real-world insights you can act on now.

Juliet Mann

Anchor, CGTN Europe

Patrick Winter

Asia-Pacific Area Managing Partner

Ali Powell

Corporate Vice President, Asia Technical Services

Microsoft

14:10

The New Finance Playbook: From Ai-Native To Ai-Augmented

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
14:10 to 14:45

Finance is entering a new AI chapter. Some players are building from the ground up with AI at the core, while others are upgrading the systems that already move money, manage risk and serve customers at scale. This session explores what changes when AI becomes part of the financial operating model, and who is best positioned to win.

Adam Shaw

Multi Award Winning Journalist & Presenter

Stephen Tsang

Chief Strategy Officer

NTT Com Asia

14:50

Day 2 Closing Reflections

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
14:50 to 15:00

15:00

Rocket Fuel East Round 2

DeepFest - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
15:00 to 17:00

Conrad Tsang

Founder and Chairman

Strategic Year Holdings Limited

Aaron Tan

CEO & Founder

Carro

15:05

Scaling Global Innovation for Patient Impact: Tech for Cancer Care

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
15:05 to 15:20

Explore the transformation of oncology through a platform that leverages unique technologies and components to treat cancer.

Minami Maeda

President

Rakuten Medical

15:20

From Software to Physical Intelligence: Re-Architecting Industry with AI

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
15:20 to 15:35

AI is moving beyond screens and software into the systems that keep the world running. In this keynote, Toshiba’s CDO explores how intelligence is becoming embedded in manufacturing, logistics and infrastructure, reshaping industrial operations from the ground up and creating a new era of physical-native transformation.

Shunsuke Okada

Corporate Senior Vice President, Chief Digital Officer

Toshiba

15:35

Sponsors session

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
15:35 to 15:50

Giedre Malinauskaite

Chief Strategy Officer

CNTXT

15:50

The CRISPR Revolution: From Lab Bench to Bedside

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
15:50 to 16:30

This session explores the journey of CRISPR technology from its origins as a bacterial defense mechanism to its current status as a transformative clinical reality. It focuses on how precision genome editing is moving beyond the laboratory to treat previously incurable diseases.

Tian Zhu

Co-founder & CEO

GenEditBio

Beyond Borders: How China’s Tech Innovators Are Scaling Globally

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
15:50 to 16:25

Chinese tech companies are no longer only competing at home. A new generation of founders and business leaders are taking bold ideas, advanced products and fast-moving business models into global markets.This session explores what it really takes to scale beyond China, from building trust with international customers and adapting to local markets, to finding the right capital, partners and long-term growth strategy. With CMBI bringing an investor’s lens, the discussion will also look at what makes a Chinese tech company truly ready for global scale.

Jianjun Huo

CEO

CMB International

16:25

Scaling Global Fintechs from Southeast Asia

Main Stage - LEAP East
July 9, 2026
16:25 to 17:00

This session illustrates how the global tech map is shifting: Southeast Asia is no longer just a destination for capital, but a primary source of population-scale fintechs designed for global export.

Yinglan Tan

Founding Managing Partner

Insignia Ventures Partners

Pratyush Prasanna

Group CEO

Flip

Dr. Yanan Wu

Chairman & CEO

Surfin

Tianwei Liu

Co-founder & CEO

StraitsX

19:30

Tea House Theatre Experience

July 10, 2026
19:30 to 23:00

The Tea House Theatre Experience is specially designed to introduce new audiences to Cantonese opera – the local form of Chinese opera or xiqu. The 90-minute showcase of songs, instrumental musical pieces and performance excerpts, demonstrates a range of traditional styles through a changing programme of works exploring tales of romance, comedy, tragedy and martial arts. The experience also includes narration by an expert moderator with subtitles in Traditional Chinese and English.

Enjoy our special offer on admission ticket- simply enter the promo code before checkout to redeem. Purchase your ticket here: (Link).Seats are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to ticket availability. Terms and Conditions apply.

Please ensure you have your event badge available upon arrival, as it will be required for entry and verification at the venue entrance.

End of Day 2 - 8th July

Day 3 - 9th July

13:00

Gulf Connect X LEAP East

July 8, 2026
13:00 to 18:00

Gulf Connect, initiated by Sina Finance and SuperBridge Council in association with LEAP East, is a strategic platform that strengthens collaboration between Asia and the GCC across investment, technology, industry, and policy. During LEAP East Hong Kong 2026, the invitation-only Gulf Connect Executive Exchange will bring together sovereign wealth funds, investors, policymakers, technology leaders, and industry executives to explore frontier technologies, industrial transformation, investment opportunities, and future regional growth.

Accelerating Innovation Through Smarter Initiatives - a Euro perspective

Orbital Stage - LEAP East
July 10, 2026
13:00 to 13:20

A look at how European cities are moving from strategy to scalable deployment of AI and smart city programs, highlighting practical governance models, infrastructure acceleration, and cross-sector integration.

Fernando de Pablo Martin

Digital Office Director

Madrid City Council

Svetlana Tesic

Co-Founder

Mayors of Europe

09:00

LEAP East Gala Dinner

July 9, 2026
09:00 to 10:00

An exclusive and private Gala Dinner hosted by LEAP Nights, bringing together invited guests for an evening dedicated to innovation, meaningful connections, and the vibrant community shaping the future of technology.

10:00

MC Welcome