WAM Saudi 2026, Saudi Arabia’s premier technology-driven event for advanced manufacturing and logistics, commenced in Riyadh on February 15, 2026. The three-day summit operates under the patronage of His Excellency Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources.
The event takes place at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Centre. KAOUN International organizes the summit in strategic partnership with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON). The gathering brings together global leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to advance Saudi Arabia’s industrial transformation.
Conference Structure and Key Themes
WAM Saudi 2026 features three main pillars: the Conference, the Investor Programme, and the WAM Startups Competitions. The summit addresses policy, trade, and investment frameworks that shape industrial leadership. Moreover, the event provides networking opportunities connecting international thought leaders with industry professionals.
Alex Nicholl, Vice-President at Kaoun International, stated the event gives businesses a strategic opportunity to contribute to the Kingdom’s industrial growth. He said it functions as an integrated cluster of verticals representing key pillars of industrial advancement.
Day One Sessions and Speakers
The inaugural day featured main-stage sessions on human-centric automation and the transition to Industry 5.0. Sessions covered Saudi Arabia’s industrialization model linking energy and manufacturing, quantum technologies implications, and green manufacturing business cases. The Industry Stage explored autonomous intelligence at scale and global best practices in advanced manufacturing.
Key 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, also presented. Additionally, Andreas Jahn from BVMW Germany discussed securing 5G factories against cyber-attacks.
Investment and Startup Opportunities
The Investor Programme offers access to high-potential start-ups and C-suite leaders shaping industrial innovation in Saudi Arabia. The event showcases three flagship pitch platforms: the Supernova Industry X Pitch Competition awards USD 10,000 in equity-free funding. The River Venture Studio Pitch Competition provides access to up to USD 2 million in potential investment. Furthermore, 1Trepreneur’s 1Tank connects founders with industry leaders and active investors.
International Participation and Partnerships
Representatives from more than 20 countries attended the forum, including the USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Canada, UAE, Turkey, Portugal, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Egypt, Pakistan, Russia, and Uzbekistan. The event marked the launch of the first international startup pavilions from Singapore and India. In partnership with MODON, the summit is supported by UNIDO, BVMW, Business Finland, INSME, AfriLabs, CyberTech Acceleration, nTrepreneur, IQBN, and Kearney. Major sponsors include SIDF, AWS, and Infor.
Future Outlook and Day Two Agenda
Day two will focus on strengthening global competitiveness and resilience, aligning with Vision 2030 industrial ambitions. Discussions will cover the economics of resilient supply chains and commercial trade-offs associated with resilience. Sessions will examine how smart utilities, digital twins, and high-speed connectivity transform industrial park design and operation. The day concludes with an interactive workshop guiding participants through the entrepreneurship journey in the industry. Consequently, attendees will gain insights into AI, robotics, automation, and digital integration redefining industrial competitiveness.
