Hewlett Packard Enterprise will use LEAP 2026 in Riyadh to showcase sovereign AI, autonomous networking, hybrid cloud and high-performance computing technologies as it deepens its focus on Saudi Arabia’s expanding digital infrastructure market.
The company will also provide updates on its “Saudi Made” initiative, which is intended to strengthen HPE’s local presence and capabilities in the Kingdom.
LEAP 2026 runs from August 31 to September 3 at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.
HPE AI Factory with NVIDIA takes centre stage
A major part of HPE’s showcase will be its AI Factory with NVIDIA portfolio.
The offering combines HPE hardware, software and services with NVIDIA accelerated computing, networking and AI software technologies.
HPE said the portfolio is designed to help organisations build and operate secure, scalable AI infrastructure and includes options for sovereign AI, large-scale AI deployments, smart spatial applications and high-performance computing.
The company will also demonstrate HPE Private Cloud AI, a turnkey AI factory solution co-engineered with NVIDIA.
The platform is intended to simplify the deployment and operation of enterprise AI workloads while giving organisations greater control over infrastructure and data.
Sovereign AI aligns with Saudi infrastructure priorities
The emphasis on sovereign AI is particularly relevant to Saudi Arabia’s technology strategy.
As governments and regulated industries increase their use of AI, demand is growing for infrastructure that can keep sensitive data, computing resources and AI workloads within defined national or organisational environments.
HPE is positioning its AI Factory portfolio around that requirement, combining on-premise and private infrastructure with accelerated computing.
The company will also showcase its Cray Supercomputing GX5000, which uses direct liquid cooling to support high-performance computing environments.
Liquid cooling is becoming increasingly important as AI and HPC systems require denser computing infrastructure and generate higher thermal loads.
Self-driving networking combines Aruba and Juniper technologies
HPE will also showcase autonomous networking technologies based on products from HPE Aruba Networking and HPE Juniper Networking.
The systems are designed to detect, diagnose and resolve network issues in real time across campus, branch and wide-area environments.
This reflects HPE’s broader move towards AI-assisted network operations, where automation is used to reduce manual troubleshooting and improve service availability.
Combining capabilities from Aruba and Juniper also gives HPE a broader networking proposition spanning enterprise access, campus environments and wider network infrastructure.
Hybrid cloud remains central to enterprise strategy
HPE will present a wider hybrid cloud portfolio covering private cloud, cyber resilience, AI-ready data and storage, and mission-critical computing.
The company is targeting organisations that need to combine public cloud flexibility with greater control over workloads, infrastructure and data.
That model is particularly relevant for governments, large enterprises and regulated sectors where data sovereignty, security and compliance requirements can limit the use of fully public cloud environments.
Connected venue technologies also on display
HPE will also demonstrate technologies designed for sports and entertainment venues.
The solutions combine networking, hybrid cloud and AI capabilities to support connected facilities, operational efficiency and digital fan experiences.
This expands the company’s LEAP presence beyond traditional enterprise IT and into large-scale digital environments where connectivity, data processing and real-time applications must operate together.
Saudi Made initiative to receive update
HPE said LEAP will also provide a platform to update the market on its “Saudi Made” initiative.
The programme is intended to strengthen the company’s local capabilities and presence in Saudi Arabia.
HPE has not detailed in the source what specific new announcements will be made under the initiative during LEAP, but the programme fits into the Kingdom’s broader push to localise technology capability, infrastructure and skills.
Mohammad Alrehaili, HPE vice president and managing director for the Middle East, said the company will use LEAP to demonstrate how its AI, hybrid cloud and networking portfolio can support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives.
Why this matters
HPE’s LEAP 2026 showcase reflects how the Saudi technology market is shifting towards infrastructure capable of supporting large-scale AI deployment rather than standalone digital transformation projects.
Sovereign AI, accelerated computing, high-performance networking and private cloud are becoming increasingly interconnected requirements, particularly for governments and regulated enterprises.
For HPE, Saudi Arabia represents an opportunity to position itself across the full AI infrastructure stack, from compute and storage to networking, cloud and supercomputing.
Editor’s note
The most strategically important part of HPE’s LEAP presence is the convergence of sovereign AI and autonomous infrastructure.
Saudi organisations increasingly need AI systems that can operate at scale while meeting requirements around data control, resilience and local infrastructure.
HPE’s challenge will be to translate its broad portfolio into locally deployed AI capacity and measurable enterprise use cases. The “Saudi Made” initiative will therefore be worth watching closely, particularly for signs of deeper localisation beyond sales and deployment into manufacturing, skills and long-term technical capability.
