In February, we attended LEAP 2025 alongside our partner, Detasad, to showcase groundbreaking innovations and reinforce our commitment to digital transformation in Saudi Arabia. As we expand our presence in the Gulf region, our dataspace solutions are empowering businesses with scalability, security, and compliance. This year’s LEAP attracted over 200,000 attendees and 1,500 exhibitors, further cementing Saudi Arabia’s role as a regional powerhouse for AI and technology investment, with $14.9 billion committed across AI, cloud computing, and data infrastructure.
Dataspaces: The future of secure data collaboration
One of the most exciting themes at LEAP 2025 was the transformative potential of dataspaces in creating secure and scalable data-sharing ecosystems. As Saudi Arabia accelerates its digital transformation, dataspaces will unlock unprecedented opportunities across industries, ensuring secure collaboration and value creation.
A dataspace is a decentralized framework that enables organizations to share and exchange data in a controlled, secure, and interoperable manner while preserving data sovereignty. Companies can define access rights, ensure compliance with regulations, and maintain full control over their data. Key benefits include:
- Seamless collaboration & innovation: Secure data-sharing fosters advancements in AI, predictive analytics, and automation
- Data sovereignty & compliance: Organizations retain full control over their data while adhering to local and international regulations
- Enhanced efficiency & cost reduction: Real-time access to high-quality data optimizes supply chains and decision-making
- New revenue opportunities: Securely sharing anonymized datasets unlocks untapped business potential
- AI & advanced analytics enablement: Aggregated data drives AI-powered insights, enhancing customer personalization and automation
At LEAP 2025, we showcased real-world initiatives demonstrating the power of dataspaces, including:
- Manufacturing-X: Enhancing digital collaboration in manufacturing
- Catena-X: Optimizing supply chains in the automotive sector
- Aerospace-X: Improving efficiency and safety in aerospace through standardized data sharing
Image 1. T-Systems meeting visitors at the booth
Detasad: Powering Saudi Arabia’s digital evolution
Detasad (Detecon Al Saudia) is a leading ICT and managed services provider in Saudi Arabia with over 40 years of expertise. Specializing in cloud computing, cybersecurity, networking, and data center services, Detasad is at the forefront of digital transformation across multiple industries. Our partnership with Detasad enables us to leverage their infrastructure expertise and managed services, delivering cutting-edge technology solutions at scale.
Build & Operate: Create your dataspace, drive app development, and manage seamless collaboration
Build & Operate provides enterprises with a secure, scalable, and cloud-agnostic platform to drive digital transformation. Its key advantages include:
- Accelerated application development: With over 200 preconfigured applications and operator tools, businesses can reduce time-to-market and drive innovation
- Data sovereignty and compliance: Detasad’s regional infrastructure ensures adherence to Saudi regulations, crucial for sectors like government, healthcare, and finance
- Secure and trusted data collaboration: Built on Gaia-X and IDSA standards, Build & Operate enables organizations to create their own secure dataspace
- Multi-cloud and on-premise scalability: Businesses are not locked into a single vendor, maintaining full flexibility across sovereign, public, and private cloud infrastructures
Image 2. Mohamed Radwan at Detasad booth
T-Systems and Detasad: Expanding into the Gulf region
Our longstanding partnership with Detasad continues to grow as we expand further into the Gulf region, particularly Saudi Arabia, home to giga-projects like NEOM. Our innovative solutions empower businesses to establish their own dataspaces, accelerate application development, and enable seamless collaboration across industries.
Key moments from LEAP 2025
Thought Leadership on Data Sovereignty
Detasad’s CEO, Felix Wass, led an insightful discussion on:
- The significance of data-sovereign cloud and post-quantum security.
- The evolving landscape of AI, encryption, and regional data regulations.
- The role of dataspaces and AI as foundational pillars of the AI revolution.
Image 3. Mohamed Radwan (T-Systems), Roman Kurzo (T-Systems), and Felix Wass (Detasad) meeting visitors
These discussions underscored the importance of secure, standardized data exchange and the immense opportunities it creates for businesses in a digital-first world. As we continue to build national and regional data ecosystems, these insights will be crucial in shaping economic and social transformation.
Post-LEAP workshop with Detasad
Following LEAP 2025, we conducted an in-depth workshop with Detasad, exploring the future of dataspaces and cloud infrastructure. This session provided an invaluable opportunity to exchange insights, align on upcoming projects, and discover new ways to drive innovation in the region. As Saudi Arabia rapidly advances in data sovereignty and digital infrastructure, such collaborations will be crucial in fostering long-term technological growth.
Image 4. T-Systems and Detasad workshop in Saudi Arabia
The road ahead: Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation
LEAP 2025 and our time in Riyadh were incredible experiences, connecting us with a dynamic community of innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts. The new generation in Saudi Arabia is ambitious, driven, and eager to launch startups, making every conversation inspiring and full of potential.
Image 5. LEAP gathering, meeting with the community and entrepreneurs
Important links
- Leap 2025 kick off, insights from first day (LinkedIn post)
- Felix Wass, CEO at Detasad, insights on Leap 2025 (LinkedIn post)
- T-Systems & Detasad workshop in Saudi Arabia (LinkedIn post)
Let’s continue building the future of dataspaces together!
Looking forward to continuing our activities in Saudi Arabia with our colleagues from Detasad and helping businesses unlock the full potential of dataspaces. Are you ready to explore how dataspaces can drive efficiency, compliance, and new revenue streams for your organization? Discover your dataspace value today.
