he most interesting conversations at LEAP this year weren’t only about raising capital. They were about what comes next.

Last week, Venturebeam’s EMEA CEO Kevin Holliday joined founders, investors, corporates and ecosystem leaders in Riyadh for LEAP 2026.

Across four days at LEAP – and a packed calendar of meetings and events around it – one thing was clear: the private markets conversation across the GCC is evolving quickly.

Fundraising remains a major priority, but conversations increasingly went beyond the next round – towards M&A, new investment strategies, international expansion, liquidity and how companies position themselves for their next stage of growth.

Founders are thinking further ahead. Investors are becoming increasingly sophisticated in how and where they deploy capital. And the connections between growth companies, private capital, corporates and government are becoming deeper.

For Venturebeam, this is exactly the market we are building for – supporting ambitious growth companies in accessing professional capital, while developing the infrastructure to support a broader range of private market transactions over time.

Thank you to LEAP, Endeavor Saudi Arabia and everyone who made Riyadh such a strong meeting point for the region’s technology and investment community.

Plenty of conversations to continue – and plenty to take forward.