Every year, our Rocket Fuel Competition offers carefully pre-selected startups the chance to win a share of a USD $1 million equity-free prize fund. In the 2025 edition, 120+ startups from 31 countries and 40 sectors competed, with 12 startups advancing to the final round.
As well as a potential cash prize, the startups that pitch in the competition get visibility on a global stage, and share their business directly to an international judging panel of investors and experienced founders. And because the competition is just one element of our Startup Programme, founders also benefit from mentorship, investor matchmaking, skills bootcamps, and more.
We’ll stop ourselves there – because we could talk about the power of our Startup & Scaleup Program all day long, but we know you’d rather hear from the founders who’ve been through it already.
When Aleena Nadeem stood on the Rocket Fuel stage to pitch her fintech startup, EduFi, she presented a new model for accessible education finance.
Her story captured the attention of Ron Levin of Alumni Ventures (one of the top three most active investment firms in the US), who was serving as a semi-final judge.
For EduFi, that moment was a catalyst. Nadeem walked away with the LEAP Award, and has now secured investment from Alumni Ventures. Today, she’s spending more time in Saudi Arabia, actively working to expand EduFi’s ops in the country.
Her journey is a story of vision meeting validation.
Co-founder Yousef ElSammaa built Daleela with a singular purpose: to give women and girls across the Middle East access to critical health education, especially in taboo or underserved areas like feminine and reproductive health.
Judges recognised the transformative power of the platform; and since LEAP, Daleela has grown into a regional force for change – recently organising a major summit in Cairo dedicated entirely to women’s health.
The mission of this startup’s founders reminds us that tech can heal, as well as build – and that’s what the Tech for Humanity Award is all about.
Some founders find success in one pitch. Others, like Noor Alasadi, earn it through years of showing up.
Noor has been part of the LEAP startup community since 2022, consistently returning to refine, network, and grow.
In 2025 – his fourth time attending – Noor walked away with the Shooting Star Award, strong investor interest, and (in his own words) his largest-ever ROI from an event.
At time of writing, Lisan AI is now in the final stages of closing a significant Series A round, and the majority of participating investors met him at LEAP. His story is a testament to the power of persistence.
Visibility can have an incredible impact on a startup. And for VoxCell BioInnovation, winning the LEAP Landing Award triggered global momentum.
After pitching in the Rocket Fuel competition, Canadian biotech startup VoxCell entered into conversations with six potential partners and six major investors.
While the company ultimately decided to remain in Canada for stability, the impact of LEAP rippled far beyond borders. The win led to meaningful investor engagement, and the VoxCell team is now raising a round to expand its platform from oncology to neurology, with planned allocations toward R&D, operations, sales, and intellectual property. Saudi Arabia remains on the startup’s radar, and the future looks bright.
As Founder and CEO Karolina Valente continues engaging with global stakeholders, she’s exploring how to give back to the LEAP community – mentoring early-stage healthtech startups and participating in panels. For VoxCell, LEAP 2025 opened a door to the future.
With mentorship, community, and funding that suits your goals, anything is possible. Start your application for the Startup & Scaleup Program at LEAP 2026 now, and supercharge your startup’s future.
We can’t wait to see you there.
Saudi Arabia is now one of the world’s fastest-growing startup ecosystems – and it’s actively inviting tech startups to scale. Discover why the time is right to enter the Saudi market, and how LEAP 2026 can help you do it.
Learn how to identify the right partners and build relationships that power long-term growth, with support from LEAP’s Startup and Scaleup program.
What do startups need to thrive? According to startup expert Kambis Kohansal Vajargah, the answer has three parts: industry-specific mentors, flexible funding, and a strong community. Here's how LEAP 2026 is delivering all three.
Saudi Arabia is now one of the world’s fastest-growing startup ecosystems – and it’s actively inviting tech startups to scale. Discover why the time is right to enter the Saudi market, and how LEAP 2026 can help you do it.
Learn how to identify the right partners and build relationships that power long-term growth, with support from LEAP’s Startup and Scaleup program.
What do startups need to thrive? According to startup expert Kambis Kohansal Vajargah, the answer has three parts: industry-specific mentors, flexible funding, and a strong community. Here's how LEAP 2026 is delivering all three.
