Cityscape Global to Shape Future of Urban Living Next Week with Unmatched Focus on Innovation, Design, and Sport

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 04 November 2024: Cityscape Global, the world’s largest real estate event, will raise the trade show bar when it runs at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre in Malham next week. The event’s unprecedented lineup of features and opportunities reflects a significant focus on business-to-business transactions, with more than 400 exhibitors from 17 countries and an additional exhibition space of 5,000 square-meters making the November 11-14 show the largest in the event’s 22-year history.

Running under the theme ‘The Future of Living,’ Cityscape Global 2024 will roll out cutting-edge innovation across nine streams, highlighting global industry trends, investment prospects, and groundbreaking technologies. This year’s expanded programme includes exclusive features designed to enhance visitor engagement and promote international collaboration.

A key highlight for 2024 is the new Stadiums and Mega Events Conference, which will bring together more than 80 industry experts and notable sports figures, including Didier Drogba, the former captain of Côte d’Ivoire and a UEFA Champions League winner with Chelsea. Drogba, who will take part in a meet and greet with attendees and share insights on leadership, success, and community impact in sports, says he is looking forward to engaging with footballing fans and real estate professionals.

“Some of the biggest sports events in the world are coming to Saudi Arabia in the next 10 years, and there is a massive level of investment and innovation going into redefining the global standards for stadium design and fan experiences,” he said. “The new conference demonstrates the innovative spirit of Saudi Arabia and puts sporting infrastructure and event management at the very heart of the global real estate debate, recognising sports’ potential to positively impact the future of living.”

The new conference will be packed with more than 30 hours of compelling content on innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity in mega-event planning and stadium design, delivering a forward-thinking approach to sports and entertainment infrastructure.

“This year, Cityscape Global is redefining the real estate landscape by introducing features that address future worldwide needs and trends,” said Rachel Sturgess, Group Director at Tahaluf, organiser of Cityscape Global. “The stadiums and mega events conference is a unique opportunity to learn from industry pioneers and sports icons at a time when Saudi and other nations across the MENA region are making their mark as viable major sporting event destinations. We’re excited to create a platform where professionals, investors, and innovators can share insights and shape the future of living.”

With a renewed commitment to supporting institutional and individual investors, Cityscape Global will this year also offer an Investor Program designed to foster networking, highlight new projects, and drive investment. Attendees will connect with leading real estate influencers, decision-makers, and investors, exploring the full breadth of the real estate ecosystem.

Even startups will be given a leg-up the real estate ladder with the event hosting the semi-finals and finals of The Cityscape Innovation Challenge – the second in the series – which calls on innovators, startups, and scaleups to collaborate on next-generation solutions for real estate in Saudi Arabia. Sixty competitors will pitch for prizes across themes of Transformative Construction, ESG Solutions for Global Real Estate, and Smart Solutions for The Future of Living.

Another pioneering feature is the ROSHN Hackathon being held in partnership with The Garage, Google Cloud, and PwC, which will see up to 100 participants present innovative solutions around major real estate challenges. Nine winners will share a prize pool of SAR 1.5 million, with recognition for creative and practical solutions.

“This is an event dedicated to fostering groundbreaking ideas in the real estate sector through technology expertise,” said a ROSHN spokesperson. “Through our hackathon, we aim to inspire new technological approaches that address key challenges facing our industry.”

The biggest Cityscape Global to date will also host a Live Auction open only to Saudi nationals, which promises to be one of the largest real estate auctions in MENA history. With property values totalling more than SAR 1 billion, the auction will offer Saudis unique investment opportunities under specific criteria.

These new and expanded features will hugely enhance Cityscape Global 2024 participation, which is being further augmented by a networking app aimed at maximising the attendee experience by providing real-time networking tools, floor plan navigation, and session highlights.

“The new app adds to a raft of new features that promise an unparalleled opportunity for industry professionals, investors, and innovators,” added Sturgess. “At Cityscape Global, visitors can expect to connect, collaborate, and discover emerging trends reshaping the future of real estate.”

To learn more and register for the event, visit www.cityscapeglobal.com

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About Cityscape Global

First held in 2002, Cityscape Global is organized by Tahaluf, a strategic alliance between Informa PLC, the Saudi Arabian Federation for Cyber Security and Programming (SAFCSP) and the Events Investment Fund (EIF).

Amid vast ongoing urban development across the Kingdom, the launch of Cityscape Global in Saudi Arabia will provide architects, urban planning specialists, consultants, and representatives of investment agencies, economic agencies, and cities with abundant opportunities to discuss the most recent advancements in the MENA and global real estate industry.

Cityscape Global will also provide local, regional, and international businesses with a high-profile platform to showcase their projects and services to visitors from all over the world, while also forging new multinational collaborations. To learn more, please visit our website.