This year's edition of Cityscape Global saw record participation with 577 top firms, including 265 international players showcasing the best in real estate development, urban planning, modern construction and sustainability solutions, during the four-day event at Malham, Riyadh. 

It ended on a successful note with record-breaking SAR237 billion ($63 billion) in deals, while putting the spotlight on landmark reforms that will allow foreigners to own real estate in Saudi Arabia, thus reflecting the kingdom's growing position as a global hub for future real estate investment.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, Majed Al Hogail, the Minister of Municipalities and Housing and Chairman of the Real Estate General Authority, affirmed that the exhibition's results indicate the strength of the Saudi real estate sector and the development of its investment environment. 

He pointed out that the record transactions underscores the sector's reliability and attractiveness and the kingdom's progress in developing its real estate landscape and cities. 

This achievement is a testament to the integrated efforts between government entities and the private sector and highlights the promising opportunities available to both domestic and international investors.

He underlined the wide variety of products showcased this year, ranging from residential and commercial real estate development projects to advanced digital solutions from proptech startups, including asset management and urban planning, as well as innovations in modern construction technologies.

The minister concluded that Cityscape reinforces the kingdom's position in shaping the cities of the future, noting that the partnerships established at the exhibition further enhance its growing role in developing a more competitive and sustainable real estate sector.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, in partnership with Real Estate General Authority (REGA), Vision 2030 and Housing Program, and organised by Tahaluf, Cityscape Global brought together international real estate leaders to discuss investments, planning, and innovation over four packed days.

In an on-site interview with Bloomberg, it was confirmed that Saudi Arabia is progressing with reforms that will allow foreigners to own real estate, including in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, from January 2026. Non-Saudis will be able to buy residential, commercial, agricultural and industrial properties in addition to acquiring land to develop, according to a senior official at the REGA. 

Record breaking deals and international participation 

At 166,000 sq m of show floor space, this year’s Cityscape Global was twice the size of the 2023 edition. Furthermore, this year saw a 24 per cent growth in exhibitors who have come from 42 countries, including 15 new ones. 

On the investment side, Cityscape Global this year had $6.1 trillion real estate assets under management represented during the show – 85 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth from the previous edition. Institutional investors included the household names BlackRock, HSBC, BNP Paribas and Brookfield, amongst others. There were also more than 350 one-to-one meetings between investors and projects during the event. 

ROSH Hackathon and Innovation Challenge Winners 

Winners of Cityscape Global’s third ROSHN Hackathon – the largest PropTech competition in the GCC region – were announced on the Main Stage. The ROSHN Hackathon attracted hundreds of teams, competing for a share of the SAR1.3 million prize pool. 

The first prizes worth SAR150,000 went to:

• Darent in the Hackathon’s Daman start-up track;

• AeroTwin in the Open Digital Solutions category;

• GroMotion in the Smart Infrastructure, Industrial IOT and Sustainability category;  

• Dabberha in the Digital Living and Resident Experience category; and 

• EstateX in the AI and Automation category.  

The Cityscape Innovation Challenge finale also took place on the last day of the show, wrapping up an eventful four days of startup pitches. Sponsored by Retal, over 250 submissions were whittled down to 60 semi-finalists who pitched the most innovative solutions across PropTech and Contech, with the eight top startups and scaleups making it to the finale on the Cityscape Global mainstage. 

The startup track winner, Hive Autonomy, took home a SAR131,000 Proof of Concept (POC) project with Retal, while the scaleup track winner, Watergate, secured a SAR 244,000 POC.

AI, PropTech and ConTech in City Planning

On the main stage, the final day’s discussions focused on PropTech and Waleed Alharkan, the CEO of Sakani at NHC Innovation gave his insights into how AI is revolutionising the customer journey. 

In a session which looked at AI's transformative impact on the energy and real estate sectors, Paulo Calçada, Chief Technology Officer, City of Porto emphasised AI's role in urban planning. 

Focusing on construction tech, Darren Bechtel, Founder and Managing Director, Brick & Mortar Ventures called to attention the need for solutions with near-term traction and revenue generation. Bechtel then explored the potential for robotics and physical AI in automating workflows and reducing human labour requirements.

Rachel Sturgess, Executive Vice President at Tahaluf, said: “As Cityscape Global 2025 closes its doors, we are proud to have witnessed a global exchange of ideas and the forging of new partnerships, helping shape the future of real estate. The success of this year’s event is testament to the drive, dedication, and support of all our partners, exhibitors, speakers, attendees and so many other people. Therefore, we look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to support the ambitions of our partners and participants in the years ahead.”-TradeArabia News Service