Cityscape Global kicks off in Riyadh, features new competitions

Cityscape Global, the world’s largest real estate event, officially opened on November 11, at the Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Centre in Malham.

Running through November 14, this year’s event introduces expanded business-to-business (B2B) initiatives, marking a strategic shift aimed at enhancing transactional and partnership opportunities within the global real estate industry.

With two new halls covering an additional 45,000 square metres, the 2024 Cityscape Global showcases over 400 exhibitors, more than 150 hours of expert-led content and insights from 500 industry thought leaders, all centred on the theme: The Future of Living.

A major highlight this year is the Cityscape Global Institutional Investor Program, which has attracted top global investors, including BlackRock, Brookfield, Apollo Global Management, and CVC Capital Partners.

This programe is positioned to unveil lucrative opportunities across Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing real estate market, where a projected 1.2 billion square metres of built-up area is set for development by 2030.

Read: Tahaluf’s Rachel Sturgess on how Cityscape Global aligns with Saudi’s ambitious vision

Pavilions at the event

Themed pavilions this year reflect Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030, featuring segments dedicated to Stadiums & Mega Events, Sustainable Smart Cities, Hotel Development, and Next-Generation Construction Technologies.

These new verticals not only expand Cityscape’s footprint but also align with Saudi Arabia’s focus on sustainable, smart infrastructure and urban development.

The four-day event underscores Riyadh’s growing prominence as a hub for real estate innovation, drawing participants from over 50 countries, including the US, the UK, China, and Germany.

Among the key highlights, attendees can look forward to appearances by sports icons Didier Drogba and Anthony Joshua OBE, while Saudi nationals can bid in a live auction featuring SAR1bn worth of exclusive assets.

Two competitions debut at Cityscape Global

This year’s programme also includes two new competitions aimed at fostering talent and innovation. The Cityscape Future Leaders Competition offers students and recent graduates the opportunity to tackle real-world architectural challenges, while the Cityscape Innovation Challenge brings together over 60 startups in PropTech, Smart Cities, and ConTech for a chance to reach a Shark Tank-style finale.

Additionally, the ROSHN Hackathon, supported by Google Cloud and PwC, returns with 100 participants competing for SAR1.5m prizes, further demonstrating Cityscape’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators.