Three-day summit unveils major AI research, city-led climate initiatives, and transformative partnerships in autonomous and electric air mobility, cementing Saudi Arabia’s role as a global hub for next-generation transport
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia--BUSINESS WIRE--
CoMotion GLOBAL 2025 concluded today after three transformative days that brought together global decision-makers, industry leaders, city executives, innovators, and investors to chart the future of mobility in Saudi Arabia and worldwide. Hosted for the first time in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), Riyadh, the event showcased the Kingdom’s accelerating role as a global hub for next-generation transportation, sustainability leadership, and urban innovation.
With more than 100 sessions spanning three days, CoMotion GLOBAL showcased forward-looking mobility strategies, multimodal transport breakthroughs, urban digital transformation, AI applications, and the dramatic rethinking of the movement of people and goods across global cities.
Key moments from the events included:
- Launch of the MIT x Kearney report, Envisioning the Future of Mobility Powered by AI, which called for unprecedented public–private collaboration, shared data ecosystems, and integrated national strategies to fully unlock AI’s mobility potential.
- Debut of Mayors in Motion Coalition, a global initiative uniting more than 100 mayors and city leaders to accelerate sustainable mobility, climate action, and urban innovation through year-round collaboration and best-practice exchange.
- Signing of the inDrive x AI Driver MOU, supervised by the Transport General Authority (TGA), marking a major step toward autonomous ride-hailing services in Riyadh and later Jeddah, launching pilot operations in H1 2026.
- Signing of the GACA x Archer MOU, announcing a landmark partnership to deploy electric air taxis across the Kingdom, with proof-of-concept operations planned as early as next year in Riyadh, Jeddah, NEOM, and Red Sea Global.
- Presentation of the Urban Visionary Distinction to Valerie Labi, CEO & Co-Founder, Wahu Mobility; Claudio Orrego, Governor of the Santiago Metropolitan Region; and Eng. Hassan Al Mousa, Chief of Infrastructure and Development, The Riyadh Commission for the City (RCRC), for their groundbreaking work in bringing sustainable urban mobility to fruition, presented by CoMotion Founder John Rossant and Mauricio Rodas Espinel, Former Mayor of Quito, Ecuador.
- Private Tour of Riyadh Metro, led by Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), showcasing the world's longest driverless metro network and its strategic role as the centerpiece of Riyadh's urban planning and a key driver of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.
- The second convening of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Investment Task Force (SUMIT), where mayors and city leaders examined scalable and innovative financial mechanisms for cities to turn bold mobility ambitions into actions on the ground.
- Launch of the CoMotion GLOBAL Top Innovators of 2025 Award Edition, recognizing 13 founders and CEOs who have made a significant global impact in shaping the future of mobility, including Tiya Gordon, CEO & Founder, Its Electric; Thibault Castagne, CEO, Vianova; Michael Spencer, CEO, Zeno; Eyal Cohen, Founder, Humble Robotics; Todd Graetz, Co-Founder and CEO, Aerolane; Rich Pleeth, Co-Founder & CEO, Finmile; Valerie Labi, CEO & Co-Founder, Wahu Mobility; Dr. Martin Dürr, Managing Director, CTO, and Co-Founder, Dromos; Nezha Saidi Jamjoom, Co-Founder & CCO, HopOn; Bouba Casse, Founder & CEO, GreenRide Africa; Faouzi Annajah, CEO & Founder, Namx; Agustin Guilisasti, Founder & CEO, HumanForest; and Abdulkader Almkinzy, CEO, Telgani.
Among program highlights, the event welcomed keynote addresses from H.E. Fahd bin Abdulmohsan Al Rasheed, Chairman ofSCEGA and Head of the Saudi Delegation to theUrban 20, and H.E. Dr. Rumaih Al Rumaih, Vice Minister of Transport & Logistic Services and Acting President of TGA, alongside global private-sector leaders including Mate Rimac, CEO and Founder of Rimac Automobili and Verne; Bill Russo, Founder & CEO of Automobility Ltd.; Dr. James Yu, Chairman and CEO of QCraft; Chris Li, Co-Founder and CFO of Neolix; Jinjun Tian, CEO of Geely Auto Middle East; and Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone and Chair of C40.
“This week in Riyadh proved that the future of mobility cannot be achieved by any one sector acting alone. What unfolded at CoMotion GLOBAL 2025—new research, new partnerships, and new commitments—showed the power of collaboration at a global scale,” said John Rossant, CEO and Founder of CoMotion GLOBAL. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has emerged as a remarkable catalyst for innovation, and the conversations and agreements formed here will accelerate real-world deployments that change lives in cities everywhere.”
CoMotion GLOBAL 2025 was hosted by the Saudi Conventions & Exhibitions General Authority (SCEGA) in collaboration with a broad coalition of national organizations shaping the Kingdom’s mobility future. These included the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), Riyadh Municipality, the Ministry of Transport & Logistic Services (MoTLS), Riyadh Public Transport, the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing (MoMH), the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), the Digital Government Authority (DGA), and the Transport General Authority (TGA). Together, these partners underscored Saudi Arabia’s strategic commitment to developing one of the world’s most advanced, sustainable, and interconnected mobility ecosystems.
About CoMotion
CoMotion is the world’s leading platform where the most influential leaders, companies, startups, and policymakers meet to shape the future of mobility. With flagship events in Riyadh, Los Angeles, and Miami, CoMotion fosters meaningful dialogue and catalyzes investments that advance sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide.
For more information, visit www.comotionglobal.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251209073570/en/
Contact details:
Media Contact:
Kristin Ford-Glencross
[email protected]
