Mansoor Bin Mohammed inaugurates world’s largest event for startups and investors in Dubai

Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Ports and Borders Security Council, on Sunday inaugurated Expand North Star 2024, the world’s largest event for startups and investors.

Organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre and hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, the highly anticipated event runs from Oct.13-16 at Dubai Harbour.

Sheikh Mansoor stated that the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has enabled Dubai to stay ahead of its time and secure its place among the world’s most competitive cities.

He emphasised that Dubai continues to intensify its efforts to strengthen its position as a vital player in shaping the world’s future, driven by its visionary leadership and a development model marked by sustainable growth, continuous efforts to raise excellence, and an environment that fosters innovation and creativity.

Sheikh Mansoor said that a flexible digital economy capable of adapting to changes and turning challenges into opportunities, while leveraging the latest technologies and innovations, is a key catalyst for achieving Dubai’s economic vision.

“We remain committed to developing a digital business ecosystem and infrastructure that empowers companies to grow and thrive, strengthening Dubai’s position as the most attractive city for investment and entrepreneurship,” he added.

Following the inauguration, Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid visited the exhibition’s pavilions and was briefed on the international participation in the largest edition of the event to date. He also engaged with a number of exhibitors and participating entrepreneurs.

During his tour, Sheikh Mansoor was accompanied by Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy; Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director-General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism and Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTCA); Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, and Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy.

Fully integrated with GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s largest and best-rated tech and startup event, Expand North Star brings together the world’s most sought-after founders, investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to explore exciting growth opportunities emerging in Dubai and catalyse the future of the digital economy.

Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications and Chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, commented, “Expand North Star offers the ideal platform for bringing together strategic partners from the public and private sectors, investors, accelerators, and startups. This landmark event reflects our commitment to empowering startups and strengthening the digital economy’s contribution to achieving the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.”

He added, “We are working to unlock the full potential of the digital economy and position Dubai as a leading global technology hub. Expand North Star is an essential component of our strategy to shape Dubai’s digital future, in line with the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy’s commitment to driving excellence in the digital ecosystem and accelerating the emirate’s transformation into one of the world’s leading digital economies.”

This year’s edition of Expand North Star is set to welcome a record number of attendees. The event features over 1,800 exhibiting startups and more than 1,200 investors from over 100 countries with assets under management (AUM) exceeding US$1 trillion, reflecting its significant growth and prominence in the global digital economy landscape.

Participants include new investors from the biggest funds globally, as well as investors from several new countries including Azerbaijan, Mauritius, Denmark, Peru, Malta, and Cyprus.

The international diversity of investors is matched by the expanding range of startups from countries participating in the event for the first time, including Austria, Australia, Canada, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Malaysia, Singapore, and more.

Six exciting new features have been introduced in this year’s edition: Corporate Arena, Tech Transfer 3.0, the Future of Media and Creativity, NS Scaleups: 2024 Cohort, Sónar+D, and the Startup Genome Ecosystem Leadership Forum. These newly introduced event streams are designed to enhance the Expand North Star experience and accelerate the growth of innovative startups.

The four-day programme features a wealth of diverse content, together with ample networking, investment, and funding opportunities. In addition, attendees can explore groundbreaking experiences across various technology sectors including blockchain, fintech, marketing, deep tech, climate tech, artificial intelligence, and Web 3 technologies.

Expand North Star is a key part of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy’s strategy to cement Dubai’s position as a leading global hub for innovation and advanced technologies, and drive sustainable economic growth and development. The event plays a vital role in connecting the global tech community to Dubai by offering an inspiring platform for innovation, collaboration, and networking with the world’s leading technology influencers.

Visitors will explore an extensive programme and immersive exhibition throughout its four-day duration as Expand North Star casts a unique and insightful spotlight on the future of money, blockchain, creativity, and the planet through industry-defining events, including GITEX Impact, Fintech Surge, Future Blockchain Summit, and Marketing Mania.

Additionally, the globally acclaimed Supernova Challenge 2.0 presents the best startups from Europe, Asia, and Africa, building momentum for the new and eagerly awaited GITEX EUROPE Berlin, GITEX ASIA Singapore, GITEX NIGERIA, and GITEX AFRICA Morocco in 2025. After six months of semi-finals worldwide, nearly 200 selected startups will pitch in the global grand finale for a cash prize pool of US$200,000.

Expand North Star and GITEX GLOBAL, organised by DWTC, hold esteemed reputations as catalysts for international collaboration and tech-based socio-economic transformation.

WAM