AIM Congress highlights UAE’s key position on global investment map

The Annual Investment Meeting Congress (AIM Congress) officially commenced with a dynamic series of pre-event workshops, offering in-depth learning, practical tools, and strategic networking opportunities across a broad spectrum of economic and technological disciplines. The workshops, held under various dedicated portfolios, set the tone for the main congress by delivering tangible value to participants through real-world applications and expert-led sessions.

Presidents of countries, more than 60 ministers and central-bank governors, 30 city mayors, 1,250 speakers, 16 global financial market representatives, and 600 exhibitors have confirmed their participation in AIM Congress 2025, which shows the congress’s significance as a leading global investment platform and underscores the UAE’s prominent position on the global investment map.

AIM Congress attracts 20,000 participants from 180 countries worldwide to explore the latest trends and developments in the global investment landscape, address current and future challenges, consolidate global collaboration and work together to develop innovative solutions that will promote a balanced, sustainable global economy.

AIM Congress 2025 will feature a diverse range of events, including forums, panel discussions, workshops, high-level meetings, an exhibition, AIM Investment Awards, Startup Pitch Competition, AI World Championship, country investment destination, AIM Business Incubator and AIM Investment Fund.

The panel discussions and events fall under eight portfolios: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Global Trade, Startups and Unicorns, Future Cities, Future Finance, Global Manufacturing, Digital Economy, and Entrepreneurs.

The congress will cover diverse sectors, including intelligent agriculture, energy, infrastructure, finance and capital markets, ICT, manufacturing, medical tourism, biotechnology, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, international trade, logistics and transportation, water technology, tourism and education.

Foreign Direct Investment Portfolio: Strategic Municipal Planning GDP Global and DAJANI Consulting hosted the workshop “How to Implement a Municipal Investment Promotion Plan”, guiding participants through the development of strategic frameworks to attract and retain investments. The session emphasized sustainable growth, public-private partnerships, and targeted sectoral development. Attendees gained the capability to structure investment strategies that enhance job creation, regulatory climates, infrastructure development, and municipal service delivery.

Entrepreneurs Portfolio: Advanced Sales and Market Expansion Under this portfolio, SALES CUBICLE delivered the workshop “B2B Sales Mastery: Unlock growth and Maximize your business value,” which introduced participants to the Cold Cubicle Method, an approach integrating AI-driven sales tools and automation strategies. The session provided an actionable structure for optimizing outreach and building consistent revenue pipelines, focusing on practical engagement techniques in today’s evolving sales environment.

The FOUNDERS INSTITUTE followed with “Market Access Strategies: Enhancing SMEs’ Export Competitiveness & Business-to-Business Growth.” This session equipped SME leaders with the tools to enter international markets, refine their export approaches, and cultivate B2B relationships through interactive case studies and strategic planning.

Startups and Unicorns Portfolio: Growth, Innovation, and Fundraising The first workshop, “How Corporates And Startups Can Unlock Value Across The Middle East & Africa”, was led by Thaheer Mullins, CEO of DALA For Africa. It examined the transformative impact of affordable African innovations and their ability to address corporate challenges and drive competitive growth across regions.

DREAM VC conducted the workshop “Harnessing a Venture Mindset to Corporate Growth – Merging Old and New Worlds: External Innovation, Digital Transformation, CVC, and More,” highlighting the benefits of integrating external innovation and venture thinking into corporate structures to meet the demands of digital transformation and market disruption.

Industry experts from Exits Mena delivered “Pitching to Deal Closure – Unlocking the Secrets to Fundraising Success,” an intensive session designed to prepare startups and SMEs for the investment process, from pitch development to negotiation strategies. The session offered role-playing experiences and case study analysis to sharpen participant fundraising capabilities.

TICK & TALK concluded the portfolio with “The Power of Presence: Mastering Public Speaking & Pitching for Business Owners in Investment Landscapes,” focusing on enhancing communication, storytelling, and presentation techniques for business leaders looking to attract investment.