Expand North Star Kicks Off Tenth Edition At Dubai Harbour

Expand North Star, a part of GITEX GLOBAL, kicked off its tenth edition on October 12, 2025, at Dubai Harbour, bringing together more than 2,000 startups and 1,200 investors from over 100 countries, marking the event’s biggest installment to date.

Organized by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, the four-day event runs through October 15, once again positioning Dubai as a central meeting point for the global startup and investment community. 

Taken together, the 1,200 investors attending Expand North Star this year collectively manage over US$1.1 trillion in assets, underlining Dubai’s growing influence in global entrepreneurship and investment.

Since its launch in 2016, Expand North Star has evolved into a hub for founders, investors, entrepreneurs, and public and private sector partners worldwide. Featuring one of the highest concentrations of growth and late-stage startups globally, Expand North Star’s agenda this year highlights projects in AI, climate tech, deep tech, digital health, and fintech. 

This comes as part of the UAE’s new initiative, "The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World," which aims to position the country as a leading global hub for entrepreneurship. 

During a keynote address in which he discussed the UAE's AI strategy during a keynote address, HE Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, highlighted the country’s long-term approach to innovation. “We don’t think like other countries; we think in multidecade intervals. We started investing in AI in 2008—very early days. Abu Dhabi was investing in chips, in global countries, in companies that were focused on AI. Nobody expected that we could be a key player in the domain of AI. Against all odds, we are proving that we can. This is going to incentivize everyone—East and West,” he said. 

HE Al Olama added, “It's important for us to not only succeed, but for everyone who comes to the UAE to help us understand what we can do better. We do not claim to know it all—we claim to be the best students and the best listeners. One thing we promise is that if people come to us with advice, we are going to take it seriously and ensure that it’s implemented in the coming years.” 

This year’s edition welcomes Brazil as the show's first ever official country partner and sees new participation from Ecuador and Chile, further extending the event’s international reach. Tatiana Riera, Chief Operating Officer of the Dubai Office at ApexBrasil, Brazil’s national trade and investment promotion agency, emphasized the UAE’s role in advancing innovation and strengthening international partnerships during her opening remarks at Expand North Star’s first day. 

In a statement, Riera commented, “Today, Brazil is home to one of the world’s biggest ecosystems for startups, venture capital and private equity, with more than 20,000 in the country. ApexBrasil is at Expand North Star to build bridges between Brazil and all over the world—especially here in Dubai. Dubai Chamber is one of our greatest partners, which is why the event is so important for us. It's not just about showcasing startups, but also about co-creating the future between Brazil and UAE, and between Brazil and the rest of the world – that's our agenda at Expand North Star.” 

Chile also made its debut this year with 12 service companies spanning mining, education, finance, construction, and entertainment. The Chile-Dubai Innovation Summit, hosted at the Chilean Pavilion, aims to strengthen Chile’s presence in the UAE and the broader Middle East while supporting efforts to diversify its exports. 

Ecuador also joined the show as a first-time exhibitor, highlighting the growing interest from Latin American nations in connecting with the UAE’s innovation ecosystem. Speaking at the event, Felipe Ribadeneira, Ecuador’s Ambassador to the UAE, said it was important for Ecuador to have a presence at GITEX. “We’re proud to showcase more than 22 Ecuadorian companies, including 20 startups, offering solutions from AI-driven banking to advanced medical technologies,” he said.  

“Dubai and the UAE are investing boldly to become a global hub for data and artificial intelligence, and we see tremendous opportunity to build with that momentum. In February, at the World Government Summit, we expect to sign a significant memorandum to establish a technology logistics corridor—another step toward a deeper, truly win-win partnership between Ecuador and the UAE,” he added. 

Additionally, the UAE-based Presight—a G42 company and one of the region’s largest data analytics firms—returned to Expand North Star with the first cohort of its AI-Startup Accelerator, launched during the 2024 edition. In just one year, the accelerator has guided participating startups to develop market-ready prototypes. As the first program of its kind by a publicly listed Middle Eastern tech company, it connects startups with Presight’s network, infrastructure, and mentorship to accelerate their commercial growth. 

On the opening day, DWTC also announced a series of international partnerships with Presight, 28 Digital, ApexBrasil, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. These collaborations underscore Dubai’s position as a platform where more than 8,000 founders have scaled their businesses over the years. 

GITEX GLOBAL and Expand North Star together reflect Dubai’s ambition to strengthen its innovation-driven economy and attract global talent, with goals to generate 30,000 new jobs by 2030 and develop at least 10 unicorns—companies valued at over $1 billion—by 2031. 

All Images are courtesy of GITEX Global.