'SpeakUp' gains global traction as Dubai emerges as a new tech innovation hub

SpeakUp, launched just five months ago by entrepreneurs Nick Zhuchkov and Helen Kareva, is the world’s first AI-powered speaker booking app. Designed to streamline how event organisers, podcasters, and journalists find and book speakers, the platform has attracted a surge of users from across the globe — without traditional marketing or PR.

In the past month alone, SpeakUp has gone viral across social media, reaching audiences of influencers with followings from 100,000 to over a million. In the past month alone, SpeakUp has generated buzz across social media, reaching audiences of influencers with followings from 100,000 to over a million.

The organic traction has positioned SpeakUp as one of the region’s most promising tech exports.

At its core, SpeakUp replaces the outdated process of agent-led speaker booking with a model more familiar to the digital generation. Organisers can post a request — much like a job ad — and verified speakers apply directly through the app. From there, the platform’s built-in AI recommends the best matches, cutting out hours of manual search.

The app includes collaboration tools for teams and agencies, a direct in-app chat that removes the need for intermediaries, and a Growth Marketplace offering exclusive discounts and professional services. The one-tap application process for speakers is designed to be as seamless as booking a ride.

SpeakUp has already attracted a range of high-profile names, including Uzair Merchant an award-winning Hollywood and Bollywood director and Laura Buckwell, one of the most recognisable event hosts in the Middle East.

But the company’s story is more than just a case study in user growth. After co-founder Helen Kareva appeared on a regional startup show earlier this year, she was diagnosed with a rare tumour in her knee and underwent multiple surgeries.

Even during her recovery, Kareva continued leading product and strategy efforts from her hospital bed. “One evening, Helen and I were having dinner and watching our real-time user dashboard,” Zhuchkov recalled. “It felt like that scene from The Social Network, when Zuckerberg watched Facebook grow. In just an hour, over 400 new users joined — podcasters, organisers, and speakers from all over the world. That was our moment.”

SpeakUp now stands at the forefront of a new wave of UAE-based startups pushing for global relevance and combining cutting-edge technology with a personal human-first mission. For its founders, it’s not just about transforming an industry it’s about building something that gives more people the power to speak, share, and be heard.