Dubai: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, today visited the Expand North Star 2024 exhibition, the world’s largest super connector event for startups and investors.
Organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre and hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, the exhibition is being held from 13 to 16 October at Dubai Harbour.
Sheikh Hamdan toured the exhibition, which has brought together 70,000 specialists, 1,800 startups from over 100 countries, and 1,200 investors managing over a trillion dollars in assets. He also reviewed the offerings of 400 AI companies participating in the event and explored innovative solutions that support digital ecosystems and technology infrastructure.
Sheikh Hamdan highlighted the unique platform offered by the event for startups, investors, and tech leaders to explore growth opportunities in Dubai and contribute to shaping the future of the digital economy.
Hosting this event alongside GITEX reinforces Dubai’s prominence in the global tech entrepreneurship and investment landscape, he noted. This, he added, also raises the UAE’s status as a hub for innovation and future industries, and a magnet for leading companies, talent and investors in the technology sector.
Sheikh Hamdan stated that the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, has positioned Dubai as a key player in advancing sustainable development and promoting future industries and innovation across sectors. This vision fosters new partnerships that drive growth and create an environment that fosters innovation and creativity.
Sheikh Hamdan highlighted Dubai’s commitment to rank among the leaders in global competitiveness indices, become an early adopter of smart technologies and establish itself as a model for a future ready city, in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
The four-day event 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.
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.
