His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the National Olympic Committee, inaugurated today the tenth edition of the “Expand North Star” exhibition, the world’s largest event connecting startups with investors. This event is organized by the Dubai World Trade Centre and hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy at Dubai Harbor from October 12 to 15.
This global exhibition, part of GITEX Global 2025, features participation from over 2,000 ambitious startups, showcasing the highest concentration of companies in growth and expansion stages compared to any other tech event. It also includes 40 “unicorn” companies and more than 1,200 investors from 180 countries managing assets exceeding $1.1 trillion.
After the opening, His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed toured the exhibition halls, where he observed the outstanding global showcases in the tenth edition of “Expand North Star,” which this year attracts prominent entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors from around the world. He also explored a variety of solutions and technologies presented by participating countries and startups specializing in artificial intelligence, fintech, smart cities, digital transformation, e-commerce, and other future-oriented sectors.
During his tour, Sheikh Mansoor encountered pioneering solutions that highlight the diversity of the global innovation ecosystem represented at “Expand North Star.” At the Italian pavilion, he learned about startups focusing on artificial intelligence and digital technologies, exemplifying Italy’s growing presence in Dubai’s tech landscape.
He also stopped by the Serbian and Chilean pavilions, listening to discussions on digital economy fields, deep tech, and solutions aimed at enabling startups to enter new markets. In the Malaysian and Ecuadorian pavilions, he explored practical applications in innovative financial services, digital commerce, and smart supply chains, while the Korean pavilion showcased advanced solutions in artificial intelligence and consumer technologies that support the growth of the digital economy. His visit to the “Precise” booth, specializing in artificial intelligence, highlighted a series of real-world applications of advanced AI technologies under the banner of “Applied Intelligence Today,” emphasizing their significant impact on communities and businesses across sectors and borders.
He also visited the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy booth, where he learned about services that connect investors with entrepreneurs and programs aimed at nurturing the startup community, reinforcing the chamber’s essential role in establishing Dubai as a capital of the digital economy.
Sheikh Mansoor praised the exceptional level achieved by “Expand North Star” as a global platform that brings together creative minds and technology leaders, affirming that Dubai’s hosting of this global event reflects its leading position as a regional and global hub for developing innovation and future technologies. This aligns with the goals of Dubai’s Economic Agenda (D33) to enhance the knowledge economy and attract high-quality investments in modern tech sectors.
He stated, “Thanks to the visionary outlook of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai has solidified its status as a hub for global dialogue aimed at fostering sustainable development and shaping the future. This is achieved through establishing quality partnerships that unlock broader growth opportunities and creating an incubating ecosystem that unleashes creative potential across various fields.”
The inauguration was attended by several dignitaries, including His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, Chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy; His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of the Dubai Economy and Tourism Authority and Director General of the Dubai World Trade Centre; His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Chairman of Dubai Chambers; His Excellency Mohammed Ali Rashid Lootah, Director General of Dubai Chambers; and Said Al Quraishi, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy.
On this occasion, His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama highlighted that Dubai, under the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accelerates the development of the digital economy, aligning with ambitious goals to enhance the emirate’s position at the forefront of the global digital landscape. This is part of Dubai’s vision to ensure a global digital economic environment that empowers startups, fosters international partnerships, and creates a stimulating business environment for progress.
He added that “Expand North Star” serves as a strategic platform to attract talent and investments, enhance impactful partnerships, empower startups, and provide a supportive environment for their growth, emphasizing the significance of the event and its active role in the global digital economy landscape by connecting entrepreneurs with promising opportunities in Dubai and global markets, while supporting the emirate’s direction towards diversifying its economy and accelerating digital transformation across vital sectors.
The “Expand North Star” exhibition is closely linked to GITEX Global, the world’s largest event in technology and artificial intelligence, gathering top founders, investors, business leaders, and strategic partners from both public and private sectors to discuss prospects for collaboration, explore growth opportunities, and contribute to shaping the future of the digital and AI economies. The exhibition program aims to open new funding and expansion pathways and invigorate transaction activity to support the ambitions of startups in achieving sustainable growth.
In addition to the exhibition, “Expand North Star” offers a rich array of events and diverse content, with new interactive areas highlighting innovation and investment opportunities in vital future sectors.
The program spans four days, covering key themes across these sectors through an engaging conference schedule that includes specialized summits such as GITEX ScaleX Ventures, Climate Capital Summit, and the GITEX Forum for Digital Assets.
The Blockchain Future Forum will focus on the latest innovations in Web 3 and financial technologies, while startups from various continents will compete in the second edition of Supernova 2.0, the world’s largest competition for showcasing startup ideas, with cash prizes exceeding $300,000.