The 10th edition of the “Expand North Star 2025” exhibition concluded yesterday, bringing together top innovators and investment leaders in advanced technologies from across the globe. This exceptional event has solidified its reputation as the largest international gathering for investors and emerging digital companies, showcasing Dubai’s pivotal role in shaping the future of digital entrepreneurship and affirming its status as a leading global hub for technological advancement and promising investment partnerships within the digital economy.
Hosted by the Dubai World Trade Centre and the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy at Dubai Harbour, this year’s exhibition saw participation from over 2,000 startups and more than 1,200 investors managing assets exceeding $1.1 trillion. Among the attendees were founders from 40 unicorn companies with a combined valuation of nearly $900 billion.
A significant presence was noted from UAE-based companies at “Expand North Star 2025,” with approximately 500 digital startups from the UAE participating, including 116 Emirati-owned firms. Additionally, 50 startups took part in a special event highlighting the contributions of the new generation of Emirati innovators and entrepreneurs, underscoring the development of the digital business environment in the country and the competitiveness of local talent in advanced technology sectors.
Asia represented the largest segment of participating startups at the exhibition, accounting for 41% of the total, while European companies comprised about 18%. North American firms made up 7% of participants, along with another 7% from Latin America.
First-Time Participation
This year marked the inaugural participation of new countries with their pavilions, including the United States, Syria, Ecuador, and Chile. Their involvement reflects the growing global appeal of the exhibition as a major business and innovation forum. Indian startups made a strong showing at the event, with nearly 300 companies participating, and this edition also registered the largest ever representation of Brazilian startups since the event’s inception in 2016, with over 50 Brazilian companies taking part.
Artificial intelligence emerged as the leading sector represented at the exhibition, with 22% of participating companies specializing in AI. Additionally, 13% were focused on climate technology, encompassing energy, agriculture, and food, while both health tech and fintech accounted for 11% each. Other sectors represented included education technology, deep tech, advertising technology, mobility, cybersecurity, and smart cities.
This year’s event also saw increased engagement with new activities designed to enrich the agenda and provide valuable insights into the latest and future developments in technology. Highlights included the “Scale X” platform for startup launches, a specialized program aimed at facilitating market access for 50 of the fastest-growing tech companies worldwide; the “North Star Green Impact” area, dedicated to startups innovating in climate and environmental sustainability; as well as the “Deep Tech Summit in the Middle East and Africa” and the “Digital Assets Forum.” These new initiatives provided attendees with insights into future tech trends that drive innovation and growth within startups.
The Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy’s pavilion attracted significant visitor interest during the exhibition, where attendees learned about the advantages of Dubai’s digital business environment and the “Start in Dubai” program, which offers a suite of services from program partners for business establishment and growth in the emirate, including the issuance of Golden Visas, along with a platform for “Support and Attract Companies.”
Thanks to the tremendous success of this year’s edition, “Expand North Star” continues to play a crucial role in the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy’s strategy, which aims to realize the emirate’s aspirations to become a leading global center for innovation and technology. The event significantly contributes to driving economic growth and development while attracting the global tech community to Dubai, providing an inspiring platform for innovation, collaboration, and engagement with key influencers in the technology sector worldwide.