Global startups sail into Expand North Star 2023 at Dubai Harbour
World’s largest startup event is on from October 15-18, 2023
Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is organising Expand North Star – the largest startup event in the world – from October 15-18, 2023, at Dubai Harbour, the GCC region’s largest superyacht hub.
Expand North Star is the co-located powerhouse event of GITEX Global – the largest tech event in the world – running at DWTC from October 16-20, 2023.
Hosted by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of the three chambers under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, Expand North Star 2023 is being held after a record-breaking year that saw the MENA venture capital ecosystem cross the AED11.04 billion ($3 billion) mark in 2022, coupled with unprecedented increases in direct government investment.
Global reach
Expand North Star 2023 is positioned to bring the world together to connect the most ambitious and forward-thinking startups with some of the most experienced and knowledgeable global investors while also thrusting Dubai emirate forward as one of the world’s most agile and diversified digital hubs and strengthening Dubai’s position as a leading global digital capital.
Expand North Star 2023’s fundamental aim is to connect global venture capital with unicorns, scaleups and startups while attracting the international tech community to live and work in the Gulf emirate.
The UAE’s digital economy strategy seeks to double the contribution of the digital economy’s national GDP to 19.4% in the next decade while also empowering the UAE’s digital economy to reach AED515 billion ($140 billion) by 2031.
According to Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications and Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy: “Expand North Star 2023 will unlock the future of the digital economy by connecting government entities, investors, global tech companies and startups, leading industry experts and innovators from around the globe to leverage the exciting growth opportunities emerging in Dubai.”
100+ countries
Expand North Star 2023 sees the participation of 1,800+ startup exhibitors from 100+ countries and 900+ investors with AED 3.68 trillion+ ($1 trillion+) under management occupying nine halls at Dubai Harbour.
The top sectors at Expand North Star 2023: AI 18%, climate tech 17%, mobility, smart cities and manufacturing 17%, healthtech 15%, fintech 12%, web3 9%, and other 12%.
Indian startups – close to 600 of them – represent the most significant number of participants from a single country at Expand North Star 2023. This number includes 200 breakthrough Indian companies that have chosen Dubai emirate as their launchpad to scale up globally.
Aiming to woo investors and secure customers for global expansion, the Indian startups at Expand North Star 2023 range from award-winning Google accelerated gaming innovators to producers of de-carbonised protein for the AED1.8-trillion ($500-billion) animal feed industry.
Indian unicorns
Key Indian unicorn headliners at Expand North Star 2023 include Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO and co-founder of Ola Cabs & Ola Electric, India’s largest ridesharing company with over 1.5 million drivers; and Abiraj Singh Bhal, CEO & Founder of Urban Company, a Series F company offering the most significant home services platform in India and the UAE.
Expand North Star 2023 also features Rajan Anandan, Managing Director of Peak XV and Surge, a rapid scale-up programme for startups in India and Southeast Asia.
Dubai Chambers acknowledges that 30% of Dubai emirate’s startups are Indian-owned, while 83,000 Indian companies are registered in Dubai. Indian firms based in the emirate and non-resident Indian-owned entities have created more than one million UAE jobs.
Under their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the UAE and India plan to double the value of their non-oil trade from 2023 to 2030 to reach AED368 billion ($100 billion).
Expand North Star 2023 is co-located with Fintech Surge, Future Blockchain Summit, and Marketing Mania – all under the GITEX Global 2023 brand.
Expand North Star 2023 show timings:
- October 15 (Sunday): Exhibition 11am-6pm
- October 16 (Monday): Exhibition 10am-6pm
- October 17 (Tuesday): Exhibition 10am-6pm
- October 18 (Wednesday): Exhibition 10am-6pm
- Daily networking: Until 9pm
Regular shuttle buses (free service) operate between DWTC and Dubai Harbour during the combined GITEX Global 2023 and Expand North Star 2023 events.
North Star 2022 was held at DWTC, with the 2023 edition moving to Dubai Harbour. Image: Arnold Pinto
Last Updated on 10 months by Arnold Pinto
