Dubai — October 13, 2025:
The world’s largest startup and investor event, Expand North Star 2025 by GITEX Global, opened in Dubai with over 2,000 startups and 1,200 international investors managing $1.1 trillion in assets, marking a decade of innovation, deal-making, and collaboration.
Organized by the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, the event runs at Dubai Harbour until October 15. It aims to accelerate funding, partnerships, and scaling opportunities across AI, fintech, deep tech, climate tech, and digital health, reinforcing Dubai’s position as the epicentre of global startup growth.
Since its debut in 2016, Expand North Star has supported over 8,000 founders worldwide. The 2025 edition coincides with the UAE’s new initiative, “The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World”, which seeks to create 30,000 jobs by 2030 and nurture 10 new unicorns by 2031.
UAE’s Long-Term AI Vision
In a keynote, H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, highlighted the UAE’s pioneering role in AI:
“We started investing in AI back in 2008 — long before it was mainstream. Today, we are proving against all odds that the UAE can be a key player in the AI domain.”
He emphasized the country’s collaborative approach to innovation, saying:
“We don’t claim to know it all — we claim to be the best students and listeners.”
Corporate and Cyber Collaborations
Hatem Dowidar, Global CEO of e&, noted that emerging technologies like 5.5G will enable new business models for startups, adding that AI governance and data privacy must remain top priorities.
Meanwhile, Presight, a G42 company and the region’s largest big data analytics firm, showcased the success of its AI-Startup Accelerator, launched during last year’s event. The programme revealed its first cohort of startups with market-ready prototypes, offering direct commercial pathways through G42’s ecosystem.
Presight also signed a strategic partnership with the UAE Cybersecurity Council to enhance national resilience and data protection. Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government, emphasized the human-centric nature of the country’s digital transformation:
“Cybersecurity is in our DNA — safety and innovation must grow together.”
Global Representation and Unicorn Showcase
The 2025 edition set a new record with representation from 180 countries, featuring Brazil as the first-ever Country Partner through ApexBrasil, which brought 55 startups and innovation hubs across two pavilions.
This year’s unicorn showcase featured 40+ billion-dollar startups, including:
- PsiQuantum (USA) – developing fault-tolerant quantum systems ($68B valuation)
- Talabat (Kuwait) – regional leader in on-demand delivery ($8.5B valuation)
- Andalusia Labs (UAE) – a digital asset risk infrastructure unicorn formed within 11 months
- Carousell (Singapore) – one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing e-commerce platforms
Global Investors Converge
Top investment powerhouses such as JP Morgan (USA), Eurazeo (France), Samsung Ventures (Japan), Octopus Energy Generation (UK), Qatar National Bank (Qatar), and SBI Ventures (Germany) are among those scouting high-potential ventures reshaping the global innovation landscape.
With its record-breaking participation and high-level partnerships, Expand North Star 2025 cements Dubai’s status as a global nexus for entrepreneurship, AI innovation, and digital economy leadership.
