Dubai — October 13, 2025:
Pakistan officially inaugurated its national pavilion at Expand North Star 2025, one of the region’s largest technology and innovation events, featuring ten high-potential Pakistani startups at the Dubai Harbor. The showcase highlights the country’s growing presence in the global digital economy and its emergence as a regional tech hub.
Organized under Ignite – National Technology Fund, part of Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), the pavilion features solutions across fintech, AI, healthtech, and edtech.
The pavilion was inaugurated by Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Pakistan’s envoy to the UAE, alongside Rafique Ahmed Buriro, Additional Secretary at MoITT and CEO of Ignite.
Ambassador Tirmizi announced that Pakistan’s IT exports to the UAE reached $376 million in FY2024–25, while overall IT exports surpassed $3.76 billion, reflecting the country’s accelerating digital growth and investor confidence.
“The participation of Pakistani startups at Expand North Star 2025 reflects our government’s vision to empower youth through technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship,” said Rafique Buriro. “These startups are ambassadors of Pakistan’s digital potential and contributors to our knowledge-driven economy.”
He invited investors and entrepreneurs to visit the Pakistan Pavilion (Hall 8, Stand H8-B180) to explore opportunities for collaboration and investment.
Beyond the official delegation, over 40 independent Pakistani startups are also exhibiting across the event, engaging global venture capital firms, accelerators, and corporate partners. Investor interest has been described as “strong and vibrant,” signaling confidence in Pakistan’s ability to produce scalable, impactful, and investment-ready businesses.
Pakistan’s presence at Expand North Star underscores its commitment to building a competitive, innovation-led economy, while deepening regional partnerships and promoting its rapidly growing startup ecosystem.
