GITEX GLOBAL, Expand North Star 2023 centre world’s attention on booming AI economy

Dubai will unleash a new era of global AI dominance next week, as the UAE hosts the world’s largest tech and start-up show, converging the best minds, future-focused governments, and most advanced companies to redraw the boundaries of the AI economy and shape the future of the globe’s next big technology shift.

For the first time, GITEX GLOBAL – independently rated globally as the best tech show in the world – shall take place in two mega venues as its 43rd edition prepares to welcome 6,000 exhibitors and 180,000 tech executives from 180 countries from 16th-20th October 2023 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Its powerhouse start-up show, Expand North Star hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy runs from 15th-18th October 2023 at the stunning new Dubai Harbour venue. More than 1,800 start-ups across the events will explore rising opportunities in one of the world’s most agile, diversified, and technology-enabled digital economies.

The blockbuster duo, organised by DWTC, comprise a combined 2.7 million sq. ft. of exhibition space, a 40 percent increase over the previous year, inviting the world to the year’s most anticipated dialogue and deep scrutiny into a new tech paradigm experimenting in AI, the cloud, Web 3.0, and a sustainable digital economy.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, spoke at the official GITEX GLOBAL and Expand North Star 2023 press conference today.

“We are working with AI policymakers to ensure that the world is better for everyone everywhere,” said Al Olama, who was named by TIME Magazine as one of the world’s top 100 most influential people in artificial intelligence in 2023. “GITEX GLOBAL is where the best and brightest minds come together to shape the future of technology. Dubai is a global market and through GITEX GLOBAL, we are pushing the envelope by showcasing new technologies including the transformational power of AI to inspire everyone and shape a better future.”

“We've seen a huge increase in the number of participants at GITEX GLOBAL and this growth really is a testament to the UAE’s status as a global leader in technology."

The influx of global interest in the UAE will see Expand North Star host the largest line-up of 1,000 investors from 70 countries with US$1 trillion under management, as they look to ramp up the global VC start-up investment revival.

It arrives as the UAE companies clinched the lion’s share of $4 billion in start-up funding across the Middle East and North Africa in 2022, fetching investments to the tune of $1.85 billion across 250 deals, a five percent increase in value over the previous year.

“Expand North Star reflects Dubai’s strong commitment to enabling ambitious start-ups to thrive in the emirate,” said Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy (DCDE), host of Expand North Star.

“We look forward to introducing several initiatives at the event including India Central, the biggest showcase of Indian start-ups ever assembled outside India; Asia Fast 100 and Africa Fast 100, the event’s largest showcases bringing together more than 100 leading start-ups from each continent for an intensive programme of conferences, networking events, and dedicated pitch competitions; and Launchpad Dubai, a first-of-its-kind initiative providing local and international tech businesses including start-ups, scaleups, and unicorns opportunities to accelerate their business and kickstart their operations in Dubai through a one-stop experience at DCDE’s booth at Expand North Star.

“Hosting this event enables us to harness the full potential of the digital economy by connecting stakeholders from the government sector, investors, and accelerators with the world’s leading industry experts, innovators, and tech start-ups,” added Al Gergawi.

“By bringing the global start-up ecosystem together in the emirate, Expand North Star supports our drive to transform Dubai into one of the world’s leading digital economies in line with the ambitions of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).”

GITEX GLOBAL 2023 will see the highest involvement of public-private partnerships yet as more than 250 government entities intensify their futuristic digital city visions and strategic collaborations amplified by bold commitments toward digital excellence.

The annual five-day event will deep dive into the biggest reflections of the AI era with the return of AI Everything – the year’s largest showcase of AI solutions and concepts – and the Global DevSlam coder and developer meet-up, while the hyper-popular GITEX Cyber Valley will take the fight directly to the dark cyber-criminal underworld.

“We have not seen this hyper level of fervour and anticipation of GITEX GLOBAL in recent years,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Events Management at Dubai World Trade Centre. “GITEX is synonymous with AI this year, especially when excitement over the emergence of generative AI is shadowed by a sense of trepidation and cautiousness.

“We are aggregating the year’s largest AI in Everything showcase and the most powerful AI architects across businesses. GITEX GLOBAL has not merely expanded in scale. It has totally upsized the big AI ethical conversation and commercial exploration to new dimensions.”

GITEX Global and Expand North Star will also feature 21 conference tracks with more than 1,500 expert speakers from 80-plus countries delivering 900 hours of immersive mind-stretching content, as they unpack and demystify 2023’s pressing tech challenges and controversies, from delivering the world’s faster AI supercomputer, or driving the green energy revolution, to scaling autonomous driving tech, and the assessing the impact of AI tools on cybersecurity.

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