His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum — Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai — visited the Expand North Star exhibition yesterday. This is the world’s largest convergence of startups and investors, organized by the Dubai World Trade Centre and hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy at “Dubai Harbour.” The event runs through October 15, featuring over 2,000 startup participants and more than 1,200 investors — making it one of the leading global platforms bridging innovation and venture capital.
During his visit, His Highness emphasized that Expand North Star reaffirms Dubai’s status as a global centre for entrepreneurship and technology and reflects its vision of building a diversified digital economy rooted in innovation and knowledge. He noted that hosting the event under the umbrella of GITEX Global further demonstrates Dubai’s leadership in providing a flexible, stimulating business environment that supports creative ideas and attracts entrepreneurs and investors from across the globe.
His Highness stated:
“The continued growth of Expand North Star underlines the increasing international confidence in Dubai as a global destination that embraces creators and innovators, contributing to shaping the future of the digital economy. The integrated ecosystem that Dubai offers — advanced digital infrastructure, adaptable legislation, and strategic partnerships — has made it a major enabling platform for startups and supports the region’s and world’s journey toward technological transformation.”
His Highness added:
“Supporting talent and entrepreneurs in advanced technology fields is an investment in the future of the national economy and a catalyst for achieving the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). Meanwhile, global initiatives and events like Expand North Star strengthen Dubai’s role as a global bridge connecting ideas and capital, contributing to a sustainable economy led by innovation and knowledge, powered by youth and their creativity.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), His Highness said:
“Today I visited Expand North Star 2025, the world’s biggest startup‑investor event held alongside GITEX Global. We are proud of how this event has grown since its inception in 2016 — the number of participating companies has risen from 350 to 2,000, a growth of 471%.”
“Investor numbers have grown from 150 in 2016 to 1,200 in the current edition, an increase exceeding 700%. Similarly, international participation has expanded from 39 countries to 100 today.”
His Highness continued:
“We thank the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy for their efforts and leading role in cementing Dubai’s position as a global capital of the digital economy and a platform uniting entrepreneurs and investors from around the world. We look forward to further successes as Expand North Star transitions along with GITEX Global to Expo City Dubai in December 2026.”
His Highness toured the exhibition’s pavilions, reviewing global contributions and exploring the solutions and technologies presented by participating firms in innovation, investment, and future industry. These contribute to building digital business ecosystems and developing advanced technological infrastructure that enable startups to grow, flourish, and evolve. He was joined by the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy & Remote Work Applications, the Chairman of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, Omar Sultan Al Olama; the Director General of the Dubai Economy & Tourism Department, Hilal Saeed Al Mari; the Director General of Dubai Chambers, Mohammed Ali Rashid Lootah; Assistant Foreign Minister for Advanced Science & Technology Affairs, Imran Sharaf; and the Vice‑Chair of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, Saeed Al Qaqawei.
His Highness began his tour at the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy pavilion, where he reviewed services facilitating connections between investors and entrepreneurs and the programs supporting the startup community — all part of the chamber’s pivotal role in fortifying Dubai’s status as a capital of the digital economy.
He also visited the Serbia pavilion, organized by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, showcasing top digital innovations and tech projects that highlight Serbia’s evolution in AI and its entrepreneurial leadership.
In addition, he inspected the UAE’s Space Point platform, an example of Emirati innovation in space science, after its participation in the Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund’s accelerator program — exploring their satellite deployment technologies.
During his tour, His Highness likewise visited the Ecuador pavilion to learn about tech and entrepreneurial projects and the investment opportunities Ecuador offers to global firms and investors.
He also visited booths of UAE companies Secure Y71 and Nabibk, along with the HealthTech pavilion, which featured firms specializing in medical innovation, digital health technologies, AI in medicine, wearable devices, and early diagnostics.
He concluded his tour with a visit to the India pavilion, which has a strong presence in this global event — with 211 participating startups working across AI, data centers, cybersecurity, semiconductor innovation, and other cutting‑edge technology fields.
