By Ayomide Otitoju
The world’s largest startup and investor event, Expand North Star, has opened its landmark 10th anniversary edition as part of GITEX GLOBAL 2025, attracting over 2,000 startups and 1,200 investors from 180 countries. This year’s event features Brazil as the official Country Partner, alongside first-time participation from Ecuador and Chile, underscoring its growing international influence.
With global venture capital investment reaching US$368 billion in 2024, Expand North Star’s role in advancing the global digital ecosystem has become increasingly vital. The four-day event, held from October 12–15 at Dubai Harbour, aims to elevate funding, scaling, and deal flow while fostering inclusive digital growth across emerging AI-driven economies.
As the first official Country Partner, Brazil is represented by more than 50 of its most dynamic startups. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Tatiana Riera, Chief Operating Officer at the Dubai Office of ApexBrasil, highlighted the UAE’s pivotal role in driving innovation and building global partnerships.
“Brazil is home to over 20,000 startups, making it one of the world’s biggest ecosystems for innovation,” Riera said. “Our goal at Expand North Star is not just to showcase talent, but to co-create the future with Dubai and the UAE.”
Since its inception in 2016, Expand North Star has grown into a premier platform connecting entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers worldwide. This year marks the debut of Ecuador and Chile, both showcasing strong innovation potential.
Ecuador’s Ambassador to the UAE, Mr. Felipe Ribadeneira, emphasized the strategic value of participation:
“We’re proud to showcase more than 22 Ecuadorian companies, including 20 startups offering AI-driven and advanced medical solutions,” he said. “With the UAE’s bold investment in data and AI, we see tremendous opportunities for collaboration.”
He further revealed that Ecuador plans to sign a memorandum of understanding at the World Government Summit 2026 to establish a technology logistics corridor with the UAE.
Chile, also making its debut, is represented by 12 companies across mining, education, finance, construction, and entertainment sectors. The Chile–Dubai Innovation Summit, hosted at the Chilean Pavilion, aims to expand Chile’s footprint across the Middle East and diversify its exports through strategic partnerships.
Attracting the attention of leading global venture capitalists and private equity investors, the combined GITEX GLOBAL and Expand North Star events host 1,200 investors managing more than US$1.1 trillion in assets under management (AUM) — a testament to Dubai’s growing stature as a global innovation hub.
Speaking at the panel session “Driving Venture Capital Growth and Innovation with Sovereign Wealth Funds,” Dr. Jörg Goschin, CEO of KFW Capital, commended the UAE’s pro-innovation environment:
“Our aim is to make the venture market more accessible, transparent, and efficient,” he said. “The UAE’s appetite for technology and global capital makes it an ideal partner for co-investment into European innovation.”
On its opening day, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) — the organiser of GITEX GLOBAL and Expand North Star — announced a series of strategic partnerships with Presight, 28 Digital, ApexBrasil, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, further reinforcing Dubai’s role as a global launchpad for innovation.
Over the years, more than 8,000 founders have scaled their businesses through the platform, reflecting Dubai’s ambition to create 30,000 new tech jobs by 2030 and nurture at least 10 unicorns — startups valued at over US$1 billion — by 2031.
