Expand North Star 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai, Marking 10th Anniversary

Expand North Star 2025 Commences in Dubai, Celebrating a Decade of Global Startup and Investment Collaboration

(Source: Dubai World Trade Centre, October 2025)

Introduction

The tenth edition of Expand North Star 2025, the world’s largest startup and investor connector event, opened at Dubai Harbour, marking a decade of fostering innovation-driven global partnerships. Organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, the event serves as the startup showcase of GITEX GLOBAL, bringing together the world’s most dynamic entrepreneurs, investors, and technology leaders under one platform.Spanning 12–15 October 2025, the event features over 2,000 startups and 1,200 investors from 180 countries, reflecting its transformation into a critical nexus for the global innovation ecosystem.

I. Background and Significance

Launched in 2016, Expand North Star has emerged as a global stage for technology-driven entrepreneurship, enabling over 8,000 founders to scale their ventures. Its decade-long journey aligns closely with the UAE’s Vision 2031, which seeks to create 30,000 new digital economy jobs and foster at least ten unicorns by 2031.This year’s edition marks a significant milestone — its 10th anniversary — symbolizing the UAE’s growing influence in nurturing innovation ecosystems and facilitating cross-border collaboration in emerging technologies.

II. Key Highlights of Expand North Star 2025

1. Global Participation and Scale
   • The event hosts startups and investors from 180 nations, managing combined assets exceeding USD 1.1 trillion.
   • The platform fosters networking between early-stage ventures, global venture capitalists, and policymakers shaping the AI-led innovation economy.
2. Focus Sectors and Innovation Streams
   • Artificial Intelligence (AI), Climate Technology, Deep Tech, Digital Health, and Fintech dominate the thematic areas.
   • The inclusion of AI-native startups underscores the UAE’s emphasis on future-ready innovation ecosystems.
3. Showcased Unicorns and Global Leaders
   • More than 40 unicorns participated in the showcase, including PsiQuantum (valued at USD 68 billion) and Talabat (valued at USD 8.5 billion).
   • These success stories highlight the potential of global technology convergence and innovation scaling from the UAE’s strategic hub.
4. Strategic Policy Alignment
   • The event aligns with the UAE National AI Strategy 2031, which aims to integrate AI across all sectors of governance and economy.
   • Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, emphasised that the country’s early investments in AI since 2008 have positioned it as a global innovation leader.

III. India’s Robust Participation

India’s presence at Expand North Star 2025 is the largest to date, demonstrating the country’s expanding global footprint in the digital innovation and technology sectors.

• Representation: 211 startups across AI, data centres, semiconductors, and cybersecurity.
• Delegations:
  • Mobile and Electronic Devices Export Promotion Council (MEDEPC) – 45 startups
  • Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) – 35 startups
  • Telecom Equipment Export Promotion Council (TEPC) – 20 startups
  • Startup Karnataka – 20 startups
  • Additional contributions from Startup India, IIT Madras, Tamil Nadu Technology Hub (TNT Hub), and 45 independent participants.

Over the past decade, India has contributed nearly 800 exhibitors to Expand North Star and GITEX combined, spanning AI, SaaS, healthtech, edtech, and fintech. Dubai’s geographical proximity to Indian innovation hubs — merely 3–4 hours from major cities — coupled with favourable regulatory frameworks and venture capital access, has made it a preferred gateway for Indian startups seeking international scale.

IV. Broader Economic and Technological Implications

1. For the UAE:
   • Strengthens its role as the global capital for digital entrepreneurship.
   • Enhances Dubai’s vision of transitioning from an oil-based to a knowledge and innovation-driven economy.
2. For India-UAE Relations:
   • The expanding collaboration reflects a deepening technological partnership, complementing the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
   • Indian startups benefit from access to global investors, regulatory sandboxes, and the UAE’s growing AI infrastructure.
3. For the Global Innovation Ecosystem:
   • Acts as a benchmark event for AI-enabled entrepreneurship, influencing global startup dynamics.
   • Encourages public-private partnerships to drive responsible and sustainable technology growth.

V. Analytical Perspective

The tenth anniversary of Expand North Star signifies not just a decade of progress, but a transition point for global innovation governance. By positioning itself at the intersection of AI, climate technology, and venture finance, Dubai is shaping the narrative for a borderless digital economy.India’s participation underlines its strategic alignment with global innovation flows, particularly in emerging technologies that will define the 2030 economy. The collaboration between Indian and Emirati ecosystems reflects a pragmatic model of mutual economic acceleration, combining India’s technological depth with the UAE’s global connectivity and capital access.

VI. Relevance for UPSC

Prelims Focus:

• Event: Expand North Star 2025 (Dubai Harbour)
• Organised by: Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)
• Hosted by: Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy
• Participants: 2,000 startups, 1,200 investors from 180 countries
• Indian Delegation: 211 startups (MEDEPC, KSUM, TEPC, Startup Karnataka)
• Major Unicorns: PsiQuantum, Talabat
• UAE Minister for AI: Omar Sultan Al Olama

Mains (GS Paper 2 & 3 – Economy, Science and Technology, International Relations):

• “Discuss the role of international innovation platforms such as Expand North Star in shaping global startup ecosystems and India’s participation in them.”
• “Examine how India-UAE collaboration in technology and startups aligns with the objectives of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).”

Conclusion

The 10th anniversary edition of Expand North Star 2025 stands as a landmark in global innovation networking, embodying the UAE’s vision of becoming a digital economy powerhouse and a catalyst for emerging technologies.For India, its record participation reinforces its position as a leading innovation partner in the Gulf region, showcasing its entrepreneurial depth and readiness to engage in global AI, fintech, and deep tech dialogues. The event exemplifies how strategic partnerships and technology diplomacy are redefining the contours of global economic cooperation in the digital era.

Updated - October 13, 2025 2:46 PM | News On Air