News DeskDubai, UAE – Expand North Star 2025, the world’s largest startup and investor gathering and part of GITEX GLOBAL, marked its milestone 10th anniversary on Saturday with record international participation — over 2,000 startups and 1,200 investors from more than 100 countries converging at Dubai Harbour for the four-day event running until October 15.
The show, which has become a key driver for global startup growth and digital innovation, aims to elevate funding, scaling, and deal-making opportunities while promoting inclusive digital transformation across emerging AI economies.
Brazil leads as Country Partner
This year’s edition sees Brazil joining as the first official Country Partner, bringing a delegation of over 50 of its most promising startups. Speaking at the inauguration, Tatiana Riera, Chief Operating Officer at the Dubai Office of ApexBrasil — the country’s national trade and investment promotion agency — hailed Dubai’s pivotal role in fostering global innovation partnerships.
“Today, Brazil is home to one of the world’s biggest ecosystems for startups, venture capital and private equity, with more than 20,000 startups,” Riera said. “We’re here to build bridges between Brazil and the rest of the world — especially with the UAE. It’s not just about showcasing startups, but about co-creating the future together.”
Ecuador and Chile make debut
Among the newcomers to Expand North Star are Ecuador and Chile, both showcasing the growing innovation momentum in Latin America.
Felipe Ribadeneira, Ecuadorian Ambassador to the UAE, said his country’s participation underscored a growing bilateral relationship. “We’re proud to present over 22 Ecuadorian companies, including 20 startups offering AI-driven and medical technology solutions,” he said. “Dubai’s drive to become a global hub for data and AI aligns with our ambitions. We expect to sign a memorandum at the World Government Summit next year to establish a technology logistics corridor between Ecuador and the UAE.”
Chile’s debut includes 12 service-sector innovators across mining, education, finance, construction and entertainment. The Chile-Dubai Innovation Summit, hosted at the Chilean Pavilion, aims to expand Chile’s footprint across the Middle East and diversify its export markets.
Global investors with $1.1 trillion in assets
The event continues to attract global capital in unprecedented volumes. The 1,200 investors attending Expand North Star and GITEX GLOBAL collectively manage assets exceeding US$1.1 trillion, highlighting Dubai’s emergence as a magnet for venture capital and private equity.
Dr. Jorg Goschin, CEO of KFW Capital, emphasised the UAE’s growing appeal for European investment collaboration. “Our goal is to make the venture market more accessible and transparent. The UAE’s appetite for technology and capital makes it a natural partner to scale European innovation,” he said during a panel discussion.
New partnerships for global growth
Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the organiser of GITEX GLOBAL and Expand North Star, announced several new international partnerships on the show’s opening day, including collaborations with Presight, 28 Digital, ApexBrasil, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia.
The agreements reinforce DWTC’s status as a global launchpad that has helped more than 8,000 founders scale their ventures over the past decade.
Expand North Star and GITEX GLOBAL also align with Dubai’s innovation agenda, which aims to create 30,000 new jobs by 2030 and nurture at least 10 unicorns — startups valued at over US$1 billion — by 2031.
