Expand North Star, the prominent startup event, is set to take place from October 13 to 16 at the iconic Dubai Harbour. This year’s edition is the largest yet, featuring over 2,000 startups. Notably, more than 400 of these startups hail from Europe and the United Kingdom, reflecting significant international interest.
Germany’s Strong Debut
Germany is leading the new country pavilions with 40 startups making their first appearance at the event. This marks a strong entry for Germany into the Expand North Star lineup. Other European countries joining the exhibition include Ireland, Poland, Latvia, Austria, and Portugal, showcasing a diverse array of innovative startups from the region.
United Kingdom’s Expanded Presence
The United Kingdom is returning to Expand North Star with a notable increase in participation. This year, 50 startups will represent the UK, a significant twofold increase compared to their involvement in 2023. The UK’s presence highlights its role as a major player in the global startup ecosystem. France, Italy, and Turkey are also contributing to the European representation at the event.
Insights from UK’s Global Growth Hub
Omar Hassan, Managing Director of Global Growth Hub in the UK, expressed enthusiasm about the event. He noted that the UK’s delegation includes some of the fastest-growing technology companies across sectors like fintech, AI, sustainability, and edtech. According to global data from Dealroom, the UK is home to over 150 unicorns and 25,000 funded startups, making it the third most valuable startup ecosystem globally with a market value exceeding $1.1 trillion. Hassan emphasised that Expand North Star provides a crucial platform for UK tech companies to connect with regional markets and explore opportunities for expansion into the UAE and other regions.
Increased Funding for European Startups
The event comes at a time of heightened investment in European startups. According to Crunchbase, European startups saw a 31% increase in funding in Q2 2024, reaching nearly $16 billion, which represents a 17% rise year-over-year. This surge in funding includes significant growth in both early and late-stage investments, surpassing Asian startups’ funding for the first time on a quarterly basis.
Prominent Investors and Investment Opportunities
Expand North Star will feature over 1,200 investors and venture capitalists (VCs) from around the world. Noteworthy investors include SpeedInvest, one of Europe’s most active early-stage investors with over €1 billion in assets under management, and H Tree Capital, a deep biotech fund from the UK. Other prominent participants include Startup Wise Guys from Estonia, Prediction Capital from Switzerland, and M4 Ventures from Portugal. The event will also host the Supernova Challenge, the world’s largest pitch competition, offering a $200,000 cash prize.
Connecting with Global Unicorns
The event will provide opportunities to connect with over 65 global unicorns. Highlighted participants include Volocopter from Germany, known for its pioneering work in urban air mobility, and BitPanda from Austria, valued at over $4 billion with nearly three million customers. Climeworks, a Swiss unicorn backed by Microsoft Climate Fund, will also be featured, showcasing its innovative carbon removal technologies.
Part of Gitex Global
Expand North Star is an integral part of Gitex Global, which is returning for its 44th edition from October 14 to 18 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Together with Gitex Global, Expand North Star will contribute to one of the world’s largest tech gatherings, featuring 6,700 exhibiting companies from more than 180 countries across 41 halls. This combination of events positions Dubai as a key hub for global technology and innovation.
