The organizers of “Expand North Star,” the world’s largest event for startups and investors held in Dubai since 2016, confirmed that the exhibition has successfully provided quality opportunities for thousands of digital startups worldwide to secure investment funding deals worth millions of dollars and establish strategic partnerships supporting their growth and expansion.

According to a press release issued yesterday, “Expand North Star” will celebrate a decade of success in its upcoming edition, organized by Dubai World Trade Centre and hosted by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy at “Dubai Harbour” from October 12 to 15, 2025. The event empowers entrepreneurs by connecting them to funding opportunities and markets, turning promising ideas into leading global companies that contribute to strengthening Dubai’s position as a global capital of the digital economy and a preferred destination for innovators, investors, and pioneering companies specialized in advanced technology sectors, in line with Dubai’s economic agenda “D33”.

The success stories emerging from “Expand North Star” demonstrate the pivotal role the exhibition plays in transforming entrepreneurial ideas into influential global entities. Nigerian company “Moove,” which provides financing solutions for the mobility sector, raised over $460 million from major investors such as Uber and BlackRock.

Following its participation in the exhibition, the company expanded into 13 global markets and reached a market value of approximately $750 million, rapidly approaching the “unicorn” club of billion-dollar companies.

“Expand North Star” serves as an investment attraction platform by linking innovators with funding sources and accelerating the growth of their projects at various development stages. In 2024, the French company specializing in developing virtual agents, “Oppo,” met an investor during the exhibition and secured $20 million in funding. The Indian company “Fresh Kraft Technologies” attracted an investment of $12.7 million for its ionized plasma sterilization technology after participating in the 2022 edition. Meanwhile, the Indian agri-tech company “Zara Biotech” secured a $10 million investment to launch its operations in the UAE.

The exhibition is equally important for supporting early-stage startups, with “Shop Doc” raising $1.36 million in funding, while “Macbee Innovations” secured $1.1 million to develop its smart IoT devices.

Saed Al Qorqawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, said, “The exhibition has been a leading platform for innovation and opportunities over a decade, and the success stories it has produced—from startups to innovators in AI and agri-tech—are real examples of Dubai’s prestigious status as a global hub for the digital economy.”