Entrepreneurs from more than 80 countries will gather in Dubai this December as Expand North Star and GITEX Global bring together emerging technologies, investors and international startup ecosystems.
Dubai will welcome thousands of technology companies, entrepreneurs and investors this December as Expand North Star 2026 returns alongside GITEX Global, one of the world’s largest technology exhibitions. The events will bring together more than 6,000 enterprise and startup exhibitors from over 80 countries, with a focus on artificial intelligence, sustainable technologies, healthcare, mobility and international investment.
The programme opens on December 7 at Dubai World Trade Centre, followed by the startup exhibition at Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai from December 8 to 10. GITEX Global continues through December 11.
For the Middle East, the gathering offers an opportunity to connect international innovation with some of the region’s most pressing challenges, including energy efficiency, water security, climate adaptation and sustainable urban development.
Climate technology and energy efficiency in focus
Among the participating countries are Canada, Italy and Thailand, alongside delegations from Brazil, China, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine and Serbia. Additional representation from Europe, Africa, Asia and the Gulf will bring together companies seeking investors, commercial partnerships and opportunities to enter new markets.
Italy will send 30 startups and small businesses through the Italian Trade Agency. Their technologies include an AI-powered system that reportedly reduces energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in industrial pumping operations by as much as 60%. Such technology could have applications in water infrastructure, manufacturing and other energy-intensive industries across the Middle East.
Thailand will showcase 12 companies working across artificial intelligence, agricultural technology, climate technology and digital marketing. These sectors are increasingly relevant to countries seeking to improve food security and develop more resilient economies under changing environmental conditions.
Canada will participate with its first national pavilion, featuring technologies ranging from advanced photonics to digital health and financial inclusion. The Canada Startup Association will also co-organize a Mobility Summit on December 7 with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority and the Canadian Business Council Dubai and the Northern Emirates, exploring commercial opportunities for Canadian transportation technologies.
Dubai as a meeting point for international innovation
Organized by inD, with Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy as Digital Economy Partner, Expand North Star aims to connect emerging companies with investors, corporations and international markets.
According to the event organizers, the United Arab Emirates attracted $48.3 billion in foreign direct investment in 2025. International companies also represented 75% of the 1,690 digital startups supported by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy that year.
Beyond the exhibition floor, the programme includes ScaleX, which connects growing companies with investors and corporate buyers, and Supernova 0X, a competition offering equity-free cash prizes. New additions include GITEX Healthtech, the ENS Founders Academy and Apollo100, an initiative connecting businesses with opportunities across 100 international destinations.
For environmental entrepreneurs, the opportunity is not simply to showcase new technologies but to find commercial partners capable of deploying them in regions facing common challenges. Innovations in energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture and transportation could have applications well beyond the countries where they were developed.
The participation of startups from across the Middle East and other regions also highlights the potential for technology and entrepreneurship to create new economic connections across borders.
As Dubai prepares to host another major gathering of the global startup community, the larger question is how much of this technological ambition will translate into practical solutions for the environment, society and the economies that need them most.
More information is available at Expand North Star.
