All you need to know about the world’s biggest tech show

180,000 tech executives. 20,000 sustainability experts. 6,000 exhibitors. 3,500 AI enterprises. 1,800 startups. 1,400 speakers. 1,000 investors. 250 government entities. 180 countries. 41 halls.

Unmatched in size and scale, these are the numbers behind GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s biggest tech and startup show, which takes to the Dubai stage for the 43rd time next week, 16-20 October.

Every year, GITEX gets bigger – and this year is no exception with the show taking place in two mega venues for the first time, following a 40% increase in exhibition space from last year to 2.7 million sq-ft.

While GITEX will continue to be staged at the Dubai World Trade Centre, sister show Expand North Star, the world’s largest startup show (running 15-18) with more than 1,800 startups, will be held at the stunning new Dubai Harbour venue.

Delivering 6,000 tech exhibitors and 1,800 startups, the blockbuster duo will offer deep scrutiny into a new tech paradigm experimenting in AI, the cloud, Web 3.0, and a sustainable digital economy

“GITEX GLOBAL is where the best and brightest minds come together to shape the future of technology,” says HE Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE Minister of State AI, who was recently named by TIME Magazine as one of the world’s top 100 influential people in AI in 2023.

“We are pushing the envelope by showcasing new technologies including the transformational power of AI to inspire everyone and shape a better future.”

AI Everything – largest showcase of AI solutions, products

Unsurprisingly, this year’s AI Everything will feature the largest showcase of AI solutions and concepts and the most powerful AI architects across businesses – with more than 1,000 AI-infused companies revealing how the new force of supercharged tech stacks are advancing economies and transforming lives, governments, businesses, and society. Here is a list of 10 company AI reveals.

Among tech titans spearheading the AI change at GITEX, Huawei and Microsoft will return to the show, while cloud-based software giant Salesforce is making its show debut.

According to Thierry Nicault, Area VP and GM of Salesforce Middle East, “It’s important for organisations in the UAE and the wider MENA region to recognise the importance of Generative AI and its role in digital transformation, enabling them to develop digital strategies that promote efficiency, innovation, and resilience,” says Thierry. 

Salesforce will reveal its new Einstein 1 AI assistant for all CRM enterprise applications – to help organisations safely connect any data and build AI-powered apps with low-code no-code capability. While Microsoft

While Microsoft will deliver a powerhouse showcase of the company’s commitment to democratising AI and empowering everyone on the planet to achieve more.

As Naim Yazbeck, GM of Microsoft UAE puts it: “We envision a future where AI is enhancing the capabilities of people across all professions to find innovative ways of solving pressing challenges and creating a positive impact in their communities.”

But GITEX has not merely expanded in AI scale, it has also “totally upsized the big AI ethical conversation and commercial exploration to new dimensions”, according to Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Events Management at Dubai World Trade Centre.

AI’s meteoric development has triggered debates on the vulnerability of systems to cyber-attacks which has prompted the creation of GITEX Cyber Valley to corral the AI security agenda.

UAE tech challengers – from G42 to ASPIRE

It’s not only the big US and Chinese companies bringing AI innovation to the Dubai stage – UAE-based challengers will also feature – among these, G42, Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) and Masdar City.

Abu Dhabi-based AI powerhouse G42 will showcase its portfolio companies’ cutting-edge innovations across multiple domains, from data centres, supercomputing and government services, to healthcare, BFSI and smart mobility. Among these, Bayanat’s latest advancements in the Geospatial AI domain.

Pioneering sustainable urban development for more than 15 years, Masdar City will showcase its innovations, including three leading-edge net-zero energy buildings they currently have under construction, as well as climate-change solutions that some of the startups housed within the Masdar City free zone have created.

Making its GITEX debut is ASPIRE, sister company of The Technology Innovation Institute (the applied research arm of ATRC. Stepping into the future mobility landscape, ASPIRE will reveal its autonomous racing car that clocks in excess of 300km/h.

The Dallara Super Formula car is a flagship racing car of ASPIRE’s Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL), launching in April 2024 as a series of high-profile autonomous races including racing cars, drones and dune buggies. 

1,500 speakers discussing latest tech challenges

GITEX Global and Expand North Star will also feature 21 conference tracks with more than 1,500 expert speakers from 80-plus countries delivering 900 hours of immersive mind-stretching content.

Hear from these global leaders as they debate, challenge and scrutinise the future of tech and address the pressing tech challenges and controversies of today – from delivering the world’s fastert AI supercomputer, or driving the green energy revolution, to scaling autonomous driving tech, and assessing the impact of AI tools on cybersecurity.

A staggering 80% of the 1,500 speakers are first-time speakers in the region, and includes digital, innovation and strategy leaders from companies including Hugo Boss, Bayer, Roche, Saudi German Hospitals, PepsiCo, HSBC, Absa Bank Kenya, Standard Chartered Bank,

Specialists from tech companies including Intel, Cisco, OpenText, AWS will part of panels and sessions, as will CISOs from MTN South Africa, MBC Group, PwC, Binance, and the UAE government and chief sustainability officers from Engie, TAQA and ADNOC, among others.

World’s largest startup show

Expand North Star will bring together more than 1,800 startups, including the biggest-ever showcase of Indian startups ever assembled outside India, along with the biggest-ever lineup of investors (1,000) with a staggering US$1 trillion under management.

This comes as investors are looking to ramp up the global VC startup investment revival and the UAE is looking to become one of the world’s leading digital economies.

UAE companies clinched the lion’s share of US$4 billion in start-up funding across the MENA region in 2022 – landing investments to the tune of US$1.85 billion across 250 deals, a 5% increase in value over the previous year. 

Among initiatives, Asia Fast 100 and Africa Fast 100 will convene over 100 leading start-ups from each continent for an intensive programme of conferences, networking events, and pitch competitions; while first-of-its-kind initiative, Launchpad Dubai, will provide tech businesses with opportunities to kickstart their operations in Dubai through a one-stop experience at DCDE’s booth.

“Hosting this event enables us to harness the full potential of the digital economy by connecting stakeholders from the government sector, investors, and accelerators with the world’s leading industry experts, innovators, and tech start-ups,” says Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy (DCDE), host of Expand North Star.