Expand North Star Marks 10 Years Of Startup Success In Dubai

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published September 29, 2025 | 03:45 PM

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 29th Sep, 2025) Dubai is preparing to host the 10th edition of Expand North Star, the world’s largest event for startups and investors, from 12th to 15th October at Dubai Harbour.

Organised by Dubai World Trade Centre and hosted by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, the exhibition has since 2016 provided opportunities for thousands of digital startups to secure multi-million-dollar investments and strategic partnerships, cementing Dubai’s role as a global hub for the digital economy in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).

The event has produced several success stories. Nigerian fintech Moove raised over US$460 million from investors including Uber and BlackRock, expanded into 13 markets, and reached a valuation of about US$750 million.

French firm Obo secured US$20 million in 2024, while India’s Freshcraft Technologies attracted US$12.7 million in 2022 and Zaara Biotech raised US$10 million to launch operations in the UAE.

Early-stage startups have also benefitted, with ShopDoc raising US$1.36 million and Machbee Innovations securing US$1.1 million in 2022. Beyond funding, the platform has supported global expansion strategies, with UK-based Lorien Finance and AI firm DeepSeek among notable participants.

Saeed Al Gergawi, Vice President of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, said the event has been a “strategic gateway for startups to scale from Dubai to the world,” reflecting the emirate’s position as a leading centre for innovation and entrepreneurship.