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Expand North Star, previously known as GITEX Future Stars, is an annual technologystartup event in Dubai at the Dubai World Trade Center. Strategically a part of GITEX GLOBAL, North Star showcases startups in front of tech industry professionals from more than 100 countries worldwide.[2][3]
The event also features multiple conferences across nine stages, including the 10x Stage, Pitch Stage, Spotlight Stage, Rising Stage, Marketing Mania, Creative Economy, Youth X, Blockchain Stage and Fintech Stage.[4] The event also organizes a pitch competition by the name of Supernova Challenge[5] with a cash prize of USD 200,000.[6][7]
History
North Star Dubai was started as GITEX Future Stars in 2016.[8] It is being held annually along with the technology event GITEX in Dubai at the Dubai World Trade Centre.[9]
The 2018 event took place from October 14 to 17.[1]Etisalat launched innovation programme, "Future Now."[12]
The 2019 event took place from October 6 to 9.[13][14]
The 2020 event took place between December 6 to 10. It also held "Israel Innovation Discovery Day" on December 8 which featured investors and technology experts.[15][16]
In 2021, the event was renamed from GITEX Future Stars to North Star Dubai and it took place from October 17 to 20.[17] That year, "GITEX YouthX Unipreneur" was launched to showcase youth leadership initiatives and tech startups in the event.[18] In 2021, Dubai World Trade Center announced that the GITEX Future Stars would be rebranded to North Star Dubai.[19]
In 2022, along with GITEX Global (formerly known as GITEX), it took place from October 10 to 13.[8] It also started a panel named "Africa Fast 100," for African tech start-ups.[20]
The four-day 2024 event, named Expand North Star, will take place from October 13–16.[21]
