Expand North Star 2025 has brought together founders of 40 unicorn companies, collectively valued at over US$900 billion
The 2025 edition of Expand North Star, the world’s largest gathering for startups and investors, has attracted the founders of 40 unicorn companies with a combined valuation of over US$900 billion, underscoring the event’s growing global significance among leading entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
Organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre and hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, Expand North Star continues to serve as a dynamic international platform connecting venture capitalists with the global digital innovation community. Held at Dubai Harbour from 12th–15th October, this year’s event brought together founders of some of the world’s most successful startups, all eager to forge strategic partnerships, explore emerging investment trends, and discuss opportunities for scaling in new markets.
During their participation, several unicorn founders highlighted the UAE’s progressive business environment as a key driver for global growth, citing the country’s strong support for innovation and digital enterprise expansion.
Andrew Feldman, CEO and Co-Founder of Cerebras Systems, an AI unicorn valued at US$8.1 billion, noted the strategic importance of the region, stating, “We have a big presence here in the United Arab Emirates. We’re already set up here and will be expanding over the next year. This is an extraordinarily exciting place to be doing business.”
Pablo Zamora, Co-Founder of foodtech unicorn NotCo, which is valued at around US$1.7 billion, highlighted the investment potential created by this ecosystem. “You can see clearly the government support for startups to try to do a correct soft landing and giving the public and environmental support to have big business and scale it up correctly. As entrepreneurs, of course, we’re looking for investment and partnerships to open this region.”
Tim Shi, Co-Founder of Cresta, a generative AI company from San Francisco, emphasised the value of accessing a new network, “We are based in San Francisco and meet a lot of US companies, but it’s just eye-opening to meet people from this part of the hemisphere.”
Expand North Star continues to provide a platform for showcasing cutting-edge innovation and strengthening international collaboration across the tech ecosystem. The event also plays a central role in supporting the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy’s strategy to position Dubai as a leading global hub for technology and innovation.