The World’s Largest
Startup and Investor Connector Event

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THE WORLD CONNECTS. THE FUTURE SCALES

North Star brings together founders, investors, and visionaries from every corner of the world. It bridges fragmented markets, accelerates access to global capital, and unlocks collaboration between startups, governments, and corporates to fuel real-world impact and economic growth.

2025 Show Numbers

2,050

Global Startups

1,300

Investors

5,340

Pre-arranged Onsite Meetings

400

Speakers

100

Countries

WHAT’S NEW IN 2026

NEW FEATURES. NEW SCALE.

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STARTUP X LABS

THE WORLD’S LARGEST EXECUTION-DRIVEN FOUNDER PROGRAMME

A 3-day academy inside ENS designed for 10,000 founders, investors, corporates and academia, compressing the entire entrepreneur journey, from idea to exit.

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CONTENT NATION X

POWERING THE CREATOR ECONOMY

Content Nation X becomes the world’s first dedicated space for startups, agencies and creators building the next wave of AI-driven content innovation.

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NS PLAY

INNOVATION MEETS LIFESTYLE

This new feature brings together founders building, AR/VR hardware, smart health devices and lifestyle tech designed to scale.

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DIGIHEALTH–BIOTECH

REDEFINING THE FUTURE OF HUMAN HEALTH

From AI-driven diagnostics to genomics and next-generation therapeutics, this feature accelerates the world’s most advanced health innovations toward real-world impact.

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ONE DAY. ONE POD. GLOBAL EXPOSURE.

THE FOUNDER’S PASS

A limited-edition pass designed for founders ready to show up, be seen, and connect — without the commitment of a full stand.

Launch your presence at Expand North Star with a dedicated startup pod for one day on the show floor. Meet investors, pitch your solution, generate leads and become part of a curated community of founders shaping the future. It’s the easiest way to step onto a global stage, fast, focused and founder-friendly.

Apply for Founder’s Pass
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HOW EXPAND NORTH STAR CREATES REAL OUTCOMES?

2026 CORE THEMES

FOUNDER RESTRUCTURE

From MVP to multi-market scale and Series A–C playbooks

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THE NEW CAPITAL STACK

Sovereign funds, family offices, venture debt & secondaries

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COMMERCIAL DEEPTECH

From labs to market-ready AI, climate, defence & frontier tech

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SCALEUP ADVANTAGE & EMERGING MARKETS

GCC, Africa, India, LATAM growth corridors

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One Global Platform. A Decade of Disruption.
1,000s of Bold Voices.

For 10 years, trailblazing founders and global game-changers have taken to the
Expand North Star stages to park change and shape the future.
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SUPERNOVA CHALLENGE 2.0

THE WORLD’S LARGEST STARTUP PITCH COMPETITION

Secure your pod now for a chance to pitch live—head-to-head with top global startups—right in front of elite investors. This is your moment to own the spotlight and make your breakthrough.

With a total prize fund of $214,000 up for grabs, this is your chance to secure major investment, gain global recognition, and accelerate your startup’s growth like never before.

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Investor Programme

BOLD IDEAS, BIG HORIZONS   10th ANNIVERSARY   |   BOLD IDEAS, BIG HORIZONS   10th ANNIVERSARY   |   BOLD IDEAS, BIG HORIZONS   10th ANNIVERSARY   |   BOLD IDEAS, BIG HORIZONS   10th ANNIVERSARY   BOLD IDEAS, BIG HORIZONS   10th ANNIVERSARY   BOLD IDEAS, BIG HORIZONS

Connecting Visionary Investors with Game-Changing Startups Across the Region

The Investor Programme cemented its position as the biggest VC gathering in the global south and the industry’s most influential platforms for deal-making and discovery.

Be where the smart money moves — only at Expand North Star

LEARN MORE

INSPIRING WORDS FROM
THE COMMUNITY

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A NEW ERA IN 2026
Expanding Horizons at Dubai Expo City

In 2026, Expand North Star transitions to the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC),
Expo City — entering its next chapter with even greater impact.

LATEST NEWS

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