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Dubai Celebrates Innovation and Entrepreneurship as Expand North Star Opens

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North Star

The four-day event brings together 1800 startups from over 100 countries and over 1,000 investors with over US$ 1 trillion under management

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 15, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Expand North Star (www.ExpandNorthStar.com), the world’s largest startup showcase, kicked off today at the new Dubai Harbour venue, featuring the latest innovations in robotics, AI, and entrepreneurship. The four-day event brings together 1800 startups from 100 countries and over 1,000 investors with over $1 trillion under management.

Meet ARTEMIS, the World’s Fastest-Walking Humanoid Robot

One of the event’s highlights was the first live stage demonstration of ARTEMIS, the world’s fastest-walking humanoid robot, developed by UCLA researchers. This versatile robot can walk on any terrain using custom-designed actuators that mimic biological muscles, unlike most robots with rigid, position-controlled actuators. ARTEMIS stands at 4 feet, 8 inches and weighs 85 pounds. It can run and jump on rough, unstable surfaces with a speed of 2.1 m/s. The developers’ goal is for the autonomous soccer playing robot team to defeat a human world championship team by 2050.

Dr Dennis Hong, the visionary behind this groundbreaking innovation, explained that the key behind ARTEMIS’ excellent balance while walking on uneven terrain and its ability to run was the ability to get both feet off the ground while in motion, a revolutionary feat for robots.

Empowering Youth Entrepreneurs to Shape the Future

Expand North Star also hosted YouthX Unipreneur, the biggest youth entrepreneurship programme in the region, inspiring students to become the chief architects of the future. The programme attracted more than 1,500 students from over 40 schools and universities, who pitched their innovative ideas to a panel of experts. More than 600 youth ambassadors and 50 on-stage and off-stage engagements were also part of the programme.

Hassan Sabt, President of Dubai Youth Council, highlighted Expand North Star’s significance as a platform for young investors and startups to learn from global industry leaders, compete in live events, share ideas and develop leadership skills.

“The Dubai Youth Council was founded under the direction of our leadership to empower Emirati youth to take an active role and lead strategic industries. The platform also fosters connections while maximizing efforts towards achieving national and global goals. There is no better investment in a country than investing in youth.” he said.

“Our partnership with GITEX YouthX at Expand North Star is just the beginning of much bigger plans to assume more impactful measures on behalf of Emirati youth,” added Sabt.

Our partnership with GITEX YouthX at Expand North Star is just the beginning of much bigger plans to assume more impactful measures on behalf of Emirati youth

Leveraging AI/ML to Create Products that Make an Impact

Another key session at Expand North Star was a panel discussion on using artificial intelligence and machine learning to create products that dent the universe. The panel featured product managers from global unicorns such as Bolt, Reddit, and Booking.com, who shared their best practices and tips for founders, including Ali Rana, VP of Product at Bolt, Mayank Yadav, Director of Product at Reddit, and Sanchit Juneja, Director of Big Data and ML at Booking.com.

The panellists cautioned against falling for the AI hype. Adopting technology for its own sake with no added value is a sure way to fail as an entrepreneur. Technology, the audience heard, must solve an existing problem. That said, the speakers warned, business owners must keep abreast of technological evolution as many paradigms have changed, affecting careers people thought were indestructible.

Demystifying the Entrepreneur Journey

Gary Blowers, CEO of UAE-based LVL Well-being, shared his experience raising funds for his startup on the Spotlight Stage. The company joined an accelerator program in July 2021, hoping to raise capital in six months. Pitches to hundreds of investors yielded nothing. “Raising capital is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s also essential to understand that everyone’s journey in raising capital is different, and it takes time in this challenging market. But don’t get too caught up with raising capital that you forget to grow the business; keep one eye on the commercials,” he urged.  

“I’ve learned some valuable lessons during this process,” he continued. “First, your data room is crucial to your success. Keep it updated to reflect your evolving business. Second, be brutally honest with yourself and your team. Communicate candidly, even when things don’t go as planned.”

Blowers highlighted the importance of the founder and team’s well-being. “The entrepreneurial journey can negatively impact mental health, leading to burnout and depression. Prioritize your well-being and create a healthy work culture. Taking care of yourself and your team is key to completing the fundraising marathon and being ready to win at the end.”

Expand North Star is the ultimate global destination for startup innovation and inspiration. The event will run until 18 October 2023 at the Dubai Harbour, the Middle East’s biggest iconic superyacht hub.

Expand North Star is the powerhouse start-up show of GITEX GLOBAL, the world largest tech event, which opens tomorrow (16 October) at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Expand North Star.

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Ministers among hundreds of energy-sector leaders to attend AOW event

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Sinclair

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors”

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

AOW: Investing in African Energy (https://AOWEnergy.com) – Africa’s leading oil, gas and energy event – has confirmed attendance for more than 80 ministers and senior officials, representing African governments, energy departments and regulators at next month’s event.

These influential stakeholders will be among the more than 1 600 senior delegates and industry leaders who will be attending the event to develop policy, share discoveries, secure investment, and shape Africa’s energy future.

The event kicks off with an invitation-only ministerial symposium focused on the theme of “Fostering innovation, attracting investment, and promoting sustainable growth in the oil, gas, and energy sectors.”

Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention

Among the officials and government ministers attending will be energy leaders from South Africa, Nigeria, Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire, Mozambique, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Eswatini, Uganda, CAR, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Gabon, Malawi, Morocco, Zanzibar, Liberia, Senegal, Congo Brazzaville and Sierra Leone.

In addition, the event will feature high-level delegations from numerous national oil companies, as well as multilateral bodies including the African Union, (AU), African Energy Commission (AFREC), African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

AOW will see these energy leaders networking with C-suite executives and decision-makers from more than 760 top energy companies at daily networking events, to discuss insights, forge new relationships, and negotiate major energy deals.

“We are so excited to see the calibre of delegates at this year’s AOW event,” says Chief Executive Officer of Sankofa Events, Paul Sinclair. “Given the recent major oil-and-gas discoveries across Africa, the energy transition and major geopolitical events, it is clear that the energy sector needs positive intervention. The high-powered attendance proves AOW is a key platform to enable this intervention.”

Key themes to be discussed at this year’s AOW will be sustainable upstream development; expanding gas value chains; renewables and new energies; adoption of best-in-class technologies; and access to finance.

AOW: Investing in African Energy will culminate in a special anniversary party at Groot Constantia Vineyard to celebrate 30 years of the AOW event.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AOW: Investing in African Energy.

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Afreximbank approves US$20.8 million for Starlink Global’s cashew factory project in Lagos

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The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs

CAIRO, Egypt, October 4, 2024/APO Group/ — 

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has approved a US$20.8 million financing facility for Nigeria-based Starlink Global & Ideal Limited to enable the company construct and operate a 30,000-metric tonne per annum cashew processing factory in Lagos.

We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria

According to the facility agreement signed in on July 22, 2024, Afreximbank will provide the funds in two tranches with the first tranche of US$7.48M going toward capital expenditure for the construction of the factory and the second, totalling US$13.25M to be deployed as working capital for the operations of the factory.

The facility is expected to promote value addition which will guarantee increased earnings to the company while also fostering the creation of about 400 new jobs once the factory becomes operational. It is also expected to support about 40 small and medium-sized enterprises.

Commenting on the transaction, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra Africa Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, said that by supporting Starlink Global to establish a modern processing facility, Afreximbank is making it possible for Africa to add value to its agro-commodities, thereby facilitating exports and subsequent inflow of much-needed foreign exchange into the continent.

“We are delighted at this partnership which promises to deliver significant impact on employment in Nigeria. It will contribute to value creation and to the development of the local community while also improving the lots of smallholder farmers and small business suppliers that will work with Starlink across the value chain,” Mrs. Awani added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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Sonangol to Lead Decarbonized Oil & Gas (O&G) Development, Says Angolan National Oil Company (NOC) Head

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Sonangol

Participating in an on-stage interview at Angola Oil & Gas 2024, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins emphasized that oil and gas remains a core focus for the national oil company

LUANDA, Angola, October 3, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Angola’s national oil company Sonangol reiterated its commitment to driving sustainable hydrocarbon development during the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) conference this week. Speaking during an “In-Conversation with” session, Sonangol CEO Sebastião Gaspar Martins stated that the company will not abandon oil and gas, but rather advance decarbonized oil and gas development.

We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas

By investing in upstream oil and gas production while prioritizing low-carbon projects, Sonangol aims to boost national crude output, while diversifying and decarbonizing the industry. The NOC is focusing efforts on non-associated gas development, as well as alternative energy sources such as solar.

“We are looking at opportunities in the gas sector and have identified the right partner to develop non-associated gas. Gas produced from Angola LNG will be used for the production of fertilizer and we are evaluating the utilization of gas in the south of the country, linking gas with steel industries. We also have a blue carbon project, linked to the reduction of carbon through the plantation of mangroves. We have one area in Luanda and have identified four additional areas for this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Sonangol has undergone transformation in recent years: following the creation of the National Oil, Gas & Biofuels Agency (ANPG) in 2019, Sonangol transferred its role as national concessionaire and regulator. This transformation has aimed to make Sonangol more competitive and strengthen its capacity as an upstream operator. Concurrently, the government is partially privatizing the NOC, with privatization set to be complete in 2026. This process will enhance financial capacity, allowing Sonangol to drive new upstream projects forward.

“The transformation of Sonangol started several years ago, when we passed the regulatory, concessionaire role to the ANPG. At the time, we transferred almost 600 employees to the ANPG. After that, Sonangol underwent a restructuring program where we created five core business units from 36 different entities – starting with exploration and production. We want to go public, but we want to do it properly. So, we are currently going through all the processes to do this,” stated Gaspar Martins.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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