Connect with us
Anglostratits

Business

Start-ups from across the globe look to woo investors with transformational tech shifts at world’s largest start-up event in Dubai

Published

on

GITEX GLOBAL

Expand North Star is the powerhouse start-up event inspired by GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s largest tech show, which takes place from 16-20 October at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 12, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Expand North Star 2023 (https://www.ExpandNorthStar.com/accelerates global VC investment revival as deep tech game-changers choose Dubai as launch-pad for global growth. Record number of Indian start-ups to converge at four-day event’s new iconic Dubai Harbour venue.

India’s burgeoning entrepreneurial spirit and proliferation of next-gen deep tech talent will take centre-stage next week in Dubai, as the world’s largest start-up event prepares to host the biggest showcase of Indian start-ups ever seen outside the south-central Asian nation. 

Hosted by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of the three chambers under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, Expand North Star 2023 together will feature more than 1,800 exhibiting start-ups from 100-plus countries at its new Dubai Harbour venue from 15-18 October. This includes 200 breakthrough Indian companies choosing the emirate as their launchpad to scale up globally.

From international award-winning Google accelerated gaming innovators, to producers of de-carbonised protein for the US$500 billion animal feed industry, game-changers from the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem are gathering in Dubai to woo investors and secure customers for global expansion.

Sustainable Agri-tech the formidable foundation of future commerce

Among the pioneering start-ups at Expand North Star’s new India Central feature is Noval Sustainability, which is launching DE-Carbon, an animal feed protein recycled from waste that, according to Founder Siva Sanker, is formulated to substantially reduce the environmental footprint of the carbon-heavy feed and meat industries.

“We will showcase the tech behind recovering protein from waste,” said Sankar, who will demonstrate at Expand North Star how Noval Sustainability’s manufacturing process decarbonises one of the world’s largest and most-polluting industries.

“The world wastes more than 30 percent of the food that is produced, and the same ratio holds for the amount of proteins wasted from meat consumption.  We are bridging the gap with a solution, and there’s a humongous untapped economic value in this waste. With an inclusion of just one percent of alternative proteins in animal feed, we’re looking at a US$500 billion industry.”

Scaling-up through deep tech immersive gaming

Elsewhere, investors in the US$300 billion gaming industry will see a fresh injection of deep tech gaming platforms, spearheaded by Tuttifrutti Interactive’s Sophia’s Adventures fantasy themed game that uses cinematic quality Unreal 5 Nanite technology.

Expand North Star will present key Indian unicorn founders will unveil the critical global growth path to unstoppable success

Ajish Habib, CEO of Tuttifrutti Interactive, a Google-accelerated, Epic Games Mega Grant recipient, and winner of 15 international awards, said Sophia’s Adventures alpha version will redefine the female gaming market, propelling the company, and potential seed angel investors, to exponential growth. 

“With its official launch for Sony PlayStation and VR2 market, Tuttifrutti will grow a minimum four times by 2025, and with an upcoming half a dozen IP games, we’ll scale-up over 165 times by 2028, targeting revenues of US$80 million,” said Habib.

“Immersive game tech coupled with AI and deep tech will revolutionise the gaming market, and we’re leveraging AI in all aspects in our product development, from designing game emotions, and fine-tuning design, to marketing, and customer acquisition.” 

Unveiling growth roadmaps

Manifested through its power-packed conference programme, Expand North Star will present key Indian unicorn founders will unveil the critical global growth path to unstoppable success.

Headliners include Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO & Co-Founder of Ola Cabs & Ola Electric, India’s largest ridesharing company with over 1.5 million drivers; and Abiraj Singh Bhal, CEO & Founder of Urban Company, a Series F $2.8 billion company offering the largest home services platform in India and UAE.

Expand North Star’s 10X Stage will also feature Rajan Anandan, Managing Director of Peak XV and Surge, a rapid scale-up programme for start-ups in India and Southeast Asia. Anandan is focusing on developing Surge into the world’s top scale-up programme for start-ups by acting as an investment advisor and mentor to the programme’s founders. He will share his visions for India’s booming start-up ecosystem for 2023 and beyond.

Forging deep cross-border economic ties to accelerate growth

Ballooning to nearly double that of the previous year, Indian participation at Expand North Star 2023 comes as the UAE and India continue to amplify bi-lateral trade and investment opportunities.

Under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the UAE and India plan to double the value of non-oil trade from 2023 to 2030, reaching US$100 billion. According to Dubai Chambers, 30 percent of the emirate’s start-ups are Indian-owned, while 83,000 Indian companies are registered in Dubai. Indian firms and non-resident Indian owned entities have also created more than one million UAE jobs.

Expand North Star 2023 will intensify these achievements, convening more than 1,000 tech investors and Venture Capitalists from 70 countries with US$1 trillion of capital to inspire, and scale-up the world’s most sought-after start-ups. 

Expand North Star is the powerhouse start-up event inspired by GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s largest tech show, which takes place from 16-20 October at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). The blockbuster duo, organised by DWTC, are spearheading the world’s biggest tech takeover in Dubai, spanning 2.7 million sq. ft. of exhibition space – a 40 percent increase over the previous year.

More information is available at www.ExpandNorthStar.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Expand North Star.

Events

As global power structures shift, Invest Africa convenes The Africa Debate 2026 to redefine partnership in a changing world

Published

on

Debate

The Africa Debate 2026 will provide a platform for this essential, era-defining discussion, convening leaders to explore how Africa and its partners can build more balanced, resilient and sustainable models of cooperation

LONDON, United Kingdom, February 5, 2026/APO Group/ –As African economies assert greater agency in a rapidly evolving global order, Invest Africa (www.InvestAfrica.com) is delighted to announce The Africa Debate 2026, its flagship investment forum, taking place at the historic Guildhall in London on 3 June 2026.

Now in its 12th year, The Africa Debate has established itself as London’s premier platform for African investment dialogue since launching in 2014, convening over 800 global decision-makers annually to shape the future of trade, finance, investment, and development across the continent.

Under the theme “Redefining Partnership: Navigating a World in Transition”, this year’s forum will focus on Africa’s response to global economic realignment with greater agency, ambition and economic sovereignty.

The Africa Debate puts Africa’s priorities at the centre of the conversation, moving beyond traditional narratives to focus on ownership, resilience and long-term value creation.

“Volatility is not new to Africa. What is changing is the opportunity to respond with greater agency and ambition,” says Invest Africa CEO Chantelé Carrington.

“This year’s edition of The Africa Debate asks how we strengthen economic sovereignty — from access to capital and investment to financial and industrial policy — so African economies can take greater ownership of their growth. Success will be defined by how effectively we turn disruption into leverage and partnership into shared value.”

The Africa Debate 2026 will provide a platform for this essential, era-defining discussion, convening leaders to explore how Africa and its partners can build more balanced, resilient and sustainable models of cooperation.

Key challenges driving the debate

Core focus areas for this year’s edition of The Africa Debate include:

This year’s edition of The Africa Debate asks how we strengthen economic sovereignty — from access to capital and investment to financial and industrial policy

Global Realignment & New Partnerships

How shifting geopolitical and economic power structures are reshaping Africa’s global partnerships, trade dynamics and investment landscape.

Financing Africa’s Future

The growing need to reform the global financial architecture, new approaches to development finance, as well as the strengthening of market access and financial resilience of African economies in a changing global system.

Strategic Value Chains

Moving beyond primary exports to build local value chains in critical minerals for the green economy. Also addressing Africa’s energy access gap and mobilising investment in renewable and transitional energy systems.

Digital Transformation & Technology

Unlocking growth in fintech, AI and digital infrastructure to drive productivity, inclusion, and the next phase of Africa’s economic transformation.

The Africa Debate 2026 offers a unique platform for high-level dialogue, deal-making, and strategic engagement. Attendees will gain actionable insights from leading policymakers, investors and business leaders shaping Africa’s economic future, while building strategic partnerships that define the continent’s next growth phase.

Registration is now open (http://apo-opa.co/46b19gj).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa.

Continue Reading

Business

Zion Adeoye terminated as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CLG due to serious personal and professional conduct violations

Published

on

CLG

After a thorough internal and external investigation, along with a disciplinary hearing chaired by Sbongiseni Dube, CLG (https://CLGglobal.com) has made the decision to terminate Zion Adeoye due to serious personal and professional conduct violations. This process adhered to the Code of Good Practice of the Labour Relations Act, ensuring fairness, transparency, and compliance with South African law.

Mr. Adeoye has been held accountable for several serious offenses, including:

  • Making malicious and defamatory statements against colleagues
  • Extortion
  • Intimidation
  • Fraud
  • Misuse of company funds
  • Theft and misappropriation of funds
  • Breach of fiduciary duty
  • Mismanagement

His actions are in direct contradiction to our firm’s core values. We do not approve of attorneys spending time in a Gentleman’s Club. CLG deeply regrets the impact this situation has had on our colleagues and continues to provide full support to those affected.

We want to express our gratitude to those who spoke up and to reassure everyone at the firm of our unwavering commitment to maintaining a respectful workplace. Misconduct of any kind is unacceptable and will be addressed decisively.

We recognize the seriousness of this matter and have referred it to the appropriate law enforcement, regulatory, and legal authorities in Nigeria, Mauritius, and South Africa. We kindly ask that the privacy of the third party involved be respected.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of CLG.

 

Continue Reading

Business

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Strengthens Partnership with the Republic of Djibouti through US$35 Million Financing Facility

Published

on

ITFC

This facility forms part of the US$600 million, three-year Framework Agreement signed in May 2023 between ITFC and the Republic of Djibouti, reflecting the strong and growing partnership between both parties

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, February 5, 2026/APO Group/ –The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (https://www.ITFC-IDB.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, has signed a US$35 million sovereign financing facility with the Republic of Djibouti to support the development of the country’s bunkering services sector and strengthen its position as a strategic regional maritime and trade hub.

The facility was signed at the ITFC Headquarters in Jeddah by Eng. Adeeb Yousuf Al-Aama, Chief Executive Officer of ITFC, and H.E. Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of Industry of the Republic of Djibouti.

The financing facility is expected to contribute to Djibouti’s economic growth and revenue diversification by reinforcing the competitiveness and attractiveness of the Djibouti Port as a “one-stop port” offering comprehensive vessel-related services. With Red Sea Bunkering (RSB) as the Executing Agency, the facility will support the procurement of refined petroleum products, thus boosting RSB’s bunkering operations, enhancing revenue diversification, and consolidating Djibouti’s role as a key logistics and trading hub in the Horn of Africa and the wider region.

We look forward to deepening this partnership, creating new opportunities, and leveraging collaborative programs to advance key sectors and drive sustainable economic growth

Commenting on the signing, Eng. Adeeb Yousuf Al-Aama, CEO of ITFC, stated:

“This financing reflects ITFC’s continued commitment to supporting Djibouti’s strategic development priorities, particularly in strengthening energy security, port competitiveness, and trade facilitation. We are proud to deepen our partnership with the Republic of Djibouti and contribute to sustainable economic growth and regional integration.”

H.E. Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of Industry of the Republic of Djibouti, commented: “Today’s signing marks an important milestone in the development of Djibouti’s bunkering services and reflects our strong and valued partnership with ITFC, particularly in the oil and gas sector. This collaboration supports our ambition to position Djibouti as a regional hub for integrated maritime and logistics services. We look forward to deepening this partnership, creating new opportunities, and leveraging collaborative programs to advance key sectors and drive sustainable economic growth.”

This facility forms part of the US$600 million, three-year Framework Agreement signed in May 2023 between ITFC and the Republic of Djibouti, reflecting the strong and growing partnership between both parties.

Since its inception in 2008, ITFC and the Republic of Djibouti have maintained a strong partnership, with a total of US$1.8 billion approved primarily supporting the country’s energy sector and trade development objectives.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

Continue Reading

Trending