DUBAI: H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, today opened GITEX GLOBAL 2024, the world’s largest and highest-rated tech and startup event.

Taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 14-18 October, this year’s edition of GITEX GLOBAL is its biggest and most international ever. The 44th edition of the event has brought together over 6,500 exhibitors, 1,800 startups, and 1,200 investors alongside governments from more than 180 countries.

Addressing the delegates and distinguished guests, H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed emphasised that international collaboration is a key driving force behind the growth and development of technological ecosystems: "GITEX GLOBAL holds esteemed international status as an inclusive, influential, and impactful event that inspires innovative practice, technological exploration, and digital transformation across industries. As we welcome the global technology community to the UAE for the 44th consecutive year, GITEX GLOBAL 2024 embodies the UAE’s unwavering commitment to global digital economy leadership.”

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed further said: “With each groundbreaking solution presented or every aspirational idea shared, we move closer to a world where technology empowers progress, fuels entrepreneurship, and transforms lives – across our nation and all around the world. GITEX GLOBAL is not only a platform for innovation and collaboration – it's a powerful catalyst for the empowering, opportunistic, and sustainable future we are building in the present.”

Under a brand new theme, ‘Global Collaboration to Forge a Future AI Economy’, GITEX GLOBAL 2024 provides a unique and influential stage to build new connections, launch new solutions, forge new cross-continental alliances, and accelerate AI-driven socio-economic transformation globally.

With Tech Investment Day launching a five-day programme, the first day of GITEX GLOBAL presents audiences with a series of sessions that explore the latest investment trends shaping global wealth and unlocking unprecedented business value.

The World Future Economy Digital Leaders Summit will be a major source of interest on Tech Investment Day with AI projected to add as much as $13 trillion to the global economy by 2030. This event will help chart a course for AI-driven economic transformation, addressing challenges and previewing opportunities surrounding partnerships, policies, and strategic investments.

Additionally, AI Everything will host this year’s most impactful discussions on the future of AI in society and industry. Leading global AI collaborators will explore the most transformative AI case studies across government, enterprise, and startups – discussing the essential nature of transforming proofs-of-concept swiftly while balancing AI’s potential with creativity and human intuition.
Spanning over 10 halls, AI Everything brings together 3,500 enterprises to present breakthrough AI technologies. These include many of the world’s most iconic tech giants: Adobe, Alibaba Cloud, AWS, Builder Ai, Dell, G42, Google, Honeywell, Huawei, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, Nvidia, Oracle, Presight, Salesforce, SAS, and more.

GITEX Editions also makes its highly anticipated GITEX GLOBAL debut on Monday. As the ultimate platform for fast-tracking the growth of global late-stage advanced tech companies, the event connects 59 top global unicorns with a combined valuation of $400 billion, including Axelera, DeepL, Insilico Medicine, and Synthesis AI.

With over 180 countries represented and international participation up by almost 40%, GITEX GLOBAL 2024 connects the entire world to explore global collaboration amongst governments, enterprises, investors, startups, academia and researchers.

With the fully integrated Expand North Star, the world’s largest start-up and investment show that runs until 16 October at Dubai Harbour, GITEX GLOBAL is set to redefine the world’s digital economy and AI ecosystem.

Another eagerly anticipated GITEX GLOBAL event this week is the Data Centre Symposium, the region’s biggest data centre gathering. Debuting on Thursday (17 October), visitors will navigate the future of data centres, where billion-dollar passions meet AI-driven automation, cybersecurity, and transformative innovations shaping the digital universe of tomorrow.