Commencing its festivities at the pristine Dubai Harbour venue, Expand North Star, the world’s largest startup showcase, has set its sails today, spotlighting cutting-edge advancements in robotics, AI, and entrepreneurship. Over the course of four days, this grand event unites a remarkable assemblage of 1,800 startups representing 100 nations alongside more than 1,000 investors overseeing a staggering $1 trillion in assets.
Stealing the limelight was the captivating live presentation of ARTEMIS, a humanoid robot that holds the title of the fastest walker globally, developed by the ingenious minds at UCLA. This versatile marvel traverses diverse terrains using specially crafted actuators that simulate biological muscles, setting it apart from most robots with rigid, position-controlled counterparts. ARTEMIS stands tall at 4 feet and 8 inches, weighing 85 pounds, capable of running and leaping on uneven surfaces at a brisk 2.1 meters per second. The audacious objective for its creators is to have an autonomous soccer-playing robot team surpass a human world championship team by 2050.
Dr. Dennis Hong, the visionary behind this groundbreaking innovation, elucidated that ARTEMIS’ remarkable balance while navigating challenging terrain and its ability to run are attributed to its groundbreaking capability of having both feet off the ground in motion, a revolutionary accomplishment for robots.
Moreover, Expand North Star served as the host to YouthX Unipreneur, the region’s preeminent youth entrepreneurship program, inspiring students to become the principal architects of the future. Over 1,500 students from more than 40 educational institutions participated, passionately pitching their inventive ideas to a distinguished panel of experts. The program also included the involvement of 600 youth ambassadors and featured 50 engaging on-stage and off-stage activities.
Hassan Sabt, President of Dubai Youth Council, underlined the significance of Expand North Star as a platform for young investors and startups to glean insights from global industry leaders, partake in live events, exchange ideas, and nurture leadership skills. He remarked, “There is no better investment in a country than investing in youth.”
Furthermore, Expand North Star hosted a pivotal session focusing on the utilization of artificial intelligence and machine learning to create products with a far-reaching impact. This engaging panel discussion featured product managers from renowned global companies such as Bolt, Reddit, and Booking.com, sharing their pearls of wisdom for founders.
The panelists cautioned against succumbing to AI hype, emphasizing the importance of technology addressing genuine problems. They underscored the ever-evolving technological landscape and how it affects industries that were once considered unassailable.
Additionally, Gary Blowers, CEO of UAE-based LVL Well-being, recounted his journey in securing funding for his startup on the Spotlight Stage. He imparted valuable lessons learned, emphasizing the significance of maintaining an updated data room and transparent communication, even when things don’t go as planned. Blowers highlighted the importance of prioritizing well-being to navigate the entrepreneurial journey successfully.
In summary, Expand North Star stands as the premier global hub for startup innovation and inspiration. This exceptional event will continue to captivate and inspire until October 18, 2023, at the awe-inspiring Dubai Harbour, the Middle East’s most significant superyacht hub.
