The Corporate Innovations Roundtable at GITEX/Expand North Star brought together corporate leaders and startup founders to explore innovation-driven growth. Moderated by Prashant K. Gulati and supported by StrategyConnect, the session emphasized hybrid innovation models, leadership-led culture shifts, and agile collaboration with startups. Key takeaways included fostering autonomy, dedicated innovation units, and scaling strategies for disruption-ready growth.

The GovTech Roundtable at GITEX/Expand North Star brought together senior government leaders and startup founders to explore public-private collaboration for digital transformation. Chaired by H.E. Mohamed Bin Taliah and supported by StrategyConnect, discussions focused on procurement reform, sandbox testing, IP protection, and scalable infrastructure. The session highlighted co-creation and agile frameworks as key to advancing UAE’s GovTech leadership.

The CVC Roundtable at GITEX/Expand North Star, moderated by PK Gulati and supported by StrategyConnect, brought together CVC leaders and startup founders to explore corporate-startup collaboration. Discussions focused on aligning investment strategies, minimizing deal conflicts, and fostering post-investment synergy. The session highlighted the evolving role of CVCs in driving innovation and ecosystem growth across MENA.

The Founders’ Forum, hosted by TiE Dubai with DIFC and StrategyConnect, gathered entrepreneurs and investors to examine the MENA venture capital landscape. Centered on the theme “Is VC Ghosting a Thing?”, the session addressed fundraising challenges, regulatory gaps, and shifting investor behavior. It offered key insights into startup scaling, founder readiness, and strategic VC engagement in the region.