Kochi, Oct 16 A roadshow at Kochi’s Infopark offered Keralam-based technology companies an opportunity to explore business prospects in the UAE and connect with global investors as part of Destination Expand North Star.
Founders, technology companies and investors participated in discussions on entering the UAE market, investment, customer acquisition, collaborations and opportunities through Dubai’s technology ecosystem at the roadshow, organised by Zentral, a business hub based at the Dubai World Trade Centre, according to a statement issued on Friday.
Expand North Star 2026, described by the organisers as the world’s largest start-up and investor connector event, will be held at Dubai Expo City from December 8 to 10, alongside GITEX Global, scheduled from December 7 to 11, the statement said.
The Kochi roadshow is part of the first phase of Destination Expand North Star, which also covers Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kanniyakumari, Coimbatore, Chennai and Bengaluru.
The State IT Department and companies operating from government IT parks in Keralam have participated regularly in GITEX Global in Dubai over the past few years.
The initiative aims to help founders identify suitable business opportunities before travelling to Dubai and make use of opportunities available through Expand North Star and GITEX Global, the statement said.
Zentral Chief Executive Director Rafees Rahmathulla and Expand North Star Senior Sales Manager Julian Anderson spoke at the programme.
Infopark and Government Cyberpark CEO Susanth Kurunthil, Zentral Business Head Doaa Deqheidy, Head of Operations and Projects Abeer Al Alawi, and Partnerships Manager Aisha Zuha were present.
Infopark, Cyberpark, Technopark, HiLITE Business Park, CAFIT, GTech and World Trade Centre locations in Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kochi are supporting the programme, the statement said.
Rahmathulla said 100 selected founders from India would be offered a special Dubai experience centred on Expand North Star and GITEX Global 2026. Zentral aims to help founders approach the UAE market with greater clarity by understanding their business goals and facilitating relevant connections, he said.
Al Alawi said Keralam’s strong talent pool and growing start-up ecosystem provided a solid foundation for companies seeking to expand into international markets, the statement added.
(PTI News)
