Ayad Chammas
Investor & Venture partner
Nirman Ventures
*Attendee numbers based on Big 5 Global 2024 attendee number of 85,000 | **2024 Start-up City exhibitors expected to generate over the next 12 months.
Your audience. Your connections.
Your success faster.
Unprecedented urban growth across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia is driving massive demand for advanced infrastructure, sustainable materials and new solutions – but reaching the right decision-makers is key.
Start-up City is the launchpad for contech, proptech, infratech and earthtech start-ups like yours to meet face to face and build meaningful connections with AEC firms, developers, government leaders and investors behind multibillion dollar projects.
Designed for you if you’re a...
A space to showcase your solutions to decision makers, pitch to investors and corporate buyers, gain visibility and explore opportunities that will move your business forward.
What you’ll get:
- Direct access to VCs, investors and corporate innovation teams
- Exposure to NOBs from across the region
- Opportunities to pitch, speak and sponsor for added reach
- A platform to build partnerships and close deals
A way to spot fast growing construction start-ups driving change in construction, identify high-potential ideas early and connect directly with the founders behind them.
What you’ll get:
- Access to fast growing start-ups adopting new tech
- Early entry into promising companies
- Direct conversations with founders
- A clearer view of where the market is heading
A chance to explore modern solutions built for evolving markets and find technologies that strengthen operations, competitiveness and long term growth.
What you’ll get:
- Face to face access to innovation driven start-ups
- Solutions that cut costs, strengthen performance and project delivery
- Opportunities to test new tools through pilots and partnerships
- Connections with founders who can tailor solutions to your business needs
A platform to engage with innovators creating solutions for cities, infrastructure, national growth and explore collaboration opportunities.
What you’ll get:
- Access to future focused urban and infrastructure solutions
- Conversations around city scale impact and adoption
- Opportunities for strategic collaborations
- A lens into technologies that support national development
Drive success through strategic
support opportunities
Exhibit.
Showcase your solutions to influential buyers in the MEASA region and explore the full potential of these fast-growing markets.
Pitch.
Take advantage of the opportunity to pitch your start-up on the global stage to investors and key stakeholders.
Network.
Meet industry leaders and build connections with the decision makers behind the region’s largest projects.
Speak.
Share insights that show how your tech and ideas support business growth while improving everyday workflows.
Who will you meet?
Architects
Consultants
Contractors
Engineers
Facility managers
Government/ municipality officials
Interior designers
Investors
IT & software professionals
Project managers/ Property developers
Disruptors from the 2025 edition
Start-ups pitch for success.
Will it be you?
Pitch your heart out and battle it out for industry recognition,
funding, pilots and more.
Own the spotlight and fast-track
your way to market access and success.
Gain unmatched exposure
Pitch in front of VCs, CVCs, government stakeholders and major construction leaders actively looking for new technologies, partnerships and deal-flow.
Instant credibility and validation
Being selected as a finalist shows your solution stands out and gives your company the backing of a globally recognized industry event, strengthening trust with customers, partners and investors.
Mentorship and guidance
Receive high-quality feedback from experts across construction tech, infrastructure, sustainability and venture capital, helping refine your pitch, positioning and growth strategy.
Brand visibility and amplification
Participants benefit from spotlight features across Big 5 Global’s channels, PR outreach, social media and the broader ecosystem, elevating your profile at a critical moment in your scale-up journey.
Congratulations to the winner!
Opteam was crowned the winner of the Start-up City Pitch Competition in 2025.
Their team delivers digital solutions for construction companies and have launched an AI enabled progress tracking platform that drive smarter project execution.
Look back at our 2025 judges line-up
Hear from our exhibitors
Memorable moments from 2025
Thank you to our 2025
sponsors, partners and supporters
Main supporting partner
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Robotics partner
Talks session sponsor
Talks session sponsor
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Talks session sponsor
Ecosystem partner
Ecosystem partner
Ecosystem-partner
Ecosystem partner
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Ecosystem partner
Community partner
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Community partner
Official airline partner
Official hotel partner
Official radio station
Official transport partner
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dmg events is a leading organizer of face-to-face events and publisher of information services. Our aim is to create dynamic marketplaces to connect businesses with the right communities to accelerate their growth in today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
