CONSTRUCTION PORTFOLIO OF EVENTS

12.3k

attendees interested in tech, sustainability and infrastructure products*

70+

Start-up City
pre-qualified
exhibitors

400+

Start-up City Talks
and Pitch Competition attendees*

$11.7mn

sales generated
as a result of
attending the event**


*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 your launchpad, connecting contech, proptech, infratech and earthtech start-ups with AEC firms, developers, tech integrators, government leaders and investors behind multibillion-dollar projects.

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Drive success through
strategic support opportunities

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.

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Key dates:

17 October 2025

Online
pitch
training

24 October 2025

Pre-qualification: all
start-ups submit their
decks to be scored training

24 November 2025

Semi-finals:
Top 25 will
compete onsite

26 November 2025

Finals: Top 10
will compete on
stage at Start-up City

Deadline to enter the competition: 13 October 2025

Congratulations to the 2024 winners

$25,000 worth of bespoke
marketing package


provided by

AED 100,000 worth
total cash prizes


provided by

$1000 worth
three fellowships


provided by

Pilot
opportunity


provided by

Turn conversations
into contracts

Thank you to our judges

Meet the experts shaping the future by recognizing groundbreaking innovations in the built environment.

Abe Seksek

CEO
Startupbootcamp

Aditya Thakur

Ventrue Partner
Brick & Mortar

Anwer Pirani

Manager -
Digital Economy Ecosystem
Digital Economy Sector
Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy

Christian Frost Jensen

Senior Partner
Success Manager
Plug & Play

Hercu
Viljoen

Angel Investor

Imad
Itani

Innovation Manager
ALEC

Jourdan Alexander Younis

General Partner
Startup Wise Guys /
Presidio PropTech Fund

Karan
Teckchandani

Investor
Antler

Mauricio Weiss

GP and Founding Partner
Zacua Ventures

Mete Varas

Founder
ME Proptech Initiative

Nikhil Choudhary

General Partner
Nirman Ventures

Sameer Sortur

Regional Director GCC
Founder Institute

Hear from our Start-up City
Pitch Competition 2024 winner

"Winning at Start-up City has been an incredible experience on a global stage filled with exceptional talent. Our AI-powered drones are designed to revolutionize construction monitoring by providing precise, real-time 3D modeling and indoor-outdoor navigation. The leads and interest we've received here are motivating us to refine our solutions further and deliver impactful results."

Rajeshree Rajesh Deotalu
Co-founder & CTO, Vecros Technologies

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Are you an investor with a vision, searching for your next big opportunity?

Prepare yourself for an extraordinary journey at Start-up City, where groundbreaking ideas intersect with the evolution of the construction industry.

This exclusive gateway is your opportunity to discover the future of construction and establish connections that will redefine the industry's landscape.

start-up city- next big opportunity

Accelerating business dreams
into successful ventures

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Carbon Limit closed licensing deals with top manufacturers in India, UAE and Saudi Arabia

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Togal.AI signs 10 clients and attracts hundreds of leads in the Middle East

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How Innotech secured USD 1.7 million investment and game-changing growth

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