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THE LEADING TECH FESTIVAL FOR EMERGING MARKETS


Our Story

Step started out as a series of workshops and small gatherings, and over 11 years has grown to become the largest tech festival in Dubai. With 6 main tracks, more than 400 global startups showcasing, hundreds of global investors, and 8000+ global attendees over two days, Step brings the tech world to Dubai.

8000+

Attendees

400+

Showcasing Startups

100+

Participating Companies

$1+ Billion

Funding Present

Participating Speakers

Zuby

Team Zuby Media

Zuby

Team Zuby Media

Zuby is an independent rapper, author, podcast host, public speaker and creative entrepreneur, with over 1.8 million followers on social media. He was born in England, raised in Saudi Arabia and is a graduate of Oxford University. He has sold tens of thousands of albums and books independently, performed in 10 countries, and gained dozens of millions of online video views. His podcast ‘Real Talk with Zuby’ has surpassed 5 million downloads and reaches thousands of listeners every week. Zuby has featured on The Joe Rogan Experience, BBC, Fox News, Sky News, The Adam Carolla Show, The Rubin Report, The Candace Owens Show and The Ben Shapiro Show, amongst others.

Mehdi Ghissassi

Google DeepMind

Mehdi Ghissassi

Google DeepMind

Mehdi is currently director of product management for Google DeepMind focusing on new products grounded in breakthrough AI Research. Mehdi brings more than a decade of early stage product development expertise, spanning multiple areas such as enterprise, cloud, consumer, emerging markets and AI/ML. Prior to Google, Mehdi was a management consultant at Booz&Cie, an investor at Macquarie Capital and a Technology Strategy Lead at Vodafone/SFR. Mehdi holds engineering degrees from Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees in France, a Masters of Science in International Relations from Sciences-Po Paris and an MBA from Columbia University.

Dr Susan Graham

Dendra

Dr Susan Graham

Dendra

Dr. Susan Graham is the Co-founder and CEO of Dendra Systems, a company that uses ecology, AI and technology to restore ecosystems at scale.

GV RAVISHANKAR

PEAK XV PARTNERS ME

GV RAVISHANKAR

PEAK XV PARTNERS ME

At Peak XV, GV Ravishankar advises on both technology as well as non-technology investments. He’s deeply interested in technology’s role in helping to drive efficiencies, reduce costs and improve access in consumer and healthcare markets. He currently serves on the boards of companies in the Middle East such as Huspy, Lean Technologies, and Tabby. Others across India include axio, Eruditus Learning, Faces Cosmetics, Five Star finance, Finova Capital, HomeLane, India Shelter Finance Corporation, Indigo Paints, K12 Technoservices, Prataap Snacks (NSE: DIAMONDYD), Rebel Foods, Rupeek, Suburban Diagnostics and Turtlemint. I have also served as board member/observer of companies like Via (sold to NASDAQ: EBIX ), Manappuram (NSE: MANAPPURAM) and Equitas (NSE: EQUITAS). Prior to this, GV worked at McKinsey & Company, where he advised senior management of top Indian companies on a variety of issues including business building, channel management and leadership development. He also had a prior stint with Wipro Technologies in their Embedded and Internet Access division. GV is the recipient of the Midas Touch award by Economic Times Startup Awards 2020 and IIM Ahmedabad’s Young Alumni Achiever’s Award, 2019-20 in the Corporate Leadership category. He has an MBA from IIM A and holds a BE in Computer Science and Engineering from NIT Trichy.

Mario Nawfal

IBC Group

Mario Nawfal

IBC Group

Mario Nawfal is the founder of the Athena Group of Companies, a business conglomerate that operates in more than 30 countries. He had embarked upon his entrepreneurial path, with $300 in the bank, selling blenders door to door which led to Froothie Australia. Through unconventional marketing techniques, efficient logistical systems and a team of global contractors, he propelled Froothie to $1m in year one and over $10m in year two, all bootstrapped. He since founded multiple ecom companies, runs a crypto consulting firm, is a partner at a blockchain law firm, angel invests in the crypto space, takes companies public, co-founded the world’s largest growth hacking agency and is the co-founder of the public company, NFT Tech. Mario also hosts the biggest show on Twitter with 2 million + weekly listeners. The show has been a hub for the press to get scoops on breaking news, for leaders during major events and for people to get informed. Recent guests include Elon Musk (multiple times), Hunter Biden, Rudy Giuliani, Marc Andreessen, multiple senators, Mick Mulvaney, Bill Ackman, Mark Cuban, CZ, Scott Adams, Dr Drew, Andrew Yang, Anthony Scaramucci, Vivek Ramaswamy, General Mike Flynn and various lawmakers.
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In Partnership With



WHAT GOES ON

What goes on

TALKS AND WORKSHOPS

Step hosts 4 stages of content, and running workshops and programming simultaneously covering everything startups, digital media, fintech, and future tech.

STARTUP PROGRAMMING

With over 400 startups showcasing and more than 1000 entrepreneurs attending, Step hosts multiple programs to facilitate connections with investors, clients, partners.

SATELLITE EVENTS & MEET-UPS

Step curates focused networking opportunities and meet-ups across industries, job levels, and interests hosted by VCs, incubators, digital agencies, and other partners. 

EXHIBITION AREAS

Tech companies and brands across multiple industries participate at Step so startups and attendees get a chance to connect with their next partner, client and learn about what’s new in the market.

BRAND ACTIVATIONS

Leading brands in the tech and digital space from FMCG brands to automotive companies, banks, media companies, and tech solutions, host first-of-their-kind activities to interact with attendees and startups. 

ENTERTAINMENT

Step’s festival format creates engaging networking opportunities beyond conference programming with outdoor activities with food trucks, music performances, and pop-up vendors all across the event areas.