STEP Conference 2018 saw the birth of a new format, with 4 focused conferences spanning across 2 days and a takeover at Dubai Internet City. Tackling the latest in each of their industries, STEP Start, Money, X, and Digital paired the most talked about topics with the right people you needed to talk to! But that’s not all that was new! This year’s edition was served with a large dose of interaction, and if you made it across the entire venue, you definitely came across some (if not all) of our top 10 favorite things at STEP 2018:

Pepsi Smart Cart

By now, you probably heard about the Pepsi Smart Cart (If you haven’t, check out this Forbes article). Roaming across STEP2018 was the first of its kind autonomous smart cart interacting with attendees and delivering refreshments and snacks around the hour. The brain guiding the cart was Pepsi’s very own intelligence center which collected data from all over DIC and AUD.

noon ducks

Precisely at noon, the best place to be at was the Dubai Internet City lakes. Hundreds of the iconic yellow rubber ducks were released and all you had to do to score a noon discount was to grab yourself a duckie! How many did you catch?

VW Meet The Mentors

The new VW Arteon hosted some of the most interesting mentorship sessions at STEP2018. A fleet of eye catching sedans zoomed around with some of this year’s top mentors and mentees driving or riding shotgun for a 1on1 session with #MeetTheMentors

2018 Pitch Competition

Like every year, STEP held its flagship Pitch Competition for some of the most interesting startups showcasing at STEP2018. This year’s shine was stolen by many, but Nabta Health came up top winning this year’s prize!

STEP Start Stage

STEP2018’s most buzzing hotspot was without a doubt STEP Start! Hosting over 200 showcasing startups, this year’s stage that was curated in collaboration with Wamda saw dynamism and energy that sent entrepreneurship waves across the region!

Main stage chats

Main stage at STEP2018 saw some of the most interesting fireside chats take place. Names like Mark D’Arcy, Fadi Yaish, and Manal Rostom sparked eye-opening conversations that set the pace for STEP2018.

STEP Digital topics

Blockchain in advertising brought the hottest topic in tech into the digital mix, making the STEP Digital stage a buzzword of its own. This stage also hosted OMD’s curated segment, as well as talks with Asad Ur Rehman on the best practices in today’s digital world.

STEP X tech talks

A concentrated, comprehensive, and packed drill-down of all things in current and future tech made it across the STEP X stage. Leading regional and global experts debated and answered topics ranging from AI and Smart cities, to Hyperloop and mobility.

Fintech at STEP Money

FinTech fanatics found a home at STEP2018. The year’s most talked about advancements, blockchain and cryptocurrency, were the main attraction at STEP Money. Ripple’s Sagar Sarbhai shared the story of Ripple, and along with other experts, they discussed what the future of money holds.

Music nights at ON42

To cool off the day’s heat, ON42 hosted this year’s STEP Music on the 28th and 29th. STEP2018 attendees had access to the region’s up and coming talents as they performed some of the most refreshing alternative tunes.