Dubai: Dubai, a leading business hub in the United Arab Emirates, is stepping up efforts to attract globally competitive startups in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, including those from South Korea, a senior Dubai official said.
Saeed Al Falasi, executive director of the Dubai Future Foundation, made the remarks during a group interview at the annual Expand North Star startup exhibition held in Dubai on Sunday. He emphasized the city’s focus on bridging authorities with international businesses to tackle future challenges through emerging technologies such as AI, the Internet of Things, and blockchain.
Al Falasi highlighted the foundation’s “commercial diplomat” approach, providing startups with state-level support to help them achieve broader access and opportunities than they could individually. “We are providing these startups with more than just a cold call or a connection, which is why I call it the commercial diplomat,” he said, noting the foundation’s partnership with the National Research Foundation of Korea.
The official added that Dubai sees South Korea as a hub of innovation and talent, and collaboration with the country will continue. In September, the Dubai Future Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency to strengthen exchanges between South Korean startups and UAE government entities.
These initiatives underline Dubai’s ambition to cement its position as a global AI and innovation hub while fostering international business partnerships.
