The second edition of Dubai AI Festival to take place on 23 and 24 April 2025 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai

• As a significant part of Dubai AI Week, the event will reinforce Dubai’s commitment to AI-driven innovation and economic growth

• The Festival is expected to attract 8,000+ industry experts, 500+ investors, 100+ speakers, 100+ exhibitors from over 100 countries, and featuring 30+ roundtables and workshops

Dubai, UAE, 20th March 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, Building on the success of the inaugural edition, the Dubai AI Festival returns in 2025 to further demonstrate Dubai’s standing as a global leader in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Held under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, UAE, the event will take place on 23 and 24 April 2025 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. The Festival is organised by Dubai AI Campus, in partnership with DIFC, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Economy & Remote Work Applications Office to explore AI’s transformative impact across industries.

As a significant event in Dubai AI Week, which was launched under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Festival will bring together global AI leaders, innovators, and policymakers to explore advancements, investment opportunities, and regulatory frameworks shaping the future of AI.

AI is set to transform the global economy, with recent reports projecting a USD 15.7trn contribution by 2030, including USD 320bn in the Middle East. By 2033, the UAE’s AI market is projected to reach USD 46.33bn, while the machine learning market is expected to grow to USD 2.41bn. Experts predict over 80 per cent of enterprises will integrate AI-driven decision-making by 2026. Moreover, Dubai AI Campus is projected to grow beyond 100,000 square feet, host over 500 companies, create more than 3,000 jobs, and attract USD300 million in investments by 2028.

This year, key themes of the Dubai AI Festival include responsible AI deployment, transparency, and the future of work. Attendees will gain insights into AI’s impact while tackling the ethical challenges of its rapid integration.

His Excellency Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, said: “DIFC is delighted to be presenting one of the most significant events as part of Dubai AI Week and reflects our commitment to cement the city’s position as a global leader for technology, as well as enable future focused industries to harness the transformative power of AI. As adoption accelerates, the Dubai AI Festival will serve as the key platform for accelerating responsible and effective AI implementation across business, government, and society.”

Aligned with Dubai’s vision for innovation and economic growth, Dubai AI Festival will bring together 8,000+ industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators from 100+ countries to drive collaboration and investment in AI and emerging technologies.

The event will also include a dynamic exhibition, featuring cutting-edge AI innovations, alongside a start-up showcase where emerging companies will pitch their solutions to investors. The FutureTech World Cup, will showcase top AI start-ups, connecting innovators with investors seeking the next big breakthrough. Additionally, the Global FutureTech Innovation Programme will discover the brightest young minds from around the world harnessing AI to tackle real-world challenges. This combination of exhibitions, discussions, and competitions will drive collaboration and investment in the next wave of AI innovation.

Registrations for Dubai AI Festival are now open. For more details, visit: https://dubaiaifestival.com/.

Key speakers

• H.E. Essa Kazim, Governor, DIFC

• H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy & Remote Work Applications, Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office, United Arab Emirates.

• Werner Vogels, Global VP & CTO, Amazon.

• Parminder Bhatia, Chief AI Officer, GE HealthCare.

• Bhavish Aggarwal, Founder & CEO, Ola.

• Ronnie Sheth, CEO, SENEN GROUP.

• Scott Harden, Global Chief Technology Officer, Global Innovation, Schneider Electric Innovation.

• Thomas Pramotedham, CEO, Presight AI.

• Hasan Fardan Al Fardan, Chief Executive Officer, Al Fardan Exchange.

• Dr. Anirudh Devgan, President and Chief Executive Officer, Cadence Design Systems.

• Dr. Amr Awadallah, Chief Executive Officer, Vectara.

• Nigel Toon, CEO, Chairman and Co-Founder, Graphcore.

• H.E. Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director General, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai, UAE.

• Daniel Hulme, Chief AI Officer, WPP.

Dubai AI Festival Themes

• AI for All: Everyday, Everywhere

• Global AI Governance

• Immersive Experience

• Innovation & Ethics

• Future of Work

• AI Cornerstone

• AI Literacy

• Infrastructure & Investment

Sponsors and partners:

• Dubai Future Foundation and DAMAC as Co-Hosts

• Al Fardan Exchange as Founding Partner

• Presight as the Industry Leader

• SENEN as ‘Powered by’ Sponsor

• Willbanah as Diamond Sponsor

• The Sino-International Entrepreneurs Federation (SIEF) – Strategic China Partner  AtkinsRealis as Silver Sponsor.

• Decoding Data Science as Association Partner

• AMCHAM Dubai as Association Partner

About Dubai AI Week

Dubai AI Week, an initiative organised by the Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence, and overseen by the Dubai Future Foundation, connects AI research with real-world applications – bringing together experts, entrepreneurs, investors, and the public and private sectors to explore AI’s vast opportunities

About Dubai AI Festival

Dubai AI Festival, part of Dubai AI Week, is held under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, UAE. Organised by Dubai AI Campus, in strategic partnership with DIFC and the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy & Remote Work Applications Office, the Festival is a leading event reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub for artificial intelligence innovation.

This influential platform brings together industry leaders, experts, and visionaries to explore the transformative potential of AI across sectors such as finance, healthcare, and sustainability. Attendees will engage with pioneering AI applications and cutting-edge advancements shaping the future of business and technology.

About Dubai International Financial Centre

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is one of the world’s most advanced financial centres, and the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA), which comprises 77 countries with an approximate population of 3.7bn and an estimated GDP of USD 10.5trn.

With a 20-year track record of facilitating trade and investment flows across the MEASA region, the Centre connects these fast-growing markets with the economies of Asia, Europe, and the Americas through Dubai.

DIFC is home to an internationally recognised, independent regulator and a proven judicial system with an English common law framework, as well as the region’s largest financial ecosystem of 46,000 professionals working across over 6,900 active registered companies – making up the largest and most diverse pool of industry talent in the region.

The Centre’s vision is to drive the future of finance through cutting-edge technology, innovation, and partnerships. Today, it is the global future of finance and innovation hub offering one of the region’s most comprehensive FinTech and venture capital environments, including cost-effective licensing solutions, fit-for-purpose regulation, innovative accelerator programmes, and funding for growth-stage start-ups.

Comprising a variety of world-renowned retail and dining venues, a dynamic art and culture scene, residential apartments, hotels, and public spaces, DIFC continues to be one of Dubai’s most sought-after business and lifestyle destinations.

For further information, please visit our website: difc.ae, or follow us on LinkedIn and X @DIFC.

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Curetopia, a Biotech DAO, leverages decentralized science to accelerate rare disease research

Zug, Switzerland, 20th March 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, In a groundbreaking achievement, Curetopia, the first Biotech Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) built natively on the Solana blockchain, raised $1.77 million last week to scale up drug repurposing for inherited metabolic diseases through the Bio Protocol Launchpad. This milestone is driving cutting-edge research aimed at developing the first treatment for AARS2 Deficiency, a potentially fatal rare genetic disease with no approved therapies currently on the market.

Curetopia’s innovative approach empowers patients and researchers to crowdfund medical breakthroughs, emphasizing community involvement and a shared stake in the resulting advancements. Over 1,000 individual contributors participated in this $1.77 million raise, highlighting the power of community-driven science. Participants in Curetopia’s decentralized clinical trials become active stakeholders in the therapies they help to develop.

A key outcome of this effort is the identification of two drug repurposing candidates for AARS2 Deficiency, uncovered by a fully de-risked, high-throughput, yeast-powered screening process. Curetopia is filing a provisional patent for this discovery, working with two pioneer AARS2 families on launching parallel N-of-1 studies, and plans to reinvest any future proceeds into further research initiatives.

Dr. Ethan Perlstein, founder and CEO of Curetopia, stated:

“The success of Curetopia’s auction in the face of brutal market conditions speaks to the fact that rare disease communities and crypto communities are natural allies. We’ve already demonstrated with the inaugural AARS2 program that we can deliver results on a timeline and with capital efficiency that is unheard of in TradBio. Now it’s time to cook.”

Curetopia is part of the growing Decentralized Science (DeSci) movement, which has collectively raised over $15 million for research in the past three months. This influx of funding is timely, as traditional sources like the NIH and NSF face ongoing budget pressures.

Moving forward, Curetopia will develop an AI-driven, decentralized clinical trial model to address thousands of rare diseases—each representing a $150 million market opportunity based on historical sales of Priority Review Vouchers. By focusing on drug repurposing, the organization seeks to expedite regulatory processes and deliver life-changing treatments to patients more quickly.

About Curetopia

Curetopia is a non-profit association pioneering the world’s first Biotech DAO dedicated to eradicating rare diseases through decentralized science launched via the Bio Protocol launchpad. With over 10,000 rare diseases affecting 1 in 10 people worldwide, Curetopia provides patient communities with innovative tools to fund research, drive innovation, and ensure promising therapies are not abandoned.

Bio Protocol is a new financial layer for early-stage biotech, accelerating the commercialization of breakthrough research. It enables global communities—patients, researchers, and crypto users—to fund and co-own biotech innovations from day one. Backed by Binance Labs, Northpond Ventures, and 1kx, Bio has facilitated over $50M in research funding worldwide.