Step Dubai 2026 is returning for its 14th edition, uniting the global startup ecosystem under the theme “Intelligence Everywhere: The AI Economy.” From February 11th to 12th, the festival will transform Dubai Internet City into a vibrant hub for founders, investors, creatives, and tech professionals looking to navigate the next wave of innovation driven by artificial intelligence. With over 8,000 attendees and 400 showcasing startups, Step Dubai is the essential regional gathering designed to foster capital connections, scale ventures, and explore the future of tech and entrepreneurship.
Event Details
- What: The 14th Annual Leading Tech Festival in Dubai
- When: February 11–12, 2026
- Where: Dubai Internet City
- Focus Areas: Artificial Intelligence, Startups, Venture Capital, Fintech, Future Tech, and Digital Media
- Scale: 8000+ Attendees, 400+ Showcasing Startups, $9 Billion Funding Present
About The Event
Step began over 13 years ago as a series of small, intimate workshops and has since evolved into the leading tech festival in the MENA region. Its mission is to bring together the most influential players in the global tech ecosystem—from Silicon Valley giants to regional unicorns and policymakers—to drive the future of entrepreneurship and innovation. The 2026 edition continues this legacy, offering an unparalleled platform for networking, knowledge-sharing, and deal-making, solidifying Dubai’s position as a global tech gateway.
What to Expect
Attendees are in for a dynamic, festival-style experience blending high-level content with unparalleled networking and entertainment.
- Talks and Workshops: Four stages of simultaneous programming covering everything from startup growth and digital media to fintech and future tech.
- Startup Programming: Dedicated tracks and programs designed to facilitate connections between over 400 showcasing startups and more than 1,000 attending entrepreneurs, investors, and potential partners.
- Satellite Events & Meet-Ups: Curated, focused networking opportunities across specific industries and interests, often hosted by leading VCs, incubators, and corporate partners.
- Exhibition Areas & Brand Activations: Large areas dedicated to connecting attendees with tech companies, major brands, and solutions providers across multiple industries.
- Entertainment: The unique festival format ensures engaging networking with outdoor activities, food trucks, music performances, and pop-up vendors.
The Core Tracks: The AI Economy
The central theme, “Intelligence Everywhere: The AI Economy,” guides the content across four focused tracks. Step Dubai 2026 will dissect how AI is embedding itself into every facet of our economy, reshaping financial systems, creative expression, and how companies are built and scaled.
- FOUNDERS & FUNDERS: Redefining what it means to build, scale, and raise capital in the AI-powered startup era, with a focus on Unicorns, Scaling, Exits, and Capital.
- THE AI STACK: An inside look at the engine room of the AI economy, covering the systems driving the world’s smartest technologies, including Intelligent Agents, Cloud, Robotics, and LLMs.
- AI IN FINANCE: Where intelligence meets capital, exploring how AI is transforming finance across FinAI, Wealth Intelligence, Crypto, and Autonomous Banking.
- HUMAN FIRST: The intersection of creativity and intelligence, focusing on Human/AI Co-Creation, Trust & Tech, Emotion as Currency, and The Creative Human.
Featured Speakers
Step Conference consistently hosts world-class leaders, thinkers, and innovators. While the full 2026 line-up is being announced, past speakers have included:
- HRH Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud, Saudi Ambassador to the US
- Amjad Masad, Founder and CEO of Replit
- Alex Bouaziz, Co-founder and CEO of Deel
- Kat Cole, CEO of Athletic Greens (AG1)
- H.E. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Sports, Chairman of the UAE Space Agency
- H.E. Alia Bint Abdulla Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship
- Sriram Krishnan, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)
How to Attend
Don’t miss the chance to be at the heart of the MENA tech scene. Secure your spot, showcase your venture, or become an exhibitor to connect with over 8,000 attendees and decision-makers.
- Tickets: Get 50% Off Tickets
- Showcase: Apply to the Startup Showcase
- Exhibit: Book a Booth
- Link: https://dubai.stepconference.com/
About The Organizers
Step Dubai is organized by Step Media and Events FZ-LLC, the entity responsible for creating and scaling the multi-track Step tech festivals across the MENA region. The organization has spent over a decade building the platform into the premier gathering for the region’s most ambitious founders, investors, and innovators.
Learn More: Step Dubai
