Southeast Asia’s digital economy continues its rapid expansion, driven by widespread digital adoption and strong government investments. With the World Economic Forum forecasting a US$1 trillion gross merchandise value (GMV) for the region by 2030, the inaugural GITEX Asia x Ai Everything Singapore is set to accelerate this growth further, uniting the global tech community for the first time in the region.
Organised by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and KAOUN International in affiliation with GITEX Global, the world’s largest technology event, GITEX Asia x Ai Everything Singapore will take place at Marina Bay Sands from 23 to 25 April 2025. Positioned as Asia’s largest launch edition for technology, startups, and digital investments, the event will welcome over 700 tech companies and startups, with more than 70% exhibiting in Singapore for the first time. Over 250 investors from more than 70 countries will join the three-day showcase. With the theme “Advancing Bold Partnerships in Asia”, the event aims to foster collaborations, open new markets, and unlock Southeast Asia’s digital economy potential.
Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of DWTC, CEO of KAOUN International, and organiser of GITEX globally, said, “GITEX ASIA x Ai Everything Singapore shall not be just another tech event; it shall reign as a vital collective barometer of the evolving global digital and AI economies, forging valuable international relationships and impactful new partnerships. Harnessing the region’s culture of innovation and spirit of digital adventure, we shall catalyse collaboration, establishing new marketplaces and diverse opportunities alongside global tech leaders.”
Exploring new frontiers of the digital economy
GITEX Asia x Ai Everything Singapore will present over 180 hours of discussions across eight main themes, covering areas such as AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, connectivity, quantum computing, healthcare, biotechnology, green technology, and smart cities. The GITEX Asia Digital Economy Summit will feature over 330 expert speakers from around the world, providing insights into emerging AI developments, AI-driven drug discovery, GenAI defences, 5G and 6G telecom challenges, next-generation data centres, cyber resilience, fraud prevention, and intelligent healthcare systems.
Global participation will be strong, with the Netherlands, France, South Korea, Hong Kong, China, India, Pakistan, and the UAE among the digital nations showcasing their latest technological innovations. Vietnam and Serbia will make their debuts, supported respectively by the Vietnam National Innovation Center (NIC) and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce. Leading tech companies including Ericsson, Kaspersky, Nebius, Fortinet, ManageEngine, Oracle, Alibaba Cloud, China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom, Nvidia, and Lenovo will also present their cutting-edge technologies.
Vu Quoc Huy, Director General of Vietnam NIC, said, “As Vietnam deepens its regional tech landscape presence, NIC is eager to engage at GITEX ASIA. This inaugural event will be a catalyst for innovation, bringing together ecosystem stakeholders, visionary enterprises, disruptive startups, and forward-thinking investors. We look forward to forging partnerships and driving the next wave of technological breakthroughs in Asia and beyond.”
Driving innovation across startups and cybersecurity
Supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, SGTech, and Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE), GITEX Asia x Ai Everything Singapore will be hosted in collaboration with key international government bodies and agencies. Partners include JTC Corporation, UAE Cybersecurity Council, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, India’s Mobile & Electronics Devices Export Promotion Council (MEDEPC), CyberSecurity Malaysia, the Philippines’ Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and Thailand’s National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA).
Zhihan Yeo, Senior Director, Chapters and Strategic Programmes at SGTech, commented, “GITEX presents immense potential to connect diverse stakeholders from across the world to Singapore’s vibrant tech ecosystem. It’s an expansion that we believe will unlock new tech development opportunities and catalyse transformative digital growth regionally and beyond.”
The event will also host North Star Asia, the region’s largest gathering of startups and investors, showcasing more than 400 Series A+ startups and early-stage companies across 20 sectors, including AI, SaaS, cybersecurity, green tech, and telecoms. The AI 100 programme, powered by Nebius, will highlight 100 award-winning AI startups from over 30 countries, while the Singapore 100 initiative will present the country’s top 100 most promising ventures. Meanwhile, the Supernova Challenge pitch competition will see the world’s fastest-rising startups compete for investment and recognition.
Investors managing over US$200 billion in assets, including Cisco Investments (US), SGInnovate (Singapore), Lightrock (UK), and Rallycap (Tunisia), are expected to attend, further strengthening the event’s investment appeal.
For the first time in Southeast Asia, GITEX Cyber Valley Asia will gather global cybersecurity companies, national security agencies, and more than 200 Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) under one roof. With Southeast Asia’s cybersecurity market projected to surpass US$7 billion by 2029, the programme will address the region’s readiness to tackle evolving threats. A highlight will be the Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI) – Crystal Ball, where decision-makers will discuss strategies to protect individuals, organisations, and critical infrastructure from ransomware attacks.
