Why the Gulf should be on your growth map, and why GITEX is the place to start
Ask a room of UK tech founders where they plan to expand and you’ll hear the Gulf time and time again. I don’t think that’s a passing trend. It’s one of the most exciting opportunities in global tech, and UK companies are well placed to make the most of this. For those that want to seize the moment, GITEX GLOBAL in Dubai is the most efficient place to start.
What’s happening in the region
Gulf governments are now among the largest public buyers of digital infrastructure in the world. Across the Gulf, governments are investing heavily in technology as part of a wider push to diversify their economies away from oil. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s national strategies for AI and digital government aren’t just policy documents. They come with serious budgets, ambitious timelines and a real appetite to work with international partners who can help deliver.
To take one example, Stargate UAE is a 1GW cluster being built by Khazna Data Centers inside a wider 5GW UAE–US AI campus, with the first 200MW due for handover in 2026. The UAE has treated this as state policy for nearly a decade: Omar Sultan Al Olama became the world’s first minister for AI in 2017
The Gulf’s investment in tech means investment across almost all area members work in: AI and data, cyber security, cloud and data centres, digital health, smart cities, fintech, advanced manufacturing and defence tech.
Dubai sits right at the centre of it all. It has built itself into one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies, and its location makes it a natural gateway to the wider Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
Why UK tech has an edge
The UK is the first G7 country to sign a Free Trade Agreement with the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), which includes the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. While not yet ratified, the agreement includes measures prohibiting unjustified data localisation and forced disclosure of source code or cryptographic information. This deal will create confidence that UK firms can use when doing business in the Gulf.
But it’s not just the FTA, UK businesses benefit from a number of intangibles when doing business with the Gulf
First, reputation. UK expertise is well known and well trusted in the Gulf, particularly in areas like cyber security, AI, financial services and health tech.
Second, timing. Many of the region’s biggest digital programmes are still being shaped. Getting in early means you can help define how things are done, rather than trying to break in once the big contracts have been awarded.
Third, relationships. The Gulf is a relationship-driven market that rewards those willing to meet people face to face and who are willing to show they are committed for the long term. That’s where GITEX comes in.
Why GITEX, and why with techUK?
GITEX GLOBAL is one of the world’s biggest tech events, bringing together government leaders, investors, corporates and founders in one place. This year it runs from 7 to 11 December, in Dubai. Organisers expect more than 200,000 attendees, around 6,800 exhibitors and over 400 government entities to attend GITEX this year.
techUK has partnered with the Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) and Tradefair to manage a UK Pavilion at the event and will be coordinating a trade delegation led by our CEO, Julian David OBE.
techUK’s delegations provide our members with structured access to ministries, regulators and procurement teams. We’ve seen that first-hand in Washington DC, Ottawa, Tokyo, Geneva and Brussels, where delegates built relationships directly with the senior policymakers, regulators and industry leaders shaping technology and trade. Because our groups are drawn from the membership and often joined by techUK’s senior leadership, those conversations carry more weight than a company knocking on doors alone. They are ideal for companies with plans to expand to the Gulf or who have already landed and want to build their relationships with other firms and government stakeholders. We’re offering members and broader stakeholders two ways to take part.
You can exhibit on the UK Pavilion, with a branded pod alongside global leaders in AI, data centres, semiconductors, cyber security, intelligent connectivity and quantum. Exhibitors also get the chance of a speaking slot on the Pavilion stage plus a place on the delegation. Only a few pods remain so get in touch asap if you would like to exhibit.
Those who do not want to exhibit can join the delegation only, which includes a visitor pass (this does not grant access to the paid conference) and all techUK-arranged meetings. Before we fly, we’ll run two market briefings with Global Growth Hub shaped around delegates’ questions, so you arrive knowing how to make the most out of GITEX.
We’ll organise the agenda, provide briefings and materials, and handle the logistics on the ground, taking much of the cost, time and risk out of entering this new market. All you need to bring is your ambition.
Find out more, and register here.
If the Gulf is on your radar, or you think it should be, I’d be keen to hear from you. Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so do get in touch soon.
