Dubai Hosts First Middle East Doers Summit in Innovation Hub

Dubai is set to become a global innovation hub as Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) prepares to host the first Middle East edition of the renowned Doers Summit from 26–27 November 2025. Formerly known as Reflect Festival, the event promises to bring together over 3,000 participants, including founders, investors, and ecosystem operators, fostering cross-border collaboration and access to capital.

The summit, taking place at Dubai Digital Park within DSO, features a packed agenda across three main stages – Blackout, Plaza, and Dtec – with more than 150 speakers across 10 thematic tracks. These sessions will spotlight emerging trends in artificial intelligence, fintech, mobility, greentech, future cities, health, robotics, and public sector tech, alongside practical case studies from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

A notable feature of the summit is its balanced audience composition: 50% founders, 20% investors, and 30% operators. The program is designed to go beyond standard conferences, offering interactive panels, fireside chats, workshops, and dedicated networking sessions. Curated side events, including investor meetups, innovation challenges, and mixers, aim to foster meaningful connections and deal-making opportunities. A matchmaking platform will further ensure targeted interactions between participants.

The event will kick off with a keynote by Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, followed by insights from global leaders including Dr Nicodemos Damianou of Cyprus and Dr Mohammed Al Zarooni, Executive Chairman of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ).

In addition to the summit, DSO will host the “DSO Run” on 25 November, a community event combining fitness with networking opportunities, setting an energetic tone for the two-day summit.

Leading global companies like Delivery Hero, Waze, Workable, Airbus, Zoho, AWS, Google, META, and Oracle will participate alongside 40+ startups, showcasing innovative products and solutions through exhibition booths and demo sessions. Attendees can also enjoy a curated hospitality experience with pop-up F&B outlets throughout the venue.

This edition of the Doers Summit marks Dubai’s first foray into hosting one of Europe’s largest startup and tech events, reinforcing its position as a regional hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment.