The first SuperBridge Summit in Dubai concluded at the iconic Museum of the Future, highlighting the potential of significant infrastructure projects in Africa, the adaptive strategies of venture capital funds in a changing investment landscape, and the growing significance of digital assets in shaping the future of finance.
One the first day of the summit, His Excellency Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister, Ministry of Economy, UAE delivered the opening address at the much-anticipated inaugural edition of the SuperBridge Summit. The first-of-its-kind summit highlighted the world’s fastest-growing economies and the collaborative opportunities that exist, offered a glimpse into the future of business, and discussed the potential of AI to stimulate private investment and propel growth forward at a pace unimaginable just a decade ago.
In his keynote address, H.E. Minister Al Marri underscored why Dubai was the perfect location for the first SuperBridge Summit, commenting: “The global economy is going through immense change, and new markets are reshaping the economic landscape with unprecedented growth. The UAE is deeply committed to fostering international cooperation with a knowledge-based and innovation-driven society to benefit from this transformation. The UAE stands ready to play a pivotal role by creating an investment environment for economies to grow and expand through collaboration, building bridges for an inclusive and sustainable future.
His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, and Member of the Executive Council, UAE, also spoke at the opening session of the summit, commented: “We live in a region with tremendous opportunities and bringing people together from all parts of the world is important given the challenges we face. The SuperBridge Summit bridges the gaps and cements economic prosperity to better the world.”
Day one of the summit provided a unique platform connecting more than 500 investors, business, government, policy, and cultural leaders from 20 countries to accelerate investment and co-creation opportunities in hitherto untapped and under-explored markets.
In a panel titled ‘The Importance of Public-Private Partnerships in Boosting Economic Growth in the Fastest Growing Economies’, visionaries discussed the levers propelling the world’s fastest-growing economies. Speakers Shane Tedjarati, Chairman of VS Partners and Co-Founder of Superbridge Council; Dr. Henry Huiyao Wang, Founder and President of Center for China and Globalization; and H.E. Umar Saif, Federal Minister for Science and Technology and Minister of IT of Pakistan, outlined the transformation driving economic development and the business ecosystem needed to drive growth.
The day was packed with impactful and engaging sessions, featuring a diverse line-up of influential speakers covering a range of topics. During a panel session titled ‘Cross-Border Capital Allocation: Unlocking Multifaceted Investment Value’, forward-thinking industry leaders from Africa and Asia including Vanessa Xu, Co-founder, SuperBridge Council & Executive Chairman & CIO, VS Partners and Takashi Maruyama, Chief Investment Officer, Asset Management One discussed investment opportunities driving long-term growth. With the region undergoing an unprecedented economic transformation, panellists outlined compelling reasons to invest in underappreciated markets. Invaluable insights from experts in the private and public sectors ensured a compelling and lively discussion of the key drivers of investment opportunities in untapped markets across the world.
Meanwhile, in a panel session titled ‘Envisioning the Future of Sustainable Tourism and Mobility in the Post-Covid Era’, Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com and Mudassir Sheikha, Co-Founder and CEO of Careem discussed how technologies can address environmental challenges in tourism. Panellists outlined the cause for the resurgence of the tourism sector post pandemic and the effect it will have on global mobility.
Visitors had the opportunity to experience live performances by the likes of HS Liu, Pulitzer Prize Winner and Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Shanghai Tech University in Hong Kong, who led an interactive virtual showcase titled ‘The World is Not What it Looks Like’. The Pulitzer Prize winner presented an engaging journey through modern history with attendees compelled to think deeply about the bridge to the future.
Day two brought together investors, business, government, policy and cultural leaders to discuss key investment themes and future large-scale possibilities
On the second day, Vanessa Xu, through an AI avatar video, reflected on the vision of SuperBridge as a “platform to discover and celebrate forward-looking practical solutions that are spread across disciplines, geographies, and perspectives”, and the success of the previous day. Afternoon sessions on the first day included a conversation on the ethics of AI with Dr.Hong Jiang Zhang, Advisor to the Beijing Academy of AI, a session on the practical real-world applications of AI which included insights from Henry Haijan He, Executive Director and CFO, Kingsoft Cloud; an executive panel on the future of urban living, including Dr. Chao Wang, Founder and CEO of Ambilight; and a fireside chat on unleashing sustainability innovation.
Xu then looked ahead to the agenda for the second day of “cutting-edge conversations on digital assets, venture capital, and frontier technologies and geographies that have the potential to reshape global markets”.
In a panel session titled ‘Africa’s Underrated Opportunity: Challenging Perceptions Through Partnerships’, ministers from Africa discussed the transformation of cities. Making life easier for everyday people across the continent was discussed by regional leaders, including H.E. Dr. Sahar Nasr, former Minister of Investment and International Cooperation in Egypt; H.E. Dr. Ghita Mezzour, Morocco Minister of Digital Transition and Administration Reform; and H.E. Aurelie Adam Soule, Benin Minister of Digital Economy and Communications.
Sharif El-Badawi CEO of Dubai Future District Fund; Abdulrahman Al Jiffry, Partner of 500 Global; and Dr. Bing Xiang, Founding Dean and Professor of China Business and Globalization at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, discussed the strategic approaches of VC funds for navigating the evolving investment landscape in a panel titled ‘Global Investment Slowdown: Navigating Promising Sectors Executive Panel Discussion’, identifying promising investment opportunities and the key trends shaping investment decisions in today’s challenging landscape.
Sarah Cocker, CNBC TV anchor, moderated a high-level panel entitled ‘Scaling Ventures: Navigating Global Markets with VC Funds and Tech Accelerators’, with leading VC managers discussing exciting market expansions across the region. Noor Sweid, Managing Partner of Global Ventures; Ruby Lu, Managing Partner of Atypical Ventures; Seena Amidi, Managing Partner of Plug and Play; and Jack Selby, Managing Director of Thiel Capital, outlined funds and tech accelerators shaping the future of innovation with interesting insights on the forces to succeed in global economies.
The day and the Summit wrapped up with an interactive panel discussion led by Marcel Kasumovich, Deputy Chief Investment Officer for Coinbase Asset Management, focused on the potential of digital assets in an evolving technological and regulatory landscape. Holding the power to revolutionize financial services, Marcel explained the pivotal role of digital assets in driving unprecedented opportunities for industries to enhance value delivery for customers.
A pioneering initiative by KAOUN International, a subsidiary of Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), and the SuperBridge Council, the SuperBridge Summit Dubai was held in partnership with the 43rd edition of GITEX Global, the world’s largest and most influential tech event hosted in Dubai, attracting 180,000 tech executives and investors from 180 countries. The date and location of the next SuperBridge Summit will be announced soon; please follow www.superbridgedubai.com for further updates.
