Dubai and Europe’s 28DIGITAL Forge Alliance to Propel Digital Innovation

Dubai’s digital scene has been buzzing again – this time with the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy joining hands with a European ally to bridge two fast-paced ecosystems. The chamber, which sits under the broader Dubai Chambers umbrella, has inked a Memorandum of Understanding with 28DIGITAL, an organisation devoted to pushing digital knowledge and innovation across Europe. Both parties say this move is about building stronger partnerships and opening new doors between entrepreneurs in Dubai and their European counterparts.

The signing took place on the sidelines of Expand North Star 2025 – one of those events that really puts Dubai’s ambitions in tech front and centre. Hosted at Dubai Harbour and organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre, the session wrapped up with a clear message: collaboration is the name of the game. Saeed AlGergawi, Vice President of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, and Federico Menna, CEO of 28DIGITAL, signed the agreement in person.

AlGergawi summed it up neatly, noting that this cooperation signals an important step toward reinforcing Dubai’s standing as a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. He added that by bringing Dubai and European technology ecosystems closer together, the two entities can pave “new and impactful pathways for innovation, investment, and growth across all digital sectors.” I reckon he’s spot on—cross-border partnerships like this often end up sparking the kind of unexpected synergies startups dream about.

The MoU goes beyond ceremonial talk. It sets out practical areas of focus: helping startups explore new markets, connecting investors, encouraging participation in each region’s innovation networks, and easing the way for companies to find space in Dubai or Europe. Both organisations plan to back these efforts with support from incubators, accelerators, and local finance channels. It’s not just paperwork on a desk—it’s an open invitation for tech ventures to take the leap.

For anyone who’s been part of Dubai’s rapid digital transformation (and I’ve seen quite a few scrappy founders make the most of it), this fits neatly into the wider picture. The chamber continues to push forward the city’s digital economy strategy under the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which aims to place Dubai among the top digital capitals of the world. Expand North Star itself has become a bit of a flagship in this journey—part trade show, part talent magnet, always brimming with the kind of energy that makes sleepless startup nights feel worth it.

On the flip side, while enthusiasm is high, connecting ecosystems isn’t always a walk in the park. Anyone who’s tried to navigate different regulatory frameworks knows it can be a bit of a faff. But still, partnerships like this have shown time and again that the long game pays off. Europe brings mature know-how in research and development; Dubai offers speed, infrastructure, and ambitious scale-ups waiting to go global.

It’s exciting stuff, really. Arageek keeps a close eye on such moves because they remind us why building bridges—rather than silos—matters for MENA entrepreneurs. And believe it or not, sometimes the most meaningful progress starts with a simple handshake and a shared goal. The idea here isn’t just to sign another agreement, but to plant seeds of cooperation that could, with a bit of luck (and a lot of hard work), bloom into something much bigger.

So, while the ink’s barely dry, there’s a quiet sense that this MoU could turn out to be more than symbolic. And for those of us following the region’s digital growth, that’s definately something to watch.

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