Dubai AI Festival: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
Dubai AI Festival is where the world’s top minds in artificial intelligence converge and do business.
Verified ·10 official sources·Organised by Dubai AI Campus
The essentials from the organiser's own pages: when, where, how big, and how founders get in. Speakers, investor lists and past editions are on the official site.
- Next edition
- Oct 26–27, 2026 · Dubai AI Festival 2026 source
- Where
- Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Format
- in-person
- Tickets
- USD 50–USD 3,000 (2026) source
- Startup pass
- Apply through the startup application or book a startup pod. The 2026 offer lists a 4 sqm pod at USD 995 + VAT plus a USD 100 admin fee; the published total is USD 1,150 including VAT. An optional Startup Stories Stage speaking slot is USD 500. source
- Cadence
- Annual; editions in 2024, 2025 and 2026, with dates varying by year.
AICrypto & web3B2B SaaSFintechHealth & biotechConsumerFoundersInvestorsCorporatesPolicy & government
Next edition
| Dates | Oct 26–27, 2026 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | Dubai AI Festival 2026 |
| Venue | Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Tickets | dubaiaifestival.com source |
How founders get in
| Startup programme | Apply through the startup application or book a startup pod. The 2026 offer lists a 4 sqm pod at USD 995 + VAT plus a USD 100 admin fee; the published total is USD 1,150 including VAT. An optional Startup Stories Stage speaking slot is USD 500. source |
|---|
FutureTech World Cup
Meeting investors there
The 2026 pass options include an event app with the full attendee list and unlimited 1-to-1 meetings, plus Premium Networking Lounges; the Investor Pass is application-only. source
| Investors attending | 500+ investors expected (2026) source |
|---|
Before you go: the hub's cold email to VCs playbook covers the pre-event outreach that fills a meeting calendar, and Causo matches your stage and thesis to the funds in its database so you know who to ask for a meeting.
Official links and socials
Apply
Prepare for it
- How to cold email VCs — book the meetings before you land.
- The 12-slide seed deck — what to have ready when a partner says "send me the deck".
- Pitch Deck Roaster — a slide-by-slide pass before you submit to FutureTech World Cup.
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 8, 2026:
- dubaiaifestival.com
- dubaiaifestival.com/about-us
- dubaiaifestival.com/event-dates
- dubaiaifestival.com/register
- dubaiaifestival.com/purchase-start-up-package
- dubaiaifestival.com/future-tech-world-cup
- dubaiaifestival.com/2026-speakers
- dubaiaifestival.com/agenda-2026
- difc.com/whats-on/news/dubai-ai-festival-expands-in-scale-and-global-reach-for-its-third-edition
- dubaiaifestival.com/blog
Dubai AI Festival: frequently asked
When is Dubai AI Festival 2026?
Dubai AI Festival 2026 runs Oct 26–27, 2026 at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, according to the organiser's published dates.
How much does Dubai AI Festival cost?
Published ticket prices run USD 50–USD 3,000 (2026). Startups: Apply through the startup application or book a startup pod. The 2026 offer lists a 4 sqm pod at USD 995 + VAT plus a USD 100 admin fee; the published total is USD 1,150 including VAT. An optional Startup Stories Stage speaking slot is USD 500..
How do startups get into Dubai AI Festival?
Apply through the startup application or book a startup pod. The 2026 offer lists a 4 sqm pod at USD 995 + VAT plus a USD 100 admin fee; the published total is USD 1,150 including VAT. An optional Startup Stories Stage speaking slot is USD 500.
How many investors attend Dubai AI Festival?
The organiser reports 500+ investors expected investors for the 2026 edition. The 2026 pass options include an event app with the full attendee list and unlimited 1-to-1 meetings, plus Premium Networking Lounges; the Investor Pass is application-only.
What is FutureTech World Cup?
Dubai AI Festival's pitch competition.
How big is Dubai AI Festival?
Over 20,000 attendees expected attendees (2026), from Over 120 countries (2026, expected) countries, per the organiser.