Was Expand North Star a triumph or a letdown?

In a world marred by tension and regional conflicts where consensus is hard to come by, there’s one exception to the rule: the resounding success of GITEX. Since its inaugural edition in 1981, the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) has consistently made a profound impact on the tech industry, attracting an ever-expanding number of participants.
Such was the triumph of GITEX that its organizers decided to give birth to another event, often seen as GITEX’s younger sibling, aptly named Expand North Star. However, as much as they may resemble each other, these siblings will never be identical.

I, as an outsider, don’t possess any privileged information regarding the rationale behind creating this secondary event alongside the flagship GITEX. I’m unaware of the strategic positioning and the bet that both events can coexist successfully, even though they occur around the same time. I’m confident that the organizers conducted comprehensive market research to minimize any cannibalization effect.

Yet, the reality did not align with expectations.

Is it fair to liken the underwhelming performance of Expand North Star to the numerous setbacks of Apollo 13 before its ultimate success, carrying Neil Armstrong to the moon?

As the early advocates of Expand North Star, we aspire to replace the dimness caused by underwhelming turnout with the radiance of enthusiastic visitors seeking information about exhibitors’ services and innovations. We look forward to the second edition shedding light on the showcased materials and fostering innovation among companies.

In the words of Neil Armstrong, “a small step for man, a giant leap for mankind,” we hope that by 2024, we’ll be saying, “a modest beginning for substantial growth in the future,” mirroring the remarkable success and progress achieved by the UAE.