Building on the momentum of COP28, GITEX GLOBAL hosted debuted its climate tech-focused event, GITEX IMPACT, which united experts and industry leaders to address global warming through innovative solutions.
GITEX Impact, which runs from October 16th to 20th, unfolded at the expansive Dubai World Trade Centre, attracting over 6,000 exhibitors from 180 countries. This climate tech showcase spanned a whopping 2.7 million square feet of exhibition space, marking a remarkable 40 percent year-on-year growth. Among the participants, 1,800 startups shared their innovative solutions and ideas, cementing the event as a significant platform for cutting-edge technology and innovation.
The core mission of GITEX Impact is to source and discuss clean energy solutions while empowering climate tech companies and startups to align their efforts with the UN’s ambitious 2030 sustainability agenda. The show hosted a series of captivating panels and discussions, including the Leaders of Impact Summit, titled “Industrial Evolution: Embracing Sustainability through Innovation.”
During this summit, experts discussed strategies for driving innovation, integrating sustainability, and financing green approaches in the industrial sector. Notably, the panelists shed light on the growing interest in ESG reporting (Environmental, Social, and Governance) among large corporations. In a significant development, they noted a 42% increase in the number of companies reporting to the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), an international system for disclosure on environmental topics, in 2022. This statistic underscores a profound shift in corporate leadership’s perspective on sustainability.
The panel itself comprised of prominent figures in the sustainability and climate tech sectors. Dexter Galvin, Chief Commercial and Partnerships Officer of the UK-based CDP, shared his insights. Joining him were Irina Gorbounova, Vice President, M&A and Head of Xcarb Innovation Fund at ArcelorMittal in the UK; Maya Makanjee, Non-Executive Director of Cell C in South Africa; and Salman Abdulla, Executive Vice President of ESG & Sustainability at Emirates Global Aluminium based in the UAE.
In a separate discussion at GITEX Impact, Kristina Kallas, Minister of Education and Research of Estonia, highlighted the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence in the education sector. She emphasised how AI, especially Generative AI, has rendered conventional learning methods obsolete, offering tailored and individualised education that caters to students’ unique abilities and goals.
In an era when digital technology is increasingly pervasive, the event also spotlighted the need to reimagine the smartphone. Akis Evangelidis, Co-Founder of Nothing smartphone, proposed a human-centered, immersive, and ethical approach to smartphone design, acknowledging the growing concerns about distractions and data privacy.
