Building on the momentum of COP28, GITEX GLOBAL debuted GITEX Impact, the region’s largest climate tech catalyst for sourcing clean energy solutions towards tackling global warming. The show brings together sustainability leaders to source and discuss green transition solutions and strategies, empowering climate tech companies and startups with the blueprint for amplifying the UN’s 2030 sustainability agenda.
At a Leaders of Impact Summit titled “Industrial Evolution: Embracing Sustainability through Innovation” at GITEX Impact, panellists explored how to drive innovation, integrate sustainability, and finance greener approaches in the industrial sector. Discussing the increased interest in ESG reporting among large corporates, the panellists noted a 42% growth in the number of companies reporting to the CDP, the leading international system for disclosure on environmental topics, in 2022. This signifies a significant shift in thinking about sustainability at the highest levels of corporate leadership, they added.
The panel included Dexter Galvin, Chief Commercial and Partnerships Officer of UK-based CDP; Irina Gorbounova, Vice President, M&A and Head of Xcarb Innovation Fund, ArcelorMittal from the UK; Maya Makanjee, Non-Executive Director, Cell C in South Africa and Salman Abdulla, Executive Vice President, ESG & Sustainability at UAE-based Emirates Global Aluminium.
EdTech Supercharges Education
Estonia is at the forefront of EdTech innovation. The number of EdTech startups has increased by 50% in the last five years, making it one of the most dynamic sectors of the Estonian economy, with an annual growth rate of 30-50%.
Kristina Kallas, Minister of Education and Research of Estonia, shared how AI is transforming education in a fireside chat at GITEX GLOBAL. She said that Generative AI has already rendered some conventional learning methods obsolete. For instance, there is no need to ask students to summarize text when ChatGPT can do it better.
The Minister observed that AI can make education more tailored and individualized, supporting each student’s abilities and goals much better than conventional means. She said it can also improve access to education for various social groups facing barriers today, adding that AI can help children with learning difficulties and low language skills, as it is suited for communication and linguistic development.
The Smartphone, the Window to a Sustainable Future
In our increasingly digital lives, it is time to rethink the device that is our primary gateway to the digital sphere: the smartphone. This means imagining new ways of designing and using smartphones that are more human-centred, immersive, and ethical.
Akis Evangelidis, Co-Founder of Nothing smartphone, explained how his company is rethinking the smartphone. He said that far from empowering us as was intended, smartphones have become a major source of distraction and now seem to extract value from users instead of the other way around. He added that Nothing addresses this by focusing on design differentiation, innovation and user interaction.
Data privacy has also suffered, while the overuse of social media is a growing concern. “Accordingly, we wanted to start on a blank sheet and see how to address these shortcomings.” The company is also committed to sustainability, Evangelidis said. “We have been tracking our carbon footprint from the very beginning. Our second generation launched this year features more recycled material while built to sustain a longer lifecycle.”
The 43rd edition of GITEX GLOBAL is taking place from 16-20 October 2023. The blockbuster tech showpiece has reached its full capacity at the Dubai World Trade Centre as it is hosting more than 6,000 exhibitors from 180 countries. GITEX GLOBAL and Expand North Star comprise a combined 41 halls spanning 2.7 million sq. ft of exhibition space, a 40% growth year-on-year with 1,800 startups across both. The events converge the best minds and most visionary companies to scrutinise, challenge, define, and empower the digital agendas of the world.
More information is available at www.gitex.com and www.expandnorthstar.com
