Some years ago I received an email from the Finnish Embassy in London inviting me to the November Slush conference in Helsinki.
Nothing new there. I’d been before, but this invitation was different. Would I like to interview the Finnish Communications Minister… who was female… in a sauna… 50 metres up in the air?
This was obviously an offer I couldn’t refuse, and the aforesaid interview did indeed happen, although I’m pleased to say nobody was completely naked, and while the Minister was perfectly comfortable, the (male) PR who joined us certainly wasn’t.
Such an invitation was very ‘Slush’. A bit out there, edgy and what might seem gimmicky elsewhere, suited that conference’s style and relative madness. As anybody who has attended that conference knows exactly what I mean.
The conference, however, is not the usual European behemoth of multi-attendees and while this year’s Slush was its 16th edition, the audience was only around 13,000. Small, but perfectly formed, some would say.
Europe’s tech conferences attract huge crowds
Contrast this to the Web Summit in Lisbon, VivaTech in Paris and Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona who attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The latter in particular has suffered from the weight of numbers.
When MWC was previously held in Cannes, it was a great place to do business especially when mobile content was taking shape. Small was, indeed, beautiful.
There is also another European trade show taking place next year that should also be mentioned. Our Tech.eu conference is happening in London in March 2025 after its inaugural event in Brussels in 2022.
However, change is afoot and Europe’s tech conferences are facing a huge challenge from the MENA region where wealthy countries are leveraging their vast resources, strategic geographic location and lofty ambitions to diversify their economies. The shift potentially presents a serious challenge to Europe’s dominance in this space.
Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia have invested billions in developing their technology sectors. Initiatives such as the UAE’s National Innovation Strategy and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aim to reduce dependence on oil by fostering technology and innovation.
These programs encompass robust investments in AI, blockchain, fintech and renewable energy, making the region attractive for tech entrepreneurs and, most importantly, investors.
In the UAE, Dubai’s Smart Dubai initiative is transforming the city into the ‘world’s smartest hub’ by integrating blockchain and AI into governance and commerce.
MENA conferences have invested in infrastructure
The MENA region boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure that rivals that can often surpass its European counterparts. Dubai and Riyadh have invested in large-scale event facilities, such as the Dubai World Trade Centre and Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center, designed to host global-scale conferences.
Additionally, their spanking new airports and luxurious amenities make the region an appealing destination for international investors and startups.
So this year, I received two different invitations and decided to go to a different type of sauna than the one I previously went to at Slush. I went to the heat of the UAE for the XPANSE conference where the temperature was much higher and I mean that in more ways than one.
The other offer on the table was from the Dublin Future Forum, another impressive-looking event where more than ‘150 global speakers and 2,500 experts came together to predict revolutionary changes ahead that will transform the way people live and the universe is safeguarded’.
More importantly, both events took place during the week of Slush, showing confidence that the region could tempt North American and European investors away from Finland.
Dr Zina Jarrahi Cinker
Organised by the irrepressible Dr Zina Jarrahi Cinker, one of the world’s experts on graphene and many other things, XPANSE was previously known as Puzzle X and held for three years in Barcelona; perhaps evidence of the drift away from Europe to MENA.
Madrid and Malaga were two of five cities that wanted to host the conference, but the leverage (and the money) of the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund meant its relocation to Abu Dhabi.
An ethereal event that was more like performance art than a trade show, it attracted 2,500 professionals including scientists, Nobel Laureates, technologists, investors and representatives from government organisations, arts and so-called civil society.
Elena Poughia is the Founder of (European trade show and community) DataNatives and the Dataconomy media company and was awed by the show after heading up the startup and investors sector of XPANSE in Abu Dhabi.
“It was the most different, unique, otherworldly, multi-sensory and multi-dimensional experience that I’ve ever seen. I felt like I was in an art installation inside a hallucination filled with the change-makers of tomorrow’s world”, she said… who is also an art curator and historian.
Others, however, are more pragmatic when it comes to comparing European to MENA conferences. Ben Costantini is the Founder & CEO of Sesamers, host of Sesame Summit, the annual invitation-only gathering of tech event organisers, limited to only 80 people.
“MENA shows excel at coming up with innovative formats and attracting global investors with generous budgets, making them worth attending for businesses ready to engage with the region. However, beyond that target, Europe still has the upper hand as the place to meet decision makers.
“For startups, trade shows are a key way to get in touch with specific industries and traditional economy players, and not just about tech. While MENA shines in launching events around emerging trends, sustaining them beyond the critical five-year hype cycle remains a challenge, as over half of them tend to shut down after this time,” he says.
Tectonic plates are shifting
The tectonic plates of the global tech conference scene are undoubtedly shifting, and the rise of MENA as a serious contender cannot be ignored. With unparalleled ambition, vast resources and a flair for innovation, the region is leveraging its sovereign wealth and strategic positioning to carve out a significant piece of the global stage.
Events such as XPANSE and the Dubai Future Form are a testament to this, blending cutting-edge science with cultural artistry to create something that feels less like more than a conference and more like an experience. However, they need to be around for the next five years if they are to be a trend.
Yet, as Costantini points out, Europe’s legacy advantage lies in its ability to convene decision-makers and established industry leaders. The continent’s tech conferences continue to serve as reliable ecosystems for startups, established businesses and governments to exchange ideas and form partnerships.
While MENA may dazzle with bold ideas and luxurious settings, Europe offers the kind of depth and continuity that’s critical for long-term success. The challenge for MENA will be to prove its staying power and move beyond the initial wave of enthusiasm, ensuring that these grand spectacles evolve into sustainable hubs of influence.
Ultimately, this burgeoning rivalry is good news for the global tech community. With competition heating up, both Europe and MENA will be pushed to innovate and deliver greater value to attendees, investors and innovators.
As a result, the power dynamics in the industry will become more balanced, offering greater opportunities to regions and players who were once on the periphery. The question is no longer whether MENA will reshape the landscape – it’s how much and how soon.
But as for an invitation to XPANSE next year to interview a regional Minister in a sauna, well I’ll leave that to Slush – Helsinki is a much more appropriate venue for that type of thing.