/function1

This is the moment we’ve all been building toward: /function1, the largest year-end AI event, has officially come to a close. The digital buzz from you is off the charts: thousands of posts and mentions are still pouring in, and we can’t even get through them all. Your attention is unreal! And now, it’s our turn to look back at what we’ve created. Even though this was the second /function1 conference in less than a year, it’s clear that something truly defining happened this November - something that will shape the regional AI landscape for years to come. And the numbers say it all. TWENTY times - this is exactly how much /function1 grew in scale, evolving from a small gathering into a true global force: - The event expanded from a single day to a full 2-day conference, with the program now featuring 3 separate stages instead of just one; - Instead of 500 people, this November, we have gathered more than 10,000 attendees and participants; - Over 100 companies have filled our Exhibition Hall, while in May, there were only 5; - The agenda grew into 27+ hours of carefully curated content, empowered by the expertise of 150+ world-class speakers. But here’s what matters most. From day one, our mission was clear: to build a platform where young, bold, often overlooked AI talents could finally step into the spotlight — and receive real feedback, real support, and real resources to grow. Today, we can confidently say that the mission was accomplished - for now. In just 48 hours, 5,000+ students and founders came together through signature /function1 initiatives like the Founders Program, AI Futures Lab, and AI Genesis, the largest hackathon in the Middle East, uniting 4,700 online and 300 offline participants. These rising innovators met global investors and VCs, learned from leaders like NVIDIA and AWS, tackled real technical challenges, and turned them into bold new ideas. Now we know: the future of AI is in capable hands. And still, this feels like only the beginning. The AI world is accelerating, and so is /function1. Our journey is just getting started, and the next chapter arrives in November 2026, right here in Dubai. Not just a conference, but a full-scale festival with more side events, more people, and above all - more meaning, more transformative ideas, conversations, and connections. This is the beginning of a movement that’s here to stay - and we thank all our speakers, sponsors, partners, exhibitors, and guests for being the most vital part of it.

A glimpse of /function1 set-up day. Are you excited? Because we are! Hours left before the biggest year-end AI conference of 2025 will open its doors to 10,000+ AI-driven minds. To the team, the last night before the event is usually sleepless, but we hope you have a good rest tonight - you'll need all the energy and brainspace for what we have prepared for you. November 18. 8:00 AM. Festival Arena, Dubai. We're looking forward to meeting you at /function1!

Big Tech is flooding the AI space - can startups keep up? Giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta are pouring hundreds of billions into AI, while the dominant cloud providers control the tools and services that new AI companies rely on. Despite a surge in AI venture funding, consolidation is accelerating through acquisitions, exclusive deals, and talent poaching. This raises tough questions: do you partner with the platforms to scale - or stay independent and risk being out-gunned? At /function1, our panel “The Doom of AI Startups? Making Predictions While BigTech Overflows the Market” will explore how mega-platforms’ vast capital, data, and infrastructure are squeezing independent innovation. To explore this topic in all its complexity, we’re teaming up with a world-class lineup of speakers: - Nikola Petrovic, Agents Virtual Machine; - Priyanka Vijayan, Seed Group Ventures; - Ron Levin, Alumni Ventures; - Yuki Shirato, Techstars; - Moderator: Jeanie Fang, Crunchbase. Join us TOMORROW for a candid, evidence-backed discussion about the fate of AI startups in the age of Big Tech. Secure your ticket now: https://lnkd.in/dBm-dcGy

Web3. AI. XR. Blockchain. Most people explore one, yet this /function1 speaker engineers the intersections. We’re proud to welcome Ismail Issa, Head of AI & Web3 - Innovation & New Technology at Emirates Group. A Forbes-recognized innovator and one of the most influential minds in emerging tech, Ismail leads groundbreaking work across AI, Web3, blockchain, and immersive reality at one of the world’s boldest global enterprises. His mandate is to validate and deploy next-generation GenAI and digital technologies long before they hit mainstream adoption. Known for blending experimentation with strategic impact, he’s redefining how advanced tech ecosystems are imagined, tested, and scaled. At /function1, Ismail will deliver his insights on why onboarding traditional companies is vital to mass AI adoption. Save your seat at /function1, and hurry up - we’re kicking off tomorrow! https://lnkd.in/dBm-dcGy

On November 19, make sure you don’t miss one of the standout activities at /function1: hands-on workshops in the dedicated Hackathon & Workshop Zone. Among them is a dynamic 60-minute session, “AgentCore Mastery: From Prototype to Production,” brought to you by Amazon Web Services (AWS). Led by Mohamed Ezzat, AI/ML Tech Seller Lead, MENAT, at AWS, this workshop will take you deep into Amazon Bedrock’s AgentCore. You’ll learn how to design, deploy, and monitor secure AI agents at enterprise scale - a must-attend for developers, architects, and enterprise builders. Don’t miss this chance to level up your skills, and remember: participation is free for all /function1 attendees! https://lnkd.in/dBm-dcGy

When national innovation moves from idea to impact, there’s usually a strategist behind the scenes. In the Emirates, that’s him: we proudly welcome Dr. Khalid Askar, Director of Innovation & Scientific Research at the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. A driving force behind the UAE’s innovation landscape, Khalid Askar has spent more than a decade connecting academia, industry, and entrepreneurship to unlock meaningful scientific progress. His work spans groundbreaking research at MIT, strategic roles at leading UAE institutions, and national programs designed to elevate the country’s R&D capabilities. With deep expertise in renewable energy, scientific strategy, and cross-sector collaboration, he plays a pivotal role in enabling the breakthroughs that shape regional competitiveness and knowledge-driven growth. At /function1, Dr. Askar will join the jury board of AI Futures Lab to handpick the best and the most daring young talents that will define the regional AI path for a generation ahead. Be there with us to capture this iconic moment: get your tickets here and now, because this is the LAST DAY! https://lnkd.in/dBm-dcGy

‼️ Important update on the /function1 agenda - unfortunately, Dr. Vivek Lall won't be able to make his appearance at our conference on November 18-19. We hope to see you next year, Dr. Lall!

The robotics revolution is already reshaping how we build, work, and think. Recent data shows industrial robot installations reached US $16.5 billion in 2024, while AI-driven robotics systems are boosting efficiency by up to 40%, and the global robotics market is projected to hit ~US $200 billion by 2032. These are all signals of a new era where intelligent machines become collaborators, changing workflows, skill requirements, and even our expectations of what “work” looks like. At /function1, our panel “Getting Ready for the Robotics Revolution: Making Changes Everywhere from Manufacturing to Human Minds” will explore how AI-powered robots are transforming industries far beyond the factory floor. This in-depth discussion will feature an impressive speaker lineup: - Yuki Shirato (Techstars); - Mazen Mohsen (isento GmbH); - Alexei Filippov (Yango Тech Robotics); - Moderator: Prof. Elakkiya R (BITS Pilani Dubai Campus). Robotics is no longer just about automation: it’s about redefining human roles, and the very nature of human-machine interaction. Join us at /function1 to witness this firsthand: https://lnkd.in/dBm-dcGy