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GITEX Dubai offers an unparalleled global stage for women founders to scale their ventures and amplify their impact. This year’s event highlighted pioneering women-led startups, including Serenity Power and Bidblox, alongside dynamic programs designed to boost female founders’ visibility, access to capital, and global networks.
Serenity Power, a ventureLAB Accelerated Growth Program company, led by CEO and co-founder, Aleisha Reese Cerny, captured attention with its bold vision to replace heavy diesel users with solid oxide fuel cell technology. The startup offers a clear pathway to decarbonize high-emission sectors such as mining and data centers. Bidblox, another ventureLAB-supported company, impressed attendees with its AI-driven solutions aimed at transforming the architecture and construction industries by optimizing preconstruction workflows. Both startups exemplify how Canadian innovation is making a global impact, leveraging platforms like GITEX to attract new investors, forge strategic partnerships, and enter international markets.
“Being chosen to participate in GITEX as our first overseas business trip was a defining milestone for Serenity Power. We had just won a major investment at Elevate, and the very next day were on a plane to the Middle East, taking that momentum straight into one of the world’s most dynamic energy markets. GITEX and The Firehood allowed us to immerse ourselves in the region’s energy ecosystem, learn directly from industry leaders, and explore opportunities in a market that is moving decisively on innovation, energy security, and decarbonization. For an early-stage, women-led company, this level of global exposure is both validating and helps us take those leaps to tackle new markets.” – Serenity Power CEO and co-founder, Aleisha Reese Cerny
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At the heart of these opportunities is The Firehood’s Women in Tech Lounge and Stage, a vibrant hub where women founders, investors, and allies connect, collaborate, and celebrate. Supported by Expand North Star and driven by leaders like Claudette McGowan, this initiative provides a vital space for mentorship, pitch competitions, and authentic conversations that translate into real impact. The spotlight on women-led startups culminated in a $100,000 pitch competition, won by Anurita Das of Genovation, whose privacy-first Agentic AI solutions underscore the global potential of women’s innovation.
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Conferences like GITEX are a testament to the power of a functioning global ecosystem where governments, investors, corporates, and startups work in concert to fuel growth, learning, and strategic investment. For women founders, navigating global expansion, from incorporation and banking to market entry, is increasingly supported by programs designed to demystify cross-border challenges and accelerate international scale. The value lies not just in capital raised or awards won, but in the enduring relationships formed and ecosystems strengthened.
For Canadian founders, GITEX isn’t just a conference; it’s a launchpad to break free of local silos and claim a seat at the global innovation table, helping them lead ventures that can have influence worldwide. When women take the stage and the global community rallies behind them, the entire tech ecosystem rises together.
