The final day of SATExpo put startup barriers, private-sector growth and the UAE’s 2031 space ambitions at the center of the discussion. 

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Space investment and regional cooperation took much of the attention on the final day of SATExpo in Dubai, where government and industry representatives discussed what it will take to turn the region’s space ambitions into commercially viable businesses. 

The discussion came as SATExpo wrapped its second edition alongside CABSAT at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai. CABSAT recorded more than 18,800 visitors and 450 exhibitors from over 120 countries, while SATExpo had more than 150 exhibitors from over 70 countries. 

CABSAT focused on the production and distribution side of the media business, with immersive experiences and new media infrastructure among the technologies on display. Nikon Middle East demonstrated RAW filmmaking workflows with DaVinci Resolve, while Digital Future Solutions took orders for 600 cameras during the event. The program also included the Contentverse Director’s Cut conference, which gave industry professionals a full day of discussions around content and production. 

Space investment becomes the bigger conversation 

SATExpo’s final-day summit, held in partnership with the UAE Space Agency, examined security, sovereignty and the investment needed to build stronger space capabilities. Regional cooperation was a major part of the discussion, including closer links between Gulf countries, governments and private industry, as well as cooperation between GEO and LEO operators. The panel also considered the need to protect strategic satellites in orbit. 

Investment was another concern. Ameera Almarzooqi, Space Policies and Legislation Specialist at the UAE Space Agency, discussed what space companies need to attract capital and expand their businesses. She pointed to growing demand for space-enabled data in logistics, energy and agriculture, while also highlighting access to affordable testing facilities as a barrier for startups. 

The UAE is targeting higher revenues and exports from its space sector by 2031, with ambitions to double both while increasing the sector’s value added by 60 percent. The targets come as the country places greater emphasis on private-sector participation and commercially viable space businesses. 

Commercial activity at SATExpo included a partnership between Space Communications Technologies SPC (SCT) and GIS HUB LLC focused on satellite imagery and geospatial technology in Oman. Orbit Communication Company and StarWin unveiled a hybrid satellite, broadcast and terrestrial mobility system, while ST Engineering iDirect presented technologies covering 5G non-terrestrial networks, AI-driven satellite operations and multi-orbit connectivity. 

The technologies shown across the two events also included AI-enabled content creation, personalized streaming, direct-to-device connectivity and satellite operations. These areas serve different parts of the market, but they increasingly rely on the same underlying movement of content, data and connectivity. 

CABSAT and SATExpo will return to Expo City Dubai from May 4 to 6, 2027. The events will return with media, satellite and space companies continuing to develop new technologies, partnerships and commercial applications across their respective markets. 

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