2017 was a big year for fintech investment in the Middle East.

Amazon acquired Middle Eastern e-commerce firm, Souq.com, local powerhouses joined the race (i.e., Kingdom Holding Company driving Careem’s Series E funding), startup accelerators launched across the region, and overall investment soared.

So, at the start of 2018, the message is clear: Look to the Middle East for fintech investment opportunities, acquisitions, partnerships, inspiration and competition. And there’s no better place to start than Finovate in February.

For this launch event, Finovate has partnered with the UAE Ministry of Finance and joined UAE Innovation Month and Dubai Innovation Week. Signature 7-minute demos will remain at the core of FinovateMiddleEast 2018 with startup and established companies showcasing their latest fintech innovations live on stage.

Dorsum — A chatbot platform that improves the difficulties of customer acquisition for financial institutions.

ebankIT — An omnichannel banking platform that enhances digital transformation for banks and financial institutions.

efigence — The Insights Now! platform uses smart web analytics’ tools to arm banks and financial institutions with real-time data driven conclusions.

Munnypot — An automated online solution providing accessible and affordable investment advice for millions of people in the U.K. and overseas.

Ondot Systems — Provides mobile card services supplying financial institutions, card processors and cardholders with mobile applications for credit and debit card control.

RISQ — A financial software platform improving the effectiveness of corporate loan acquisition and customer management for commercial banks.

Wealth Migrate — A global, direct investment platform remedying the lack of direct investment products for middle class, overseas investors.

Zagtrader — An end-to-end pre-integrated framework that connects banks, brokers, asset managers, and investment banks to the ultra-complex global trading ecosystem with ease.

Additional companies will be announced over the next several weeks.

Register by January 11 to save $300. Book online, call +1 (888) 670-8200, or email info.events@knect365.com.

Last week, Finovate teamed up with the UAE Ministry of Finance. The partnership aims to drive awareness and support for fintech innovation in the Middle East. As part of this collaboration, FinovateMiddleEast will join the UAE Innovation Month celebration in February 2018.

For over 10 years, Finovate has been the leading showcase of financial, banking and payments technologies. And we’ve been there from the start: New York in 2007, Bay Area in 2008, London in 2010, Singapore in 2012, Hong Kong in 2016, and now Dubai in 2018.

Finovate events focus on innovative fintech showcased via 7-minute live product demonstrations. The conferences consistently attract high-impact audiences of senior-level financial and banking executives, press and industry analysts, venture capitalists, regulators, and technology entrepreneurs. FinovateMiddleEast will be no different with fintech from across the MENA region and 300+ attendees.

Join us on February 26 & 27 if you’re looking to:

• Drive product adoption of the latest and most innovative solutions in fintech
• Showcase new, high-impact technology in front of an influential audience
• Generate press recognition, find customers, network with peers, raise capital, and discover partners

For more information on applying to demo, please review the brochure for prospective demoing companies, then fill out the online application by December 31 at the latest. We’ll be in touch within a few days of receiving your application.

If you have any questions, please email middleeast@finovate.com. And if you’re unfamiliar with Finovate events, take a look at videos from the past 40+ events.

FinovateMiddleEast 2018 is sponsored by Temenos, UAE Exchange, and Loxon.

In the fight for the fintech title — London, Berlin, Barcelona, New York, Silicon Valley, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cape Town, Abu Dhabi — Dubai is a heavy weight. With fintech investment set to grow 270% in the Middle East in 2017, the future of fintech might be in Dubai.

Join us on February 26 and 27 to find out.

Supported by Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), FinovateMiddleEast will keep demos at its core while introducing content driven panels, regulatory perspectives and world-class keynotes tailored to address the evolution of financial services and the impact on both the providers and the end-users.

See the speakers. See the demoing companies. See the regional startups. And save $200 when buying your ticket by October 26.

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By the end of 2017, fintech investments in the Middle East are expected to have grown by 2.7x. As governments and financial leaders diversify away from a petroleum-based economy, the focus is on fintech.

But who will capitalize on this ecosystem of fintech innovation? Foreign brands like Amazon (who acquired Middle Eastern e-commerce firm, Souq.com, earlier this year), local powerhouses like Kingdom Holding Company (who recently led Uber-esque Careem’s Series E funding) or both?

Either way, the message is clear: Look to the Middle East for fintech investment opportunities, acquisitions, partnerships, inspiration and competition. And there’s no better place to start than Finovate in February 2018.

Finovate’s signature 7-minute demos will remain at the core of FinovateMiddleEast with dozens of companies showcasing their latest fintech innovations live on stage. Here’s the first wave of demoing companies to check out. The event will take place February 26 and 27:

CASHOFF — A service for collecting and analyzing consumers’ financial data that gives banks complete knowledge about consumers (online banking, PFM, scoring, sales, loyalty).

Dorsum — A chatbot platform that improves the difficulties of customer acquisition for financial institutions.

ebankIT — An omnichannel banking platform that enhances digital transformation for banks and financial institutions.

Everus Technologies — Offers Everus World, a product that fosters fintech challenges, convenience, and public education and awareness for millennials, traders, and gamers.

Innofis — Provides Bank Virtual Assistant, a platform that uses natural language, artificial intelligence, and analytics to create frictionless interaction and sales efficiency.

Moven — A financial wellness platform targeting declining branch revenue for banks around the world.

Munnypot — An automated online solution providing accessible and affordable investment advice for millions of people in the U.K. and overseas.

NymCard — Offers smart mobile technology providing an alternative to the limited capabilities of digital payment products for the banked and underbanked population in MENA.

Ondot Systems — Provides mobile card services supplying financial institutions, card processors and cardholders with mobile applications for credit and debit card control.

Quisk — A payment network breaking up the exclusivity of current mobile payment technologies for anyone with a mobile phone (not just a smartphone).

RISQ — A financial software platform improving the effectiveness of corporate loan acquisition and customer management for commercial banks.

SwipeStox — A social network for stock trading that cuts through the complexity around financial investing for newbie and professional investors.

Wealth Migrate — A global, direct investment platform remedying the lack of direct investment products for middle class, overseas investors.

W.UP — Offers Sales.UP, a digital banking sales and engagement tool that meets financial institutions’ need of customer insights and personalised automated marketing campaigns.

Additional companies will be announced over the next couple months.

Through the expanded Finovate model, the Dubai debut will also feature fast-paced, short-form discussions from industry leaders. Content-driven panels, regulatory perspectives, and world-class keynotes will address themes and topics relevant to the MENA market and broader economy as well.

See the agenda, and stay tuned — new speakers are added weekly.

Save $200 when you register for FinovateMiddleEast by October 26.

PARTNERS

While many have been around for the fintech explosion over the past several years, few have been there for the sparks. For over 10 years, Finovate has fanned the fintech flames: New York in 2007. Bay Area in 2008. London in 2010. Singapore in 2012. Hong Kong in 2016. With the support of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and its Fintech Hive at DIFC, Finovate expands to Dubai on February 26 and 27, 2018.

A region widely known for its abundant supply of black gold and tall buildings, Middle East fintech investments are set to grow by 270% in 2017. As these governments and financial powerhouses look to diversify away from a petroleum-based economy and rebalance their agendas, focus on innovation, startups, SMEs and financial technology is heating up.

Our signature 7-minute demos will remain at the core of FinovateMiddleEast with 28 companies showcasing their latest fintech innovations live on stage. With applications from the Middle East, United States, Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia, we’ll reflect regional and international trends.

Through the expanded Finovate model, the Dubai debut will also feature fast-paced, short-form discussions from industry leaders. Content-driven panels, regulatory perspectives, and world-class keynotes will address themes and topics relevant to the MENA market and broader economy as well. So far, 2018 speakers include:

See the agenda here, and stay tuned — additional speakers will be added on a rolling basis and demoing companies will be announced in early October.

Fan the fintech flames with us. Save $400 when you register by this Thursday, August 17.