What /function1 does

/function1 is an AI-focused conference and exhibition organizer operated by Crezee FZC, a UAE-registered entity incorporated in 2024 in Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone. The company runs an annual flagship gathering in Dubai — its inaugural edition in November 2025 drew 10,012 attendees from 141 countries, 156 speakers, and 109 exhibitors — and is building a year-round platform around it. Adjacent programs include the AI Genesis Hackathon (the largest AI hackathon in the Middle East with 4,842 participants and a $45,000 prize pool, operated with Lablab.ai), the Founders Hub startup accelerator (4,600+ submissions, partnered with NVIDIA), the AI Futures Lab talent program (645 student members), and AI Matchmaking (an AI-powered networking engine across a 60,000+ member ecosystem).

The underlying technology centers on an AI Matchmaking engine that ingests participant goals, ICP, and market focus to surface relevant connections, layered over a hybrid online/offline event format. Sponsorship and exhibition sales are powered by tiered packages ranging from $5,000 entry-level slots to $100,000+ lead sponsorships (with AI/ML API and Chainlink/Opus as lead sponsors), supplemented by ticket revenue, exhibition booth fees, premium matchmaking services, and Founders Hub program fees. The go-to-market targets AI founders, enterprise executives (reported at 60% of attendees), investors, developers, and government stakeholders, with distribution leverage from partners including Dubai Business Events, DMCC AI Centre, Emirates Airlines, Techstars, and various UAE universities. The next edition is scheduled for November 2-3, 2026.

Name

/function1

Legal name

Crezee FZC

Website

https://fnctn1.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

/function1 is an AI conference and exhibition organizer, operated by UAE-based Crezee FZC, that runs an annual Dubai flagship event alongside hackathons, a startup accelerator, talent programs, and an AI-powered matchmaking platform serving AI founders, enterprise executives, investors, and developers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AI Conference & Exhibition Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

akta.pro primary industry

Technology & Innovation Expos Organizers (THAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual Trade Shows & Expos (Digital Booths, Lead Capture) (MPAGAOAB)

Keywords

• AI conference events
• Exhibition sponsorship services
• AI hackathon organization
• Startup acceleration programs
• Ecosystem matchmaking services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Conference Registration & Tickets: Revenue from attendee ticket sales for the AI Conference & Exhibition event held in Dubai. Tickets available for both in-person and virtual attendance.
2. Sponsorship Packages: Multiple sponsorship tiers ranging from up to $5,000 to $100k+ offering brand visibility, lead generation, speaking opportunities, booth access, and thought leadership positioning at the conference.
3. Exhibition Booth Fees: Revenue from exhibitors renting booth space at the Exhibition Hall. 109 exhibitors participated in 2025.
4. AI Matchmaking Service: Premium matchmaking service providing high-intent introductions and warm connections between ecosystem participants.
5. Founders Hub Program: Curated acceleration platform connecting AI startups with customers, capital, and opportunities. Selected founders may receive speaking, exhibition, or pitching opportunities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

/function1 operates an annual AI Conference & Exhibition held in Dubai (November 2-3, 2026), complemented by a portfolio of specialized programs: the AI Genesis Hackathon (largest in the Middle East with 4,842+ developers), Founders Hub (curated startup acceleration platform), AI Futures Lab (youth AI talent development), AI Matchmaking Service (AI-powered networking across 60,000+ ecosystem members), /function1 Week (curated side events), and an Exhibition Hall showcasing 150+ AI ventures. The company sells event tickets, sponsorship tiers (up to $100k+), exhibition booth space, and premium matchmaking introductions.

Product overview

/function1 is an AI Conference & Exhibition event platform offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offering is the annual conference in Dubai (November 2026), which connects 10,000+ attendees, 156+ speakers, and 109+ exhibitors. This is supported by specialized programs including AI Genesis Hackathon (the largest in the Middle East with 6,000+ participants), Founders Hub (startup acceleration platform with 4,600+ submissions), AI Futures Lab (youth talent development), AI Matchmaking Service (AI-powered networking for 60,000+ ecosystem members), /function1 Week (curated side events), and an Exhibition Hall for showcasing AI ventures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AI Genesis Hackathon: The largest AI hackathon in the Middle East, bringing together thousands of developers for a week of online collaboration culminating in an in-person build day and live demo finale at /function1.
• AI Futures Lab
• Founders Hub
• AI Matchmaking
• /function1 Week

Products and services

• /function1 Conference An annual AI conference and exhibition event held in Dubai, bringing together 10,000+ attendees, 156+ speakers, and 109+ exhibitors from 141 countries to discuss the latest developments in artificial intelligence across 60+ sessions.
• AI Genesis Hackathon The largest AI hackathon in the Middle East, featuring 4,842+ participants across online and in-person formats with multiple tracks covering Security & AI Safety, Creativity & Arts, Decentralized AI & Web3, Human & AI Collaboration, AI Agents & Automation, and Industry-Specific AI Solutions.
• AI Futures Lab A youth-focused AI talent development program featuring competitions, mentorship from UAE university professors, workshops, and the AI Talent Pavilion connecting students with recruiters and tech leaders.
• Founders Hub A curated growth platform for high-potential AI startups providing access to investors, buyers, exhibition spots, speaking opportunities, matchmaking with partners, and 1-on-1 mentor sessions, connected to 4,600+ submissions and 60,000+ global AI ecosystem members.
• AI Matchmaking Service An AI-powered lead discovery and matchmaking engine that connects attendees with relevant stakeholders from 60,000+ AI founders, builders, operators, enterprise teams, and government-linked stakeholders based on goals, ICP, and market focus.
• /function1 Week A curated collection of side events extending the conference experience in Dubai, including community gatherings, networking sessions, business meetings, sports activities, and cultural experiences across six vectors.
• Exhibition Hall Exhibition space featuring 150+ visionary founders and AI ventures, including API partners, VC partners, and various AI-first products and solutions showcased by sponsors and exhibitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,012 attendees from 141 countries in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• AI/ML APIflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Lead sponsor of /function1 2025 conference. AI Provider offering fast, cost-efficient access to over 200 AI models with low latency and high scalability AI APIs. Featured as API Partner in exhibition.
• Chainlink (Opus)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Lead sponsor providing blockchain oracle infrastructure for AI applications. Part of the leading sponsors supporting the hackathon and conference.
• NVIDIAcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Provides access to NVIDIA Inception Program including AI infrastructure, GPUs, developer tools, global VC and investor network access, and curated intros to investors and strategic partners for AI startups in MENAT region.
• Dubai Founders HQcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Growth and acceleration programs for scaling startups, startup and investor insights, founder learning hub with tools and courses, startup perks and partner discounts, founder events, demo days and mentorship, workspace at Campus Dubai. For founders operating in or relocating to UAE.
• DMCC AI CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Company setup and flexible licensing in Dubai, 100% ownership and founder-friendly regulations, industry ecosystems in AI, Web3, Emerging Tech and more, founder events and business networking, workspace and office infrastructure in DMCC, access to 24,000+ global business network. For founders expanding to UAE.
• Lablab.aiflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Global AI hackathon organizer co-hosting AI Genesis - the largest AI hackathon in the Middle East. Hub for AI builders providing hands-on opportunities to turn bold ideas into market-ready AI solutions. 251,000+ engaged participants, 1,000,000+ marketing impressions, 120+ hackathons organized.
• CrunchbaseminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Business intelligence platform partner supporting Founders Hub ecosystem with visibility and data services.
• Emirates AirlinescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Official Airline Partner of 2025, providing travel support for international attendees traveling to Dubai for the conference.
• Dubai Business EventscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Official Destination Partner supporting Dubai as the conference location. Part of Dubai's business events promotion ecosystem.
• American University in DubaiminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Educational partner for AI Futures Lab program, supporting student participation and university engagement in AI competition.
• BITS PilaniminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Educational partner supporting AI Futures Lab with university career centers and student participation in AI competition.
• Media Partners Network (20+ publications)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Network of media partners including Entrepreneur-ME, Web3 TV, Times of AI, AI Press Room, and various crypto/AI news publications providing coverage and content distribution.
• Community PartnersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Various community organizations supporting event promotion and audience engagement including developer communities and regional tech groups.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GITEX Global: Major technology and AI exhibition held annually in Dubai; competes for the same MENA-based exhibitor, sponsor, and government attendee base that /function1 targets, and operates a similar exhibition-plus-conference format.
• Web Summit: Global technology conference organizer (Lisbon, Rio, Qatar, Vancouver) operating large-scale founder-and-investor focused events; directly comparable to /function1's model of monetizing sponsorship, exhibition, and tickets around AI/tech audiences.
• lablab.ai: AI hackathon platform that co-hosts /function1's AI Genesis Hackathon; operates a recurring AI hackathon franchise with sponsorship and platform monetization, making it a direct comparable for the hackathon product line.
• LEAP (Tahaluf): Large Saudi-based technology conference attracting global AI and enterprise exhibitors; comparable regional AI/tech event competitor with similar sponsor tiering and exhibition-led monetization.
• TechCrunch Disrupt: Flagship startup conference with exhibition floor, Startup Battlefield competition, and heavy investor attendance; highly comparable to /function1's combination of conference, hackathon (AI Genesis), and Founders Hub startup track.

Broad incumbents

• CES (Consumer Technology Association): Largest global technology exhibition, with tiered sponsorship, massive exhibition hall, and government/enterprise participation; benchmark for scale of exhibition-driven revenue and global attendee reach.
• Money 20/20: Established large-scale conference business monetized via premium sponsorship tiers and exhibition space; useful comparable for the economics of high-priced tiered sponsor packages and recurring attendee revenue.

Emerging players

• AI Engineer World's Fair: Niche AI-focused conference and exhibition built around AI engineers, founders, and researchers; comparable as a more developer-/builder-focused AI event with similar matchmaking and exhibition monetization.
• Consensus (CoinDesk): Major Web3/crypto conference with tiered sponsorship, hackathon-style side events, and strong founder/developer mix; comparable as a category-defining conference with sponsorship and exhibition-led revenue model.

Regional players

• World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC): Government-backed AI conference in Shanghai drawing global sponsors, exhibitors, and delegations; comparable as a regional flagship AI event with strong government ties and large exhibition footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/function1_conf
• Facebookfacebook.com/fnctn1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fnctn1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about /function1