The Heartbeat of Tech in MENA

Stelios Leftheris is an IT, cybersecurity, and risk management executive with over 19 years of experience across complex enterprise environments. Based out of Dubai for the past 15 years, he leads the VESTIGOS Group, advising investors, family offices, governments, SMEs, and technology start-ups on business and technology strategy, funding readiness, scaling, and market access. VESTIGOS also delivers advisory, cybersecurity, managed security services, 24/7 monitoring, and complex assessments, alongside cloud and IT infrastructure solutions as a Microsoft, AWS, Citrix, and Red Hat partner, with a focus on secure growth, governance, and operational resilience globally.

Strategic Go-To-Market & Enterprise Sales Leader | AI & Agentic SaaS | APAC, ANZ & Middle East Enterprise sales leader with 11+ years of experience building, scaling, and winning in emerging technology categories — particularly AI, Talent Intelligence, and Agentic SaaS platforms. Twice the first GTM hire (Eightfold AI, EdCast), leading market entry and revenue growth from zero, establishing partner ecosystems, and driving consistent quota overachievement across multiple regions. What I Bring: – Market Expansion Leadership — Built new regions from scratch and turned greenfield markets into predictable revenue engines – Category Creation & Evangelism — Positioned and commercialized first-of-its-kind AI solutions with customers early in their adoption journeys – Enterprise Deal Leadership — Closed large transformation programs with global enterprises and public sector organizations, navigating complex multi-stakeholder cycles – Executive-Level Influence — Advisor to CXOs, Ministers, and Digital Transformation leaders on workforce and productivity transformation – Partner Ecosystem Builder — Co-sell success with top consulting firms and major System Integrators to accelerate penetration and scale – International Operator — Built in India, scaled in Singapore, and now expanding across the Middle East (Dubai-based) – Consistent Top Performance — Multiple President’s Club recognitions for leading execution in high-growth environments Passionate about enabling enterprises to unlock growth, productivity, and workforce agility through next-generation AI systems — and transforming how organizations hire, develop, and mobilize talent globally.

Olga Cassidy is an executive coach, mentor, and founder of OC Coaching, Training & Consultancy, working with organisations from startups to multinationals across the UAE and beyond. She supports founders and leadership teams at the intersection of growth strategy, founder’s mentality, and leadership development—helping companies scale without losing speed, ownership, or culture, while preventing burnout for founders and teams. With 20+ years of global experience across 35+ markets, Olga brings a practical, human-centred approach to building scale-ready leaders and organisations.

Transforming ideas into impactful ventures, Enhance Ventures is pioneering innovation across MENAPT and beyond. As the region’s leading venture studio and innovation advisor, we specialize in ideating, validating, building, scaling, and exiting transformative businesses.

I am an award winning Marketing & Communication Leader with 15 years of experience in digital marketing, advertising, brand strategy, public relations, and technology transformation. My expertise lies in building integrated marketing campaigns, driving brand growth, and leading digital transformation initiatives for organizations across advertising agencies, corporates, government and academic sectors.

Meghna Dixit is the Founder & CEO of Mevan Consulting FZE, a Dubai-based boutique growth advisory working with founders and revenue-generating businesses entering or scaling in the UAE and GCC. With 20+ years of leadership experience across corporate transformation, startups, and content-led growth, she helps founders unlock market access, strategic visibility, and long-term credibility. Meghna is a UAE Government-recognised Impact Maker and a frequent mentor, speaker, and ecosystem partner at regional startup and investor platforms.

I’m a serial founder and Fractional CTO, currently building my own ventures while helping other founders do the same. I don’t just advise on strategy; I’m in the trenches every day, and I consult for other startups with the same “founder mindset” I apply to my own builds. By focusing on the intersection of product, AI, and automation, I help teams validate ideas quickly and bootstrap efficiently. My goal is to help you skip the expensive pitfalls of early-stage tech and ship high-impact products without the technical debt.

Startup mentor with extensive experience guiding founders from idea validation to product launch, go‑to‑market execution, and sustainable growth. With over 20 years across fintech startups, global banks, and the financial services sector, he specializes in building and scaling digital payment and compliance products in both emerging and mature markets. He currently leads business development across MENA and South Asia, driving expansion, partnerships, and revenue. His hands‑on expertise spans digital wallets, real‑time payments, AML/KYC, card schemes, e‑commerce, and secure transaction architectures. He is passionate about frictionless user experiences and advancing secure, AI‑enabled financial infrastructure aligned with regulatory needs.

Marketing executive with 20+ years of experience scaling startups and high-growth companies across MENA and Europe, with deep expertise in tech and e-commerce. Currently serving as a Fractional CMO & Marketing Mentor, partnering with scale-ups to transform their marketing functions for more measurable business impact.

I am Chartered Fellow CIPD and senior people leader with over 15 years’ experience scaling and transforming high-growth startups and technology-led businesses across the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. I have built people functions from scratch, supported rapid international expansion, led complex restructures, and partnered closely with founders, CEOs, and Boards through growth, funding, and change. I mentor founders / investors on building scalable teams, strong culture, and commercially sound people systems that support growth without breaking the business.

Based in Dubai for the past four years, Elodie Apremont is a Principal Startup Advisor at Impact Lab, with over 20 years of experience in strategy, innovation, and venture development. She advises founders on business model design, go-to-market strategy, operational structuring, and growth execution. From Dubai, she supports startups across Africa and the MENA region, while also advising corporates and impact funds on how to effectively engage and collaborate with startups, from open innovation to venture partnerships. Her background combines hands-on operational roles with deep expertise in building and scaling high-impact startup ecosystems.

Jessica is a goal-driven digital storyteller and brand scientist obsessed with content, social media & music. She is the founder of “Social Astronauts” – a boutique partner for all digital, social media, storytelling, content, and AI marketing needs. With over 18 years of experience in Marketing, Social Media, PR, Live Performance & Entrepreneurship, as well as certifications from META and Harvard X, she has supported agencies and companies like P&G, Emirates NBD, and Emaar. She is also an approved trainer at Astrolabs & a few other institutes in the UAE plus elected as a mentor at the Abu Dhabi SME Hub, FRWRDx, MCIT Scale Now and the UN Women Start-up Mentorship program. When not at the office, you’ll find her creating music with her band or rocking the stage somewhere!

Osama Shawky is a serial entrepreneur with over 24 years of experience across technology, telecom, digital platforms, and startups. He has founded six companies, successfully exiting three, and has raised more than USD 200 million throughout his career. His background spans building businesses from inception through scale, with a consistent focus on platform-led growth, strategic partnerships, and value creation. As Founder and CEO of estaie, Osama is channeling this experience into building a global hospitality technology company designed for scale, resilience, and long-term market leadership

With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of technology and business, I specialize in executive advisory, strategic business development, and governance services, helping enterprises successfully navigate digital transformation and achieve sustainable growth. Throughout my career, I’ve led diverse teams and managed complex projects, evolving from technical roles into strategic advisory positions.

30+ years of experience in finance, consulting, and entrepreneurship. Ex-co-founder and CEO of Carzaty, exited to Kavak, now advising and investing in startups.

7+ years of experience scaling technologies in the MENA region – startup operator, investor, corporate innovation, growth & strategy lead, advisor

Founded DotZero as the MENA’s trusted product development and tech talent partner in 2013 after scaling Careem’s early offshore tech team to 40 engineers. DotZero has since provided top-tier, offshore engineers and developers to leading startups in the region like Zofeur, Revibe, Health at Hand, Dubizzle, MAGNiTT and 75+ more. BA, Computer Science – The University of Austin at Texas MS, Information Systems – NYU

I’m a seasoned technology and business strategist with 20+ years of experience across corporate leadership (GE), startups (3x founder), and consulting. I’ve helped 200+ founders validate ideas, build MVPs, raise capital, and scale — with a hands-on approach that blends strategy and execution.

Clémence Campillo is a marketing strategist with extensive experience in technology, digital engagement, and brand growth. Based in Dubai, she brings a global perspective and strategic clarity to initiatives that create meaningful impact and measurable business value. She is the founder of CC Agency, a marketing consultancy supporting brands with creative, insight-driven strategies rooted in purpose and long-term growth. For over five years, Clémence has also been a startup mentor with GobeVentures and other accelerator programs, supporting founders in scaling their vision, go-to-market strategy, and brand positioning. In 2016, she founded SWAN, a women investors network in Spain, she is passionate about sport industry, partnerships, and building authentic, long-term connections.

Oussama Messaoud is a startup mentor and ecosystem builder with 20+ years across entrepreneurship, venture support, and innovation programs. He has coached founders on go-to-market, fundraising, and product strategy through platforms such as Founder Institute and Flat6Labs. As President of TunisianStartups, he represented a community of 500+ startups, helped shape startup-friendly regulation, and collaborated with policy makers, investors, and global partners to unlock growth opportunities . Today, Oussama works with emerging founders across the MEA region, helping them refine commercial strategy, access networks, and navigate early-stage challenges to scale with confidence.

Prasanna is a founder who has built businesses from scratch, learning through real-world execution rather than theory. He has experienced the highs of early traction and the hard lessons that come with hiring, sales failures, cash flow pressure and scaling too fast or too slow. Today, he works closely with early-stage founders to help them gain clarity, make tough decisions and execute with focus. His mentoring style is practical, honest, and grounded in what actually works when resources are limited and stakes are real.

With extensive experience in aviation, autonomous drones, and business development, Shadi leads REGENT’s expansion in the Middle East. Before joining REGENT, he spearheaded military sales at GE Aviation in the MENA and held key roles in flight test engineering at Northrop Grumman in the United States. Shadi earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Applied Physics from the University of California, San Diego. He also completed an MBA from ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.

www.linkedin.com/in/ronak-sandil-06b13820

Avneet Kohli is an ICF-Certified Life and Business Vision Coach, Author of The Life Planner, and Co-Founder of Encubay — a global business ecosystem that empowers women entrepreneurs to scale, raise capital, and expand internationally. Avneet’s journey from early entrepreneurship and burnout to building one of the leading platforms for women in business has shaped her mission — to help ambitious founders and professionals create a life and business by design. At Encubay, she leads a movement that has impacted over 7,500 women across India and the UAE, creating access to mentorship, networks, and capital — and representing women founders at global platforms such as the World Economic Forum in Davos and most recently the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. Recognized among YourStory’s 100 Most Promising Emerging Leaders and awarded Most Influential Woman in Women’s Empowerment by Filmfare Middle East, Avneet continues to champion the cause of women’s economic empowerment.

Strategist. Operator. Technologist. AI maven. Builder of Value. I work at the intersection of strategy, transformation, program management, investments, and technology-led execution; where capital meets capability.

Ayush is a seasoned consultant & mentor at iStart Rajasthan (Govt of Rajasthan), boasting extensive experience within the startup ecosystem. With a profound understanding of mentoring and fundraising, he is dedicated to propelling startups towards growth and success. Ayush’s diverse background includes working with startups across various sectors such as technology, healthcare, and education, with several of his portfolios featured and backed on Shark Tank India. He kickstarted his journey at the BRICS institute and later served as an Investment & Portfolio Manager at WeFounderCircle in Noida, where he honed his skills in startup support. Ayush’s commitment to skill development and training was further evidenced during his tenure at the Bosch India Foundation. Additionally, Ayush has played a pivotal role in co-founding startup communities in tier 2-3 cities, fostering entrepreneurship beyond metropolitan hubs.

Edwin Kooistra is a technology and growth strategist with deep expertise at the intersection of data & AI. He is Founder & CEO of Chasm, where he helps emerging tech companies refine go-to-market strategy, and Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer at BlueGen.ai, driving innovation in synthetic data and AI. Previously, Edwin advised tech CEOs at Gartner and led business development at Ymor. He is a frequent speaker on AI, data and innovation, passionate about turning complex problems into practical value.

Can provide by email

Payments expert in global payments, cross border, and FX businesses.

Entrepreneur and business coach, Mahmoud Tatari has 2 decades of experience working with startups and SMEs across multiple industries in Morocco and the Middle East. With a dual background in software engineering and business management, he brings a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic insight, enabling businesses to implement data-driven, customer-centric growth strategies.

Ludwig counsels and represents clients on trademarks and patents, particularly regarding international filing strategies for MENA-applicants. He counsels with a focus in start-ups and SMEs, covering (inter alia) developing a portfolio strategy, freedom-to-operate even with product development, enforcement during trade fairs and inter-partes procedures regarding all industrial property rights. Altogether he is rather no “typical attorney” and counsels preferably in an unconventional, pragmatic, human, direct manner. He is a Mentor for Orbit Startups, FRWRDx (Abu Dhabi), TDF Grow (KSA), Abu Dhabi SME Hub, MotionLab Berlin, various universities in Berlin and the Berlin Startup School. He is a patent applicant himself.

Hi, I’m Dr. Majed Najrani, Chief Strategy Officer at ANQA (Anqa.io). I’ve spent 14+ years across investment, consulting, and technology, working with Merrill Lynch, EY, and PwC in the US, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. I mentor entrepreneurs who want clarity and momentum: choosing the right customer, shaping a strong value proposition, and building an MVP for their service that proves traction quickly. Expect practical frameworks, honest feedback, and a clear next-step plan you can implement right away. If you are building and need a strategy partner, come say hi at STEP.

Anastasiya is an accomplished PR professional and business advisor who leads a Dubai-based B2B-focused communications consultancy Sherpa Communications. With more than 18 years of expertise developing and executing all aspects of public relations and marketing campaigns, she provides senior counsel to brands of any size and structure helping them achieve business objectives and meaningful results through the strategic use of communication.

18+ years of building Revenue engines, GTM strategies, and Partner ecosystems across digital banking, payments, and embedded finance. Scaled and deployed sales in 15+ MENA countries. As Co-Founder of PayNet, I built a platform with over 10 million users and more than $ 1.5 billion in transaction volume. Proven track record in launching regulatory-compliant products, enterprise sales, and leading cross-functional execution from 0 to 1 and into scale. Skilled in GTM execution, Sales enablement, Pricing strategy, and New market entry

A serial entrepreneur and angel investor

I’ve had the privilege of spending the last two decades learning from India’s evolving fintech landscape, working alongside talented teams at institutions like ICICI Bank, Aditya Birla Finance, Dhani, and most recently, DotPe Capitals. These experiences taught me that behind every successful financial product lies a deep understanding of real customer pain points and the patience to solve them thoughtfully. Current Journey: Today, I’m channeling these learnings into building Linkit – a platform focused on democratizing global financial access. Having witnessed firsthand how complex cross-border financial services can be, we’re working to simplify pathways for businesses and individuals seeking international opportunities. Learning Through Teaching: What energizes me most is working with early-stage founders through my mentoring roles at AIC-IIITH, SAMRIDDH KENDRA, CreditStack, and The Entrepreneurship Cell at VNIT Nagpur and The Wadhwani Foundation. I’ve also had the opportunity to support Malaysian fintech startups, which opened my eyes to different market dynamics and regulatory challenges. Every conversation with a founder teaches me something new about resilience, innovation, and the art of building from ground zero. Foundation & Approach: My academic journey at ISB, combined with certifications in Product Management and Scrum methodologies, provided me with frameworks that I continue to refine through real-world application. However, I’ve learned that the most valuable insights often come from the moments when plans don’t work out as expected—and that’s usually where the real innovation begins. Why Mentoring Matters: Having been part of launching products like Freecashback cards and digital lending platforms, I understand the emotional roller coaster of bringing ideas to market. The sleepless nights, the pivot decisions, the small wins that fuel you for the next challenge. When I work with startups now, I try to share not just the successes, but also the failures that taught me the most. Global Perspective: Currently based in Dubai with expansion plans across Singapore and India, I’m learning to navigate different regulatory environments and cultural nuances. This journey has reinforced my belief that the best fintech solutions are those that remain human-centered while embracing technological possibilities. “I believe that mentoring is a two-way street. While I bring experience from scaling financial products across diverse markets, every founder I work with challenges my assumptions and pushes me to think differently. That’s the real value exchange.” Available to support founders who are building the future of financial inclusion, one thoughtful solution at a time.

Dalia Abi Mosleh is a technology and marketing leader with 14+ years of experience across global agencies and leading tech firms. At LinkedIn, she led the Government & Foreign Investment sector in the Middle East, partnering with some of the region’s most influential public and private entities to drive growth, build brands, and deliver data-driven, high-impact campaigns. Today, Dalia leads Gartner’s Technology sector, advising the region’s top C-level executives on strategic priorities, organizational growth, and digital transformation. Dalia is also committed to advancing women in technology. She sits on few committees for women in Tech, building communities that champion growth, inclusion, and representation across the industry.

Mariana Ricardo is a Global Corporate Education Advisor and Founder of WhatsNxt, with over 20 years of experience driving cross-cultural learning, sales enablement, and Agile leadership. She has led global upskilling initiatives for organizations such as IBM and TikTok, enabling measurable business growth. A strategist behind a transformative Agile leadership model, Mariana helps leaders navigate complexity with clarity, empathy, and purpose. Mentor, Speaker, and Certified Advisory Board Chair™, she brings deep expertise in enablement strategy and governance, supporting corporates and non-profits including Connecting Women in Tech MENA and the Agile Middle East Community. She also serves as a Global Horasis Advocate, and she is part of University of Dubai Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Business Centre Advisory Board.

What can I help you with? – Build Go-to-market strategies. – Identify & develop ICP (persona). – Build & develop a customer journey map. – Build, manage and optimize the growth funnel. – Evaluate the marketing and growth tech stack. – Build & optimize growth campaigns. – Build and manage a remote team (full-time, part-time and freelancers) – Develop penetration strategy & research for Middle East markets.

A serial entrepreneur, mentor, and founder of StartupNews.fyi, dedicated to amplifying startup stories and enabling early stage founders. With extensive experience in idea validation, growth strategy, and founder coaching, guided hundreds of founders and represented the ecosystem across 10 international delegations. A Mentor of Change at Govt of India’s NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission, Mentor at Founder Institute USA, TechStars USA and actively builds communities that connect founders with insights, funding, and global opportunities.

Michele Tarnow is the Founder and CEO of Alliance Care Technologies (ACT), a digital health company dedicated to making preventive healthcare accessible and empowering individuals to live healthier, longer lives. With leadership experience spanning healthcare technology, venture startups, and global marketing, she has driven innovation at companies including Hewlett Packard, Kodak Health Imaging, and Opsion Medical. Michele is passionate about social justice and health equity, focusing on solutions that transform care from reactive to proactive. Her vision for ACT’s Catalyst Healthy Living platform reflects her belief that “Life is a Journey to Enjoy.”

I am the CTO at ASAO DS, working with founders and product teams when growth stalls and metrics get messy. Before that, I led product at Sber (a billion-dollar fintech) and owned growth and monetisation at AppFollow, handling 400M+ app reviews every year. My edge: turning complex data into clear decisions teams can execute fast. MVP, POS and test things cheap. Applied math background. Zero patience for vanity metrics.

As an investor and business consultant with multiple Startups, I’ve been instrumental in advising on growth and business development. My approach intertwines customer relations and co-sourcing to foster sustainable expansion. The teams I collaborate with benefit from my commitment to continuous learning and organizational growth.

Renjit Philip is the Managing Partner for the MEA region for a boutique consulting firm, Futureu Strategy Group, specializing in M&A, Startup funding, AI consulting for Financial Services and Technology firms (including Fintech and Insurtech). https://www.futureu.co

Mais Jauhary is a business and innovation consultant with 15+ years of experience across telecom, SaaS, and electronics. She works at the intersection of corporate and open innovation, helping organizations build practical innovation capabilities and supporting startups in developing strong strategies and scalable business models. Mais has mentored and judged hundreds of startups through leading MENA programs and hackathons backed by Tamkeen Bahrain, Oman Investment Authority, Saudi Arabia’s PIF and MISK, and the UAE’s MBRIF. She also works with regional accelerators including Omantel Innovation Labs, Brinc, and Spring.

With a focus on leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship, I design transformative experiences, programs, and spaces that empower people and build communities. I’ve worked on projects in Africa, Europe, the USA and the Middle East, designing, managing, deploying and executing multi-level integrated communication platforms and marketing campaigns in multiple languages. I build partnerships in innovation, entrepreneurship, community programming, multiculturalism, diversity and women’s empowerment, and designed public and private partnerships to support innovation, community programming and smart cities. I provide consultancy and coaching to senior government and private sector executives thought leadership, corporate culture-building, diversity programming, international marketing, coalition building, leadership, intrapreneurship, open innovation, digital transformation and digital comms.

Evelyn Giraldo is an accomplished innovation expert specializing in translating Deep Tech, AI/ML, and advanced prototyping into scalable businesses. With a rich background spanning major corporations like NTT, Deloitte, Cisco, and Oracle across the US, Japan, and Latin America, she brings a uniquely global perspective to innovation and business strategy. Evelyn has successfully managed startup development programs in the UAE, LatAm, and Japan, and currently advises founders on Go-to-Market strategies and rapid scaling in emerging markets, including the GCC. She is a trusted mentor and advisor for top programs such as startAD, Stern at NYU, AD Ports, the Fab Foundation, and Gitex LatAm, focused on building world-class products from concept validation to market launch.

Rabeb is an accomplished technologist and product leader with 15 years of experience in the tech industry. Her expertise spans product strategy, team leadership, and technical execution.

Serial entrepreneur with 15+ years building innovative solutions. Started developing software for banking, insurance, and supply chains post-NIT, then pursued MBA igniting my entrepreneurial journey. Founded four ventures: Algorial (algorithmic trading), DealXprt (VC CRM – successful exit), Frshr Tech (grew to 60+ team delivering 15+ global products), and QuantaGain (quantitative trading in commodities). Expertise spans AI, blockchain, mobile, SaaS across Portland, Frankfurt, Dubai, Bangalore. Published author on Software Product Management and fiction thriller. Passionate about crafting technology that transforms how people work and live—thriving at the intersection of vision, execution, and innovation.

Salim Akil is a Venture Builder Consultant with 18+ years of experience launching and scaling startups across the GCC. He has supported more than 150 founders through programs with Khalifa Fund, Brinc MENA, ADGM Academy, and the Emirates NBD Incubator. Specializing in business development, go-to-market strategy, and translating ideas into market-ready ventures, Salim has deep expertise in AI, fintech, and digital product innovation. He is also the host of the B Model Podcast, featuring leading entrepreneurs and innovators, and is recognized as a Top 10 Global Mentor on ADPList.

I am Harsh R Patel, an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and startup mentor building companies and supporting founders across India, the UAE, the USA, and Canada. I lead and operate multiple ventures.Over the years, I have worked closely with early-stage founders, helping them with fundraising, pitch decks, financial models, valuations, and investor connections. Through my VC and accelerator platforms, I focus on backing promising startups, guiding them from idea to execution, and supporting them in achieving long-term growth.

Scott heads partnerships and B2B distribution for the Shahid VOD service at MBC GROUP, focused on enhancing Shahid’s network of partnerships with telecom operators, connected device manufacturers, payment services, and a variety of consumer finance, retail, travel and digital service companies. Through over 25 years’ experience in the ICT sector, Scott has conducted business in over 50 countries on six continents. Following his passion for leading expansion in international growth markets, he relocated to Dubai in 2009, and has since helped open distribution and operations across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Prior to Shahid, Scott has worked with Mondia Group, Docomo (Buongiorno!) and Motorola, and holds an MBA from the University of Miami Herbert Business School.

Vrishank has been a Tech Startup specialist for 16 years specializing in builing and scaling New Business Verticals for Online Marketplaces. Leveraging 16 years of Work experience with companies like BookMyShow, Zomato UAE and Mr Usta, Vrishank now works as an Entrepreneur in Residence for his clients at Megacity Ventures; onboarding stakeholders, builing the MVP and taking it to Market. He has also served as a Startup Mentor at the Atlantic Council MENA since 2023.

Ahmed Moneim is a senior digital transformation leader and DBA scholar researching AI-enabled governance and sustainable public-sector innovation in the GCC. With two decades of professional experience, he has led major government initiatives across the UAE and the region. His work integrates practice with research to advance agile, capability-driven digital transformation.

At Sprint, I help Korea’s best consumer brands enter the Middle Eastern market. We bring in beauty products, baby care, and snacks across different models: 1. Direct distribution for established lines 2. Targeted online launches when new SKUs need validation We’ve built the full setup across the region – warehouses, distribution networks, and local entities – so partners don’t have to worry about logistics, paperwork, or legal hurdles. Before founding Sprint, I spent a decade learning how to build and scale from the ground up. • At Careem (one of MENA’s largest tech startups, now part of Uber), I became a GM at 25, leading city operations and growing business 10x in 8 months • At McKinsey, I helped CEOs move from PowerPoint to progress – turning plans into real growth across industries • At Retailo, a B2B e-commerce platform I co-founded, we raised $50M+ to digitize trade across MENAP

Nat, Investment Manager, is the head of Investor Relation at Launch Africa Ventures. Based in Dubai, Nat is the firm’s first dedicated representative in the MEA region, strategically focused on building and strengthening collaborations with key partners like PINInvest. Prior to joining Launch Africa, Nat spent 7 years at Goldman Sachs where he was responsible for managing client portfolios and driving strategic growth across Institutional and Private Wealth clients. His professional journey is defined by his expertise in cultivating strong relationships, constructing client portfolios, and leading strategic initiatives to define and present bespoke investment products. Nat holds a degree in Mathematical Sciences at the University of Bath. He is a passionate advocate for professional development and mentorship, having designed training programs and mentored junior professionals throughout his career.

Ahlem Mahroua is the founder of Growth Marketing:ME, where she designs scalable growth engines for funded founders. A former CMO and ex-Google strategist, she has spent 20+ years building commercial systems in tech and education, most notably scaling a private education group from €105K to €13M ARR in four years. Ahlem moves beyond marketing tactics to build the complete Revenue Architecture, aligning marketing spend, sales processes, and operational data into one predictable machine. Dedicated advisor and mentor, she has advised 50+ founders across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, building investor-ready narratives and growth systems that move the needle.

Over 20 years of HR experience leading international teams across diverse markets including the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Russia, Turkey, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Middle East, and Africa. Skilled in aligning people strategies with business objectives in complex, multicultural environments. Background in Advanced Technology, Media & Entertainment, CPG & Hi-Tech Semiconductor Industry.

Alisa Fattakhov is a Global AI Brand Visibility Advisor and Partner at Apex², where she helps Fortune 500 companies and high-growth brands strengthen their presence across AI-driven platforms. With a background at TikTok and Yandex, Alisa has led digital strategy for global brands including L’Oréal, Disney, Sony, LVMH, Adidas, and Richemont. She has mentored 200+ AI startups through Techstars and other accelerators, and serves as an Advisory Council Member at Women in Big Data. Alisa specializes in AI visibility, brand positioning, and innovation strategy for founders scaling in the new AI-led discovery era.

Hello, I’m Nuno. Serial-entrepreneur, change maker and health/performance coach. For over two decades, I’ve guided leaders and entrepreneurs in unlocking their potential and becoming the most empowered, authentic versions of themselves. That work has been reflecting positively on their lives, their teams, their projects, and their communities. Let’s make some magic!

I have been leading SoftSmile’s commercial activities for the past 3 years helping the company grow from 0 to over 5 mln USD in annual revenue. Prior to that I had lead the Capacity Building Department at the Zayed Fund for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, where I supported SMEs through training and funding, with a focus on Islamic finance. I have extensive experience in driving revenue growth, establishing market presence, and cultivating strategic partnerships across diverse industries

Strategic and result-oriented executive with over 23 years of experience in leading businesses, driving growth & digital transformation in the Technology, Media, and Telecom sectors Globally and in the GCC region. Proven expertise at C-Level in formulating corporate strategies and executing high value projects. Building and empowering high performing teams to support ongoing organizational growth and lasting impact.