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Feb 19-20, 2025
Dubai Internet City

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Our Story

Step started out as a series of workshops and small gatherings, and over 11 years has grown to become the largest tech festival in Dubai. With 4 main tracks, more than 400 global startups showcasing, hundreds of global investors, and 8000+ global attendees over two days, Step brings the tech world to Dubai.

8000+

Attendees

400+

Showcasing Startups

100+

Participating Companies

$8.2+ Billion

Funding Present

Step 2025 Speaker Line-Up

Nizar Almaree

Beehive Fintech

Nizar Almaree

Beehive Fintech

Nizar Almaree, Beehive Fintech’s Group Chief Development Officer and KSA Country Manager, spearheads operational growth and leads KSA expansion. He previously introduced embedded finance at Nymcard and led Beehive’s initial KSA expansion. His background includes key roles at the Ministry of Media and PWC, contributing to national transformation initiatives.

Felix Kues

Aurelia Ventures

Felix Kues

Aurelia Ventures

I am the General Partner and Founder of Aurelia Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that supports early-stage B2B SaaS startups to scale from ideation to seed. We are focusing on applications for national security, enterprise infrastructure, cybersecurity, fintech, and AI.

Dr. Aseel Addawood

Oracle

Dr. Aseel Addawood

Oracle

Dr. Aseel Addawood is the Head ofAI in Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Oracle. She is an experienced data scientist with a remarkable track record in the fields of data science and artificial intelligence/machine learning. She has made valuable contributions to research, training, coaching, and mentoring. She has also established many tech startups and is an advocate for women entrepreneurs. Aseel has a Doctorate in Informatics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s degree in Engineering from Cornell University in the USA. She was an Assistant Professor before joining the public sector.

Mohamad ElAnsari

Trendyol

Mohamad ElAnsari

Trendyol

Mohamad ElAnsari is the CEO of the Riyadh-based joint venture between Trendyol, the leading e-commerce marketplace and Cenomi Group, the leading integrated retailer in Saudi Arabia. Prior to joining Trendyol, Mohamad held leadership positions at some of the region’s most renowned organizations including Cenomi, Careem and Strategy&. At Careem, Mohamad developed valuable partnerships with financial institutions and government agencies to unlock access to financing for captains. He also created supply related platforms in key markets such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan. While at Strategy&, he co-led post-merger integrations in telco distribution and joint ventures for contact centers in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, at STC Channels, he led the corporate turnaround of a $500 million B2B telco business in Oman. Mohamad holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the American University in Beirut and an MBA from IMD in Lausanne.

Romain Assunção

Antler

Romain Assunção

Antler

Romain is a Partner at Antler, the world’s leading early-stage venture capital firm with a portfolio of over 1,300 investments worldwide. He heads a $60M fund focused on supporting 120+ tech-enabled startups across MENAP. Before joining Antler, Romain served as an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, where he played a pivotal role in developing startup and tech ecosystems for governments throughout the MENAP region.

Mohammad AlRazaz

OTO

Mohammad AlRazaz

OTO

Mohammad AlRazaz is a seasoned entrepreneur and the visionary Co-founder & CEO of OTO, the leading shipping gateway for online businesses and omnichannel brands across the MENA region. At just 22, he launched Jeeny (formerly EasyTaxi) in Saudi Arabia under Rocket Internet, becoming the youngest Country Manager in the global EasyTaxi network. A graduate of MIT’s prestigious Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, where he was selected from over 800 applicants, AlRazaz has since founded multiple successful ventures in transportation, e-commerce, logistics, and technology, demonstrating his passion for innovation and transformative leadership.

Amal Dokhan

500 Global

Amal Dokhan

500 Global

Amal Dokhan is a Managing Partner at 500 Global, a seasoned professional with experience in startup investments, corporate innovation, and consulting in the MENA region. Previous to joining 500 Global, Ms. Dokhan was the Managing Director of Babson Global for Entrepreneurial Leadership. Previously, she was the Manager of Learning and Design at the Entrepreneurship Center at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology where she led the New Ventures Acceleration and Corporate Innovation programs. Prior to that engagement she worked in the KAUST Seed Fund developing marketing and events, while also providing a range of services to startup clients. Ms. Dokhan sits on the board of several organizations such as Wayakit Company, Cranfield University UK, King Abdulaziz University. She contributes to a monthly column at Leaders Magazine on Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and has been a speaker at Davos World Economic Forum, TEDx at Kaust, the Annual Conference of the Islamic Development Bank, among others. Ms. Dokhan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, English Language & Literature from the King AbdulAziz University, and a Masters of Strategic Marketing and Marketing Management from the University of Wollongong.

Naif AbuSaida

هكبه | HAKBAH

Naif AbuSaida

هكبه | HAKBAH

Naif AbuSaida is a seasoned Senior Executive with over a decade of experience in Strategy, Communications, Marketing, and Business Development. He has successfully led Corporate Communications, Public Relations, and Brand Management across various industries, including Energy, Telecom, Aviation, and Healthcare. Naif’s notable achievements include executing GE’s $1 billion investment plan in Saudi Arabia, launching the first National Breast Cancer Screening Program in partnership with the Ministry of Health, and managing GO Telecom’s IPO. He also brings 11 years of media experience as a journalist, reporter, and TV anchor for major outlets. Known for his results-driven approach, Naif has a proven track record of driving growth and innovation, contributing to both start-up and established organizations across the Middle East.
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WHAT GOES ON

What goes on

TALKS AND WORKSHOPS

Step hosts 4 stages of content, and running workshops and programming simultaneously covering everything startups, digital media, fintech, and future tech.

STARTUP PROGRAMMING

With over 400 startups showcasing and more than 1000 entrepreneurs attending, Step hosts multiple programs to facilitate connections with investors, clients, partners.

SATELLITE EVENTS & MEET-UPS

Step curates focused networking opportunities and meet-ups across industries, job levels, and interests hosted by VCs, incubators, digital agencies, and other partners. 

EXHIBITION AREAS

Tech companies and brands across multiple industries participate at Step so startups and attendees get a chance to connect with their next partner, client and learn about what’s new in the market.

BRAND ACTIVATIONS

Leading brands in the tech and digital space from FMCG brands to automotive companies, banks, media companies, and tech solutions, host first-of-their-kind activities to interact with attendees and startups. 

ENTERTAINMENT

Step’s festival format creates engaging networking opportunities beyond conference programming with outdoor activities with food trucks, music performances, and pop-up vendors all across the event areas.