THE LEADING TECH FESTIVAL FOR EMERGING MARKETS

Issa’s career has focused on finance and investments for the past 20 years with a focus on Venture Capital. He started his career in investment banking and transitioned into the MENA Venture Capital space in 2006 as a founding member of Accelerator technologies, one of the first venture funds in the Arab world. He has since occupied numerous roles that include M&A consultant at Yahoo!, Head of Investment at N2V – a regional Venture Builder, and Head of Investments and Venture Capital at twofour54. Prior to establishing Access Bridge Ventures, Issa headed IFC’s Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and Europe’s venture investments both from a Direct and Indirect (accelerators and fund of fund) perspective. His track record includes, having invested in 65+ direct and indirect investment deals (from $100K to $25M per transaction), managed over $150m in MENA Venture funds, launched the UAE’s first Accelerator, fully exited 6+ MENA based deals, supported with 2 IPOs and much more. Issa now the founder and managing partner of Access Bridge Ventures, an early stage MEPAP focused Venture Fund with over 18 investments to date and growing

Ramzi is a Berlin based entrepreneur, angel investor and founder of Dunbar, a second brain to unleash your network’s potential. He is a cofounder of Aware, and previously cofounded EyeEm and Berlin Photo Week (both acquired). He is also an angel investor (more than 50 investments in last 4 yrs incl. Pitch, Gorillas, Softr, Microacquire and Grover) and an LP in several early funds. For over a decade now, Ramzi has spoken and published on a range of topics including AI, entrepreneurship and society in major conferences (SxSW, MWC, TOA, Unesco General Assembly, etc) and publications (Wired, Bloomberg, Time Magazine and the MIT Tech Review, etc).

Shinez is the Head of Startups and VCs growth at Google Ads MENA where she helps startups and VCs grow using Google platforms. Prior to that Shinez worked for McKinsey Middle East in their Digital Practice and at Bell in Canada in telecoms. Shinez is an industrial engineer and holds an MBA from the University of Oxford.

Jenny Zeng is a serial entrepreneur in the Chinese private equity fund space with over 20 years of experience in the VC/PE sector. She has witnessed and actively participated in the development of the Chinese private equity funds ecosystem from inception to its growth. In 2014, she founded MSA Capital and serves as a co-founder and Managing Partner, leading all China based investments from the fund. Prior to founding MSA Capital, Zeng served as the first Executive Director of the China Venture Capital Association (CVCA) in 2002 and went on to establish Fenggu Investment in 2004, a leading investment bank in China, successfully raising hundreds of millions of dollars in financing for numerous rapidly growing companies across various industries.

Hosam is the Co-Founder & CEO of Tabby, the leading consumer fintech across the GCC. Previously, Hosam was Co-Founder and CEO of Namshi, the Middle East’s premier online fashion destination which was fully acquired by Emaar Malls in 2019. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Canada’s Queen’s University and an MBA from Harvard Business School in Boston.

Suraya Turk is Managing Partner of Legal Circle, a forward-thinking UAE-based law firm providing startups, SMEs, multinationals and government entities with optimal legal and commercial solutions. Legal Circle has positioned itself as a leading legal firm in the technology sphere, providing expert advice to diverse clients navigating this ever-changing regulatory landscape. Suraya has held the role of Managing Director with both international and local law firms in the UAE, and prior to that enjoyed a highly successful career as a qualified lawyer in Australia. This background provides her with a wealth of experience advising clients on a global platform as well as establishing top-performing legal firms and specialist legal teams.Suraya is passionate about working with startup founders, investors and women in business to enable them to achieve and exceed their business goals.

Michael Joseph is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Ion Pacific, a market trailblazer in the creation of liquidity to the venture capital ecosystem. Since Ion Pacific’s founding in 2015, Michael has led the team globally in the roll out of the various funds they manage. Before founding Ion Pacific, Michael was a founding member at Reorient Group, the Hong Kong listed financial institution that was sold to Jack Ma in 2015. In his role on the investment and management committees, Michael led strategic acquisitions for the firm to drive returns and enhance its position in the region. Prior to that, Michael had a 12-year career at some of the largest hedge funds of their time investing globally across asset classes with a penchant for special situations.

Paul ‘The Profit’ Dawalibi is a technology entrepreneur, investor, futurist and gamer, with over 20 years of venture capital and startup experience. He is currently the CEO of Holodeck – the leading global media and technology company focused exclusively on gaming, metaverse, esports and web3. This combination of skills and experience allows him to understand and communicate the business opportunity around gaming and metaverse in a unique way, and has made him the largest gaming influencer and expert in the MENA region. Paul is the host and creator of Game Changers – a groundbreaking gaming and metaverse business show on CNBC Arabia reaching 50M homes in the Middle East. As ‘The Profit’, Paul previously hosted the largest gaming industry show in the world – the Business of Esports. ‘The Profit’ is a frequently requested speaker at metaverse and gaming conferences all around the world. He consults family offices, governments, venture funds, and global companies on the gaming and metaverse opportunity. Paul is also the creator of the world’s 1st esports NFT and founder of the 2020 fastest growing company in Canada. His core belief is that gaming is the future of fun™️.

Hikma Ventures Lana is the VP of Digital Investments and Partnerships at Hikma/Managing Director of Hikma Ventures which she helped establish in 2015. Lana started her career at Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC in 2012 as the Assistant to the CEO and Director of Corporate Strategy & Development where she worked on strategic projects across the company’s various functions including strategy, M&A, operations, and finance. Prior to joining Hikma, Lana worked as a Financial Analyst in the Mergers and Acquisitions department at Dresdner Kleinwort Investment Bank in London where she worked on transactions for clients across multiple industries. Lana co-founded the Innovation & Leadership Advisory Board (ILAB) at Hikma which consists of young Hikma employees who share a dedication to advancing Hikma and ensuring it is at the frontier of innovation. Lana holds an MBA from Harvard Business School (HBS) and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University.

Kushal Shah is the Managing Director – Corporate Venture Capital at e& capital, the investment arm of e&. He is one of the founders of Dubai Angel Investors and an investment committee member of several VC firms. He is one of the pioneers of venture investing in the MENA region and has a well-established reputation with founders and investors. Prior to joining e&, he was also the head of digital and technology at RolandBerger for the Middle East and Asia. Kushal studied economics at Cambridge University (UK) and is also a chartered accountant. He enjoys participating in technology disruption and expects the next 5-10 years to be the most transformative we have ever seen.

Victor Kiriakos is the Founder and CEO of Dunes Ventures, a hybrid venture studio located in the UAE. Dunes Ventures supports founders, corporates, and governments in developing pioneering companies that create exponential impact. Prior to his entrepreneurial venture, Victor served as GM-UAE at Careem, where he contributed significantly to scaling the company’s SuperApp proposition, pivoting its food business, and launching its subscription program. Victor has over eight years of experience in investing, building, and scaling digital start-ups, and he has a proven track record as a venture capitalist. He has worked with Precinct Partners, Flat6Labs, and Intigral, where he acquired valuable insights into the world of entrepreneurship. Victor has a BA in Economics from AUB, an MBA from INSEAD, and is a Thnk.org participant.

Gozde Demir Celen is an accomplished professional with diverse experience, currently serving as a Venture Partner at Practical VC in Silicon Valley and a Partner at Wings Capital and Advisory in Dubai. Her primary focus is on supporting tech startups and VC funds in the MENAT region and mentoring startups globally through Techstars. With a background in M&A buy-side advisory, she has held key roles at institutions like the Dubai Future District Fund, Shuaa Capital in Abu Dhabi, and 212 Capital in Istanbul, excelling in strategic management, particularly in logistics and technology. Gozde’s career began at Goldman Sachs in New York and extended to eight years in Turkey, where she managed various companies, initiated ventures, and gained expertise in logistics. Her contributions extend to the public sector and NGOs, including positions at TOBB Turkish Women Entrepreneurship Board and Turkish Economic Counsel (DEIK). She holds an MBA from Bogazici University and degrees in International Relations and Supply Chain Management from Syracuse University. Fluent in English, Turkish, and Portuguese, Gozde has been an Honorary Consul of Brazil in Turkey since 2011, earning recognition as a Brazilian Knight for her outstanding contributions to Brazil’s ‘Order of Rio Branco.’

A serial Entrepreneur with multiple exits Ibrahim “Abe” Seksek is the current Rainmaking CEO of MENA and Africa of and CEO Startupbootcamp, a Rainmaking company. Before joining Rainmakin he Co-Founded a couple of companies such as ZenHR Solutions, which addresses the entire HR cycle, and Crystel, Jordan’s first business process outsourcing (BPO) provider. Ibrahim also worked as Head of Global Operations Support for Naspers, the parent company of dubizzle and OLX, which oversaw the operations in 70 countries.

At Peak XV, GV Ravishankar advises on both technology as well as non-technology investments. He’s deeply interested in technology’s role in helping to drive efficiencies, reduce costs and improve access in consumer and healthcare markets. He currently serves on the boards of companies in the Middle East such as Huspy, Lean Technologies, and Tabby. Others across India include axio, Eruditus Learning, Faces Cosmetics, Five Star finance, Finova Capital, HomeLane, India Shelter Finance Corporation, Indigo Paints, K12 Technoservices, Prataap Snacks (NSE: DIAMONDYD), Rebel Foods, Rupeek, Suburban Diagnostics and Turtlemint. I have also served as board member/observer of companies like Via (sold to NASDAQ: EBIX ), Manappuram (NSE: MANAPPURAM) and Equitas (NSE: EQUITAS). Prior to this, GV worked at McKinsey & Company, where he advised senior management of top Indian companies on a variety of issues including business building, channel management and leadership development. He also had a prior stint with Wipro Technologies in their Embedded and Internet Access division. GV is the recipient of the Midas Touch award by Economic Times Startup Awards 2020 and IIM Ahmedabad’s Young Alumni Achiever’s Award, 2019-20 in the Corporate Leadership category. He has an MBA from IIM A and holds a BE in Computer Science and Engineering from NIT Trichy.

Michael Lints has 20+ years of experience as a startup operator and investor. He is currently a partner at the Singapore-based VC Golden Gate Ventures. As a partner, he focuses on institutional fundraising. Michael supports the firm on portfolio-level priorities e.g., fundraising and capital allocation. In 2000 Michael co-founded an IT-managed services startup in Europe that was acquired in 2006. He joined the Economic Development Board Rotterdam as Vice Chairman in 2007. In that role, he launched the Young Economic Development Board, Michael is an active writer and a co-director of an award-winning social impact documentary called Broken Chains. Michael collaborates with world-renowned players in the sports and entertainment industries, bridging their world with tech and venture capital.

William is Managing Director of Orbit Startups the first and longest running startup program in Asia and General Partner of SOSV the #1 most active early stage venture capital investor in the world with US$1.5bn in assets under management. Our focus is on sustainability, human health and economic and industrial independence across emerging and frontier markets in Southeast and South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas in ecommerce, fintech, media, health, education, and logistics.

Vittal Ramakrishna is a Serial Entrepreneur and the founder of POD Investments, a full-stack fundraising platform with 28 funded startups to its credit. With over 14 years of global experience, Vittal has managed Multi-Million Dollar projects at KPMG and BOSCH. He is an expert in Investment Management and Alternative Investments, having achieved a successful exit in Germany. Additionally, he is the founder of Kreate, a marketplace for Indian artisans on the brink of profitability. Vittal serves as an ambassador of GINSEP and is actively engaged in pioneering Cross-Border Investments and fostering synergies.

Jonathan is the Co-Founding Partner at Antler MENAP. He has a proven track record of successfully building ventures across diverse markets. Before Antler, Jonathan founded Smileneo, a direct-to-consumer health tech business in the MENA region, which was acquired in 2023. He also served as the Co-CEO of Daraz, the leading online marketplace in South Asia, acquired by Alibaba in 2018. Additionally, Jonathan held the position of Managing Director at Jumia, the leading online marketplace in Africa that went public on the NYSE in 2019.

Ashwin is a co-founder and Partner at the Bharat Innovation Fund, an early-stage venture capital fund which invests in pre-series A to Series B rounds of world class deeptech startups originating out of India. Prior to this, he helped set up India’s first deeptech focussed fund, the India Innovation Fund, which was bought out by a Secondaries fund. He has invested in multiple successful B2B start-ups through these funds including Detect Technologies, Entropik, Sedemac Mechatronics, Mitra Biotech, Consure Medical etc Ashwin has been intimately involved in the start-up ecosystem in India earlier heading the Innovation Initiative at NASSCOM, with a mandate to increase innovation in the Indian IT Industry. He currently is a mentor at the NASSCOM Deeptech Club and serves on the investment committees of multiple grant and soft loan programs set up by BIRAC, and is also a member of the Investment Committee at the incubation cell at IIT Kanpur Ashwin has also been a part of organizations like Maersk and Wipro Technologies prior to becoming an investor and fund manager.