2025 Speakers
Fabio Lorenzon
Founder & CEO
SolutioAI
Italy
Fabio Lorenzon
Founder & CEO
SolutioAI
Italy
Fabio Lorenzon is the Managing Partner of Lorenzon Srl, an industrial manufacturing company
with a long-standing legacy, and the Founder & CEO of SolutioAI, a fast-growing startup in the field
of artificial intelligence.
At just 28, Fabio bridges two very different worlds—traditional industry and cutting-edge
technology. After unexpectedly taking over the family business, he led Lorenzon through a phase
of modernization, global expansion, and operational transformation, opening a U.S. branch, a
Saudi branch and redefining the company’s strategy in international markets.
Driven by a passion for innovation and a belief in the power of data, he launched SolutioAI to help
companies make smarter, faster decisions through AI-powered tools and platforms. Fabio is
especially focused on making AI accessible for businesses that are not inherently tech-based,
bridging the gap between vision and execution.
He holds a master’s degree in industrial management engineering from Politecnico di Milano and
has previous experience at Amazon, where he learned operational discipline and data-driven
leadership.
Fabio often speaks about entrepreneurship, leadership at a young age, and the human-centered
use of artificial intelligence. He believes that being young is not a limitation, but a strength,
especially when building companies that challenge the status quo.
Laura Jardine Paterson
Founder
CONCAT Tech
Lebanon
Laura Jardine Paterson
Founder
CONCAT Tech
Lebanon
Kim Balle
Co-Founder & CEO
Global Startup Awards
Denmark
Kim Balle
Co-Founder & CEO
Global Startup Awards
Denmark
As CEO and Co-founder of XO Group, I have spent over a decade building and connecting innovation ecosystems globally. Our flagship initiative, Global Startup Awards (GSA), is the world’s largest startup ecosystem competition, operating in over 154 countries across 19 regions and all six inhabited continents. We’ve received 820,000+ public votes and 160,000+ nominations, engaging thousands of startups, corporates, governments, and investors. GSA identifies the top tier of each local ecosystem, culminating in a global alumni (former winners, finalists, and expert-juries) network of 10,000+ standout founders and ecosystem leaders across SDG-aligned verticals within green tech, fintech, health tech, inclusive entrepreneurship to name a few, with growing focus on emerging fields like AI. GSA serves as a powerful communications platform that gives voice to underrepresented founders and emerging regions. We have garnered an organic online reach of over 90 million across all of our channels in 2024 alone, significantly amplifying innovation stories on a global scale. GSA has proven highly effective in sourcing top-tier innovation talent and has provided me with strong data and insights into emerging trends, talent dynamics, and founder needs.
Karim Khattar
Co-Founder
Flow48
United Arab Emirates
Karim Khattar
Co-Founder
Flow48
United Arab Emirates
Karim is the Co-founder and Chief Product and Strategy Officer of Flow48. He was previously the CEO of Eqwal, a fintech company in Africa and the GCC, acquired by MojaGroup. His tech experience includes roles as Chief Product Officer at Fetchr and GM of Uber in Saudi Arabia.
Karim was a Vice President at Citibank in New York, Jakarta, and Dubai and worked as a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton and Delta Partners, advising on tech, telco, and media.
He holds a Master’s in Artificial Neural Networks. Living in Dubai, he has two daughters and enjoys hiking and outdoor activities.
Onyi Anyado
Founder
Onyi Anyado Media House
United Kingdom
Onyi Anyado
Founder
Onyi Anyado Media House
United Kingdom
Selma Ribica
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
First Circle Capital
Morocco
Selma Ribica
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
First Circle Capital
Morocco
Selma Ribica is a Fintech entrepreneur, VC investor and a veteran of the African FinTech industry. Now based out of Casablanca, Selma is managing First Circle Capital, Africa's specialized, fintech focused fund, backed by prominent institutional investors and today counting 15 portfolio companies across 8 African markets. As an early executive at M-Pesa, she was in charge of expansion and product innovation. After that, Selma founded, scaled and sold a FinTech business in London, serving underbanked migrants. Since 2017, Selma has been an active angel in FinTech including names like Qonto, Expensya, THNDR etc. She serves on board of fintech businesses in the region and advises prominent venture capital investors in Africa. INSEAD alumna
Ahmed Kadous
VP Customer Operations PTAB
Unilever
United Arab Emirates
Ahmed Kadous
VP Customer Operations PTAB
Unilever
United Arab Emirates
I began my career working for Unilever as a Management Trainee over 20 years ago, starting my journey in Supply Chain. Upon completing the trainee programme I worked as a Food Production and Project Manager, and then Cheese Factory Manager, where I was able to put into practice all that I had learned in my training. I was responsible for all aspects of production, maintenance, quality, HR, costing and warehousing for Unilever’s cheese business in Egypt.
Having gained all the necessary skills and experience required for higher leadership, I swiftly progressed to Supply Chain Director; where I lead end-to-end supply chain activities for cheese, dry mix and confectionary businesses across the Middle East. I then became a Supply Chain Director for Unilever in the Mashreq region, responsible for end-to-end integrated supply chain in seven countries, with eight factories spanning foods, beverages, personal care, personal wash and home care.
Now in my current role as Supply Chain Director of Unilever Gulf, I am responsible for end-to-end integration for the Gulf region, covering foods, beverages, personal care, personal wash and home care. It is in this position that I have taken on the biggest challenge to date; project managing the creation of Unilever’s Dubai Personal Care Factory - the largest personal care factory in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The factory incorporates world-class technology in achieving sustainable growth and is underpinned by innovation. This is by far one of my proudest achievements and I look forward to carrying out even greater feats as my career continues.
Ahella El Saban
Co-Founder & Vice Chairman
Exits MENA
Egypt
Ahella El Saban
Co-Founder & Vice Chairman
Exits MENA
Egypt
Ahella El Saban is the visionary Co-founder and Executive Vice Chairman of Exits MENA, driving innovation in investment and startup growth across the region. Recognized by *Forbes* in 2025 as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Businesswomen, her career bridges tech, marketing, and consumer behavior with a transformative impact.
At Exits MENA, Ahella leads efforts to simplify and democratise deal-making for startups and SMEs. Through a unique 'phygital' model—combining offline advisory with an automated digital platform—Exits connects founders with investors and acquirers, positioning itself as a key ally in the MENA region's investment ecosystem. She is also the founder of **Lumas**, a market research and training venture that has delivered digital transformation programs to over 150,000 individuals. Under her leadership, Lumas has partnered with Google, TikTok for Business, Nestlé, and global bodies like the ILO, as well as Egypt’s Ministry of Investment (GAFI), executing over 14 research projects and collaborating with 30+ regional partners.
Previously at Google MENA, Ahella played a pivotal role in shaping digital advertising strategies for brands across various sectors, using her expertise in B2B marketing and consumer insight to guide digital transformation and growth.
An academic at heart, she lectures in consumer behavior and entrepreneurship and is completing her PhD on identity and luxury consumption in the Arab world. Ahella holds an MA from Durham University, a BSc from Loughborough University and BUE, and executive certifications from INSEAD and Google’s CXO Academy.
A passionate mentor, Ahella empowers founders with the tools, mindset, and storytelling needed for investment readiness, making her a sought-after voice in both local and global startup ecosystems.
Ahmed El-Sobky
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Egypt Healthcare Authority
Egypt
Ahmed El-Sobky
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Egypt Healthcare Authority
Egypt
Yasmine Nagaty
COO
ElGameya
Egypt
Yasmine Nagaty
COO
ElGameya
Egypt
Yasmine has over 10 years of experience managing teams and programs. She is currently the Chief Operations Officer (COO) at ElGameya, where she oversees the collection, customer service, risk, back office, tech, and product departments, ensuring smooth operations and that customer needs are met.
Before joining ElGameya, Yasmine was the Acceleration Manager at AUC Venture Lab, Egypt's first university-based startup accelerator and a leading program in Africa and the MENA region. There, she worked with over 300 companies, helping them launch and grow their businesses.
This experience gave Yasmine deep insight into Egypt's startup scene and the challenges entrepreneurs face in accessing finance, managing operations, and scaling growth. She also developed a strong understanding of the needs of early-stage startups and how to accelerate their success.
Mohamed Morsy
Country Head - Egypt & Yemen
Finance in Motion
Egypt
Mohamed Morsy
Country Head - Egypt & Yemen
Finance in Motion
Egypt
Hesham Farouk
Advisor For Technology Development
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology
Egypt
Hesham Farouk
Advisor For Technology Development
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology
Egypt
Paola Cattarin
Director
Zaha Hadid Architects
United Kingdom
Paola Cattarin
Director
Zaha Hadid Architects
United Kingdom
Rafeh Saleh
Founding Partner
Cubit Ventures
Egypt
Rafeh Saleh
Founding Partner
Cubit Ventures
Egypt
Seasoned executive and venture capital leader with 30 years of cross-sector experience in entrepreneurship, startup ecosystem development, driving frontier markets, and strategy consulting. A driving force behind Egypt’s National Startup and Venture Capital Strategy.
Kareem Abou Gamrah
CEO
Peace cake
Egypt
Kareem Abou Gamrah
CEO
Peace cake
Egypt
Kareem Abou Gamrah - Bio
For over a decade, Kareem has been at the forefront of all things digital and digital content,Kareem is CEO of one the middle east’s leading content creation companies “Peace Cake”. Before the billions of views acquired he had his start at Google with a specialization in digital marketing when the market was still in its infancy. Kareem worked through countless companies and projects to build a strategic focus around online content and content consumption. Aside from being a speaker and advisor to the content industry, now the CEO of Peace Cake, he works to create content for consumers and companies that fits this modern fast-paced world we’re now in; reaching millions around the Middle East everyday.
كريم أبو جمره
مدير تنفيذي - بيس كيك
لأكتر من 10 سنوات، كريم كان دايمًا في الصدارة في المجال الرقمي والمحتوى الرقمي، وبدأ ده بسبب شغله في شركة جوجل في تخصص التسويق الرقمي، لما كان المجال لسه في بدايته. كريم اشتغل في شركات كتيرة ومشاريع أكتر عشان يحدد تركيزه على المحتوى الموجود على الإنترنت وعلى استهلاكه. بجانب كونه داعم ومتحدث باسم صناعة المحتوى، كريم حاليًا المدير التنفيذي لشركة بيس كيك، واحدة من رواد وسائل الإعلام الجديدة في الشرق الأوسط. بيس كيك تنتج محتوى للمستهلكين وللشركات مناسب لمواكبة العصر السريع اللي عايشين فيه دلوقتي، ولها الملايين من المتابعين وحوالي نص مليار مشاهدة، وبيزيدوا كل يوم.
Mohamed Aboulnaga
Co-founder and Executive Chairman
Exits
Egypt
Mohamed Aboulnaga
Co-founder and Executive Chairman
Exits
Egypt
Sarah Abouelkhier
Founder & CEO
2oolameme
Egypt
Sarah Abouelkhier
Founder & CEO
2oolameme
Egypt
Sarah Abouelkhair is an architect, designer, and creative entrepreneur with a Master’s degree in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University and a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from the American University in Cairo (AUC). Her academic foundation in spatial design, critical theory, and narrative thinking continues to inform her multidisciplinary work across design and culture.
Her passion for design, storytelling, and social interaction led her to co-found 2oolameme in 2020 alongside Abdelrahman Khaled and Yasmin Ammar. The company quickly became a cultural phenomenon, known for creating Egypt’s most iconic social games. Under her creative leadership, 2oolameme has launched 24 original IPs, partnered with brands such as TikTok, Dell, and Allianz, and built a strong presence both in physical retail and through its mobile gaming platform, Kooz, which now has over 400,000 active users.
Sarah’s work blends humor, cultural insight, and design thinking. Her company was awarded the “Art to Business” prize at the 2024 EEAwards and continues to push boundaries at the intersection of play, creativity, and cultural relevance.
Nehal Helmy
Co-Founder and Chief of Strategy Officer
Flend
Egypt
Nehal Helmy
Co-Founder and Chief of Strategy Officer
Flend
Egypt
Nehal Helmy is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Flend, Egypt’s first regulated, tech-enabled, fully digital SME financing platform. She is an economist with deep expertise in financial sector development, policy, and innovation.
Before co-founding Flend, Nehal served as Economic Advisor to Egypt’s Minister of Investment and International Cooperation, where she led a 50+ person team and managed the country’s strategic partnerships with global financial institutions including the World Bank, AfDB, EBRD, and OECD. She played a central role in shaping financial policy, securing over US$4.5 billion in budget support financing, and driving regulatory reform in coordination with the Financial Regulatory Authority and GAFI.
Nehal also led Egypt’s engagement on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), oversaw development project efficiency, and mobilized resources for institutional capacity building. She represented Egypt at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as Advisor to the Constituency Director for Egypt, South Africa, and Brazil.
Prior to her government work, Nehal was a Financial Sector Specialist at the World Bank Group, leading regional projects focused on SME access to finance and affordable housing in Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen.
At Flend, Nehal is now leveraging her experience to transform how Egyptian SMEs access capital—through embedded finance, digital onboarding, and data-driven lending models. She is passionate about inclusive fintech, agile policy frameworks, and building ecosystems that enable growth for underbanked businesses.
Nehal holds an MSc in Economics from the University of Barcelona
Nour Emam
founder
daleela
Egypt
Nour Emam
founder
daleela
Egypt
Nour Emam is the Co-Founder and President of Daleela, a women’s health app used by over 170,000 women across the MENA region. Daleela offers AI-powered diagnostics, culturally sensitive health education, and a bilingual period and fertility tracker — all designed to make healthcare more accessible and judgment-free for Arab women.
Nour built one of the region’s most trusted health platforms by combining medically accurate information with a deeply empathetic, culturally relevant voice. Her work focuses on breaking taboos and making topics like periods, fertility, hormones, and sexual wellness easier to understand and talk about.
She is also a seasoned podcaster whose show once reached the #1 spot on Apple Podcasts in Egypt. Her impact has been recognized globally — she was named one of the BBC’s 100 Women and featured in The New York Times. Her work has also appeared in Fast Company Middle East, Inc. Arabia, Vogue and other major outlets.
Heba El-Dessouky
Director of Hospitality Development
City Edge Developments
Egypt
Heba El-Dessouky
Director of Hospitality Development
City Edge Developments
Egypt
Graduate with honors from Fine Arts School of Design- Helwan University Cairo in 2002, with over 20 years of consulting and management experience in both local and international firms.
Heba has recently been selected as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Women in Egypt for the year 2022.
Heba El Dessouky is heading the Hospitality Development at City Edge Developments- with the most diverse portfolio of hospitality projects across Egypt. Previously Heba was heading the Interior Design department at EMAAR MISR -a well-known real estate developer in the Middle East and North Africa- for over 15 years & supervised the development of several lifestyle communities across residential, commercial & hospitality products.
Heba at an early stage has established several interior architecture units in several consulting firms, including Dar Handasah and ECG.
Driven from her belief that an interior architect should experiment their own ideas with high integrity, responsiveness,artistic and technical ability as well as sustainable responsibility,
Heba obtained her Ph.D. In 2020 titled:
“Setting an evaluation tool for lowering energy expenditure and increasing human well-being in the interior renovation process of office buildings in Egypt”, her mindset sets parameters to solve complex design problems that tackles energy expenditure to promote innovation & well being in the built environment with optimal values & energy rates.
In addition to her current role, she has spoken at several conferences and career summits about real estate, interior design, and energy savings, as well as design challenges.
Heba is also a certified Career Coach from the International Coaching Federation USA (ICF) and a member of the AUC architecture department advisory board in Cairo.
Mohamed Talaat
CEO
MTA
Egypt
Mohamed Talaat
CEO
MTA
Egypt
Shehab Saleh
CFO
Noon Learning
Egypt
Shehab Saleh
CFO
Noon Learning
Egypt
Global Director of Finance at Noon - Social learning platform. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed by the Guam Board of Accountancy (USA), with one year of experience as a Regional Finance Director at Majid Al Futtaim. Previously served as the CFO of Jumia Egypt (E-commerce, JumiaPay, and Jumia Food) for three and a half years, and as the Statutory and Tax Regional Leader at GE (General Electric) for three years. Additionally, I have seven years of experience with two of the Big Four audit firms—four years at Ernst & Young and three years at KPMG—specializing in assurance services across a variety of industries, including manufacturing, utilities, not-for-profit organizations (NFP), transportation, and logistics.
Laila Helmy
Director of Commercial IT and Digital Innovation - Egypt
AstraZeneca
Egypt
Laila Helmy
Director of Commercial IT and Digital Innovation - Egypt
AstraZeneca
Egypt
Laila Helmy is the Egypt Director of Digital & IT Innovation at AstraZeneca. In her role, Laila orchestrates the Digital innovation agenda in Egypt, driving Digital Health innovations, business solutions and technologies and integrating it with the country’s strategy by fostering growth through innovation and partnering with all functions and therapy areas to drive impact. The Digital innovation function is instrumental in supporting patients, society, and the planet by deploying innovative solutions and fostering meaningful engagements with patients and healthcare professionals. Laila joined AstraZeneca in 2015 as an IT business partner and took on different Digital roles before heading the function in 2021 and becoming a member of the Egypt senior leadership team. With a focus on business analysis and driving digital transformation using Cloud technology, Laila has over 15 years of experience in business transformation through innovation fostering a culture that appreciates the transformative power of digital advancements in healthcare, academia and beyond.. Laila holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computers and Information Technology at Cairo University, year 2010 and holds multiple certifications including Digital marketing from Google and Udacity and certified OKR Coach
Rania Ayman
Founder & CEO
Entreprenelle
Egypt
Rania Ayman
Founder & CEO
Entreprenelle
Egypt
Mostafa Elnahas
CEO-Technology
Fawry Banking and Payment Technology Services
Mostafa Elnahas
CEO-Technology
Fawry Banking and Payment Technology Services
Shaimaa Emad El Deen
Marketing Director
L'Oréal Paris
Egypt
Shaimaa Emad El Deen
Marketing Director
L'Oréal Paris
Egypt
Amin Serag
CEO
Hyde Park Developments
Egypt
Amin Serag
CEO
Hyde Park Developments
Egypt
Khaled ElKert
Managing Director
ETD Business Solutions
Egypt
Khaled ElKert
Managing Director
ETD Business Solutions
Egypt
Ehsan Sayed
Business Development Manager
Taalam.ai
Egypt
Ehsan Sayed
Business Development Manager
Taalam.ai
Egypt
With six years of experience in the tech industry in Business Development Field, Ehsan combines deep technical knowledge with sharp business insight. As a computer engineering graduate, she is passionate about leveraging AI tools to streamline, automate, and enhance sales workflows in B2B e-commerce.
In addition to her live training sessions, Ehsan has partnered with top educational platforms and corporate sales teams to create structured, hands-on content focused on AI in Sales and Business Development, empowering professionals to translate technology into measurable impact.
Mohamed Alaa
CEO
Shezlong
Egypt
Mohamed Alaa
CEO
Shezlong
Egypt
I am Mohamed Alaa, a purpose-driven entrepreneur committed to reshaping the future of mental health, economic collaboration, and social development across the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. As the CEO of Shezlong, I’ve led the region’s first and largest online therapy platform serving millions of people across 85 countries and proving that innovation can heal, empower, and unite.
Ahmed Mokhtar
Innovation Consultant
Ahmed Mokhtar
Innovation Consultant
Michael Nabil
Director of R&D
Eva Pharma
Egypt
Michael Nabil
Director of R&D
Eva Pharma
Egypt
Amr Bishara
CMO
Lamar Egypt
Egypt
Amr Bishara
CMO
Lamar Egypt
Egypt
Basma Al Sabbah Fareed
Associate
Sawari Ventures
Egypt
Basma Al Sabbah Fareed
Associate
Sawari Ventures
Egypt
Mohamed Alfy
Regional Supply Chain Director - Middle East & Africa
Schneider Electric
Mohamed Alfy
Regional Supply Chain Director - Middle East & Africa
Schneider Electric
Mariam Kamel
General Partner
Lofty Inc
Mariam Kamel
General Partner
Lofty Inc
Khaled Ashraf
Country Customer Success Manger
Foodics
Khaled Ashraf
Country Customer Success Manger
Foodics
Youssef Kamal
Director of Data
ADVA
Egypt
Youssef Kamal
Director of Data
ADVA
Egypt
Youssef Kamal is the Founder of the People of Data Community and a data leader with over five years of experience in building and leading data teams. He currently serves as the Director of Data at @advaegypt, a fintech company, where he oversees data strategy, credit scoring, infrastructure, and analytics. He also shares his expertise as an AI and Data Science Tutor at @udacity, helping business leaders in the MENA region with data science and digital transformation.
Youssef is a board member at Euclid Data Science Consultancy, providing consultancy for startups and SMEs. Boasting three master’s degrees and is pursuing a fourth in Artificial Intelligence. Youssef has extensive experience in data science within fintech, banking, e-commerce, and supply chain sectors. He has contributed to startups in Germany and Budapest, founded data science teams for Cairo startups, and established a growing data science consulting firm.
He is passionate about teaching online courses in data science and AI, aiming to empower thousands in Saudi Arabia, and is focused on leveraging AI to enhance healthcare for millions in Egypt. Youssef is also a founding partner in a foundation dedicated to social development.
Waleed Khalil
Managing Partner
Den VC
Egypt
Waleed Khalil
Managing Partner
Den VC
Egypt
Waleed Khalil is a prominent figure in the world of engineering, entrepreneurship, and venture capital. With a career spanning over two decades, Waleed has gained extensive experience in manufacturing consumer electronic products across Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Egypt.
In early 2023, Waleed started DEN VC, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on investing in deep tech startups in Africa and the Middle East. Through investments in companies such as Proteinia, Obian, and Your Parts, DEN VC has demonstrated its commitment to promoting investment diversity, positive impact, and potential for significant financial returns.
Prior to founding DEN VC, Waleed served as a partner at Endure Capital from 2016 to 2022. Endure Capital is a highly successful venture capital firm with a global presence, having invested in several regions around the world. During his tenure, Waleed played a key role in securing investments that led to the emergence of four unicorns, including Careem, Boom Supersonic, Tribal Credit, and Aspect Biosystems.
Throughout his career, Waleed has also been a respected mentor to hundreds of tech startups in the Arab region and Africa. He has also been a distinguished speaker at numerous entrepreneurship events such as Gitex, Biban, Techne Summit, Riseup summit, and many more.
Waleed's academic achievements include a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering from Cairo University and an MBA with a major in finance from the American University in Cairo. Waleed is a professor at the school of business in the American University in Cairo.
Ahmed Naguib
General Manager
Bubblegum Factory
Egypt
Ahmed Naguib
General Manager
Bubblegum Factory
Egypt
Ahmed Naguib is the General Manager of Bubblegum Factory, a digital agency based in Cairo, Egypt operating across the Middle East with a special focus on Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. He’s also the CEO of food-focused media company HUMM Network, which currently stands at over 2 Million followers and subscribers.
Hazem Youssef
Co-Founder and Creative Director
DESIGN SECTOR
Hazem Youssef
Co-Founder and Creative Director
DESIGN SECTOR
Medhat Yassin
Executive Vice Chairman
Mori international
Egypt
Medhat Yassin
Executive Vice Chairman
Mori international
Egypt
Sabrina Salama
Head of Middle East & North Africa Partnerships
Seedstars
Egypt
Sabrina Salama
Head of Middle East & North Africa Partnerships
Seedstars
Egypt
Sabrina is an experienced professional with a passion for supporting entrepreneurs on their journey to growth. She currently serves as the Head of MENA Partnerships at Seedstars; a global organization that supports and invests in tech startups in emerging markets. Sabrina believes in the power of entrepreneurship as an answer to today’s challenges and the power of cross-border knowledge transfer.
Her diverse experience includes a tenure as a Policy Officer at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she contributed to policy development in international relations. Sabrina's background is marked by her multicultural perspective, having lived in the UK, Morocco, Qatar, and currently splitting her time between Paris and Cairo.
With extensive research experience in the MENA region, Sabrina holds a Dual Master's Degree in International Governance and Intelligence from Sciences Po Grenoble, France. Her dedication to the entrepreneurial ecosystem is driven by a genuine belief in supporting founders through every phase of their growth journey.
Nour Allam
Investment Associate
+VC
Nour Allam
Investment Associate
+VC
Nour Allam is an Investment Associate at +VC, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on investing in tech and tech-enabled startups in MENA and its diaspora. She has a deep passion and broad knowledge of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Egypt and the MENA region. Prior to joining +VC, she was with Savills, as an Analyst in the Strategic Consultancy Department in Egypt. She was actively involved in conducting market research and analysis, aiding investment decisions carried out by prominent real estate developers in Egypt and the region. Before that, she took part in the Analyst Accelerator Program at Endeavor, Egypt where she was part of the Entrepreneurial Sales and Growth team. Nour earned her BSc from The American University in Cairo, where she studied Finance and minored in Economics.
Omar Osman
CEO
Tac Universe
Egypt
Omar Osman
CEO
Tac Universe
Egypt
Omar Osman
Digital Visionary | Productivity Strategist | CEO of TAC Universe | Founder of Giftopiia
Omar Osman is a dynamic entrepreneur and strategist reshaping the digital, productivity, and gifting spaces. As the CEO and Founder of TAC Universe, one of the region’s fastest-scaling, data-driven digital agencies, Omar leads a team committed to delivering innovative, efficient, and impactful solutions that help brands thrive in the digital age. Under his leadership, TAC Universe has built a reputation for being a reliable partner for swift and effective digital transformations, with a clear purpose: reshaping the digital space.
Beyond TAC Universe, Omar is the Founder of Giftopiia, an elevated gifting platform focused on creating memorable experiences that celebrate life’s special moments. His ventures reflect his broader mission of combining creativity, technology, and strategy to create value and make a dent in his corner of the universe.
A firm believer in clarity, focus, and doing more with less, Omar champions the integration of productivity systems that maximize energy, time, and impact. Drawing from frameworks like EOS (Traction), the 12 Week Year, GTD, and his own time management philosophy, he helps individuals and organizations design time intentionally and achieve their highest potential.
Omar’s core values—Lead by Example, Get 1% Better Every Day, Be Open & Constructive, and Be of Service to Others—are reflected in his businesses, mentorship, and thought leadership. Whether through building world-class teams, creating strategic operating systems, or inspiring others to unlock their potential, Omar continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
Mohamed Khedr
Consultant
خضر وبزنس
Mohamed Khedr
Consultant
خضر وبزنس
Dr. Khedr is a veteran entrepreneur, investor, and startup consultant with over 28 years of hands-on experience in building, scaling, and mentoring businesses across the MENA region. He founded some of Egypt’s prominent startups, has led multiple successful exits, and currently runs "Khedr W Business," a consultancy that supports businesses with strategy, management, operations, and fundraising. As the author of the bestselling Arabic book "رائد الأعمال Inside Out", Dr. Khedr brings real-world insights and actionable guidance to every session—making him a must-hear voice for ambitious founders.
Sherif Nabawy
Innovation Lead and EdTech Director
Egypt Education Platform- EEP
Sherif Nabawy
Innovation Lead and EdTech Director
Egypt Education Platform- EEP
Hossam Heikal
Brand Experience Manager
Huna
Hossam Heikal
Brand Experience Manager
Huna
Abdelrahman Hatem
Founder
Doctor Go
Abdelrahman Hatem
Founder
Doctor Go
Karim Gabriel
founder
KGworkouts
Karim Gabriel
founder
KGworkouts
With over 16 years of experience in senior leadership roles, I transitioned from leading global marketing campaigns for major brands into entrepreneurship. As the founder of KG Workouts, an online coaching business, I am focused on helping senior professionals and entrepreneurs stay fit and healthy while managing demanding careers. My passion for sports and healthy living has been a driving force throughout my life, enabling me to stay in shape even as I climbed the corporate ladder.
Additionally, I create content in the health and wellness space, with over 1 million followers across social media platforms. Follow me @kg.workouts for tips and tricks on staying healthy and in peak shape.
I have extensive personal and professional experience in sports nutrition, which I integrate into my coaching to help clients optimize their health and performance. Leveraging my corporate background, I now give talks at corporate events, empowering busy professionals to prioritize their well-being alongside their work commitments.
Lastly, I’m passionate about creating high-performance cultures through continuous improvement, accountability, and strategic growth. My expertise in identifying growth opportunities and navigating new territories has enabled me to drive commercial success, both in the corporate world and in my entrepreneurial ventures.
Anas Amin
Rioter
Riot Games
Anas Amin
Rioter
Riot Games
My name is Anas Amin, also known as Spirit Devilll. I am 30 years old and the founder of the League of Legends Arabic Group, the largest League of Legends community in the MENA region. Since its inception in 2013, the group has grown to 170,000 members and continues to expand. Over the past decade, I’ve been deeply involved in numerous gaming projects, collaborating with leading companies such as Power League Gaming, King of the Map, ArabHardware, Galaxy Gaming, BME, Royal Knights, Cosmic, and Riot Games. In addition to my work with these companies, I’ve contributed to several major eSports events, including Insomnia, IAC, Superdome, Arcane, and EWC in Saudi Arabia. Currently, I am an external project manager for Riot Games, continuing my passion for shaping the gaming industry.
Amr Bakr
CEO
7keema
Amr Bakr
CEO
7keema
Medical doctor and public health specialist and serial entrepreneur in healthtech, Fintech, insurtech
Tamer Okasha
Chief Development Officer
Hassan Allam properties
Tamer Okasha
Chief Development Officer
Hassan Allam properties
At Hassan Allam Properties, our commitment to strategic real estate development is reflected in the orchestration of major projects that encompass residential, commercial, and hospitality sectors. Leading as Chief Development Officer, my focus is on delivering innovative solutions that align with market demands and ensure long-term sustainability.
The team's efforts, guided by my direction in commercial development and project planning, have consistently resulted in projects that not only fulfill but exceed stakeholder expectations. Our approach integrates cross-functional collaboration and meticulous contract management to optimize outcomes and craft environments that resonate with our clients' aspirations.
Hossam Shafick
Principal
Silicon Badia
Hossam Shafick
Principal
Silicon Badia
Ahmed Kadous
CEO & Co-Founder
Pharmacy Marts
Egypt
Ahmed Kadous
CEO & Co-Founder
Pharmacy Marts
Egypt
Has 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical field , held different positions in Marketing, Sales, Market Access & Pricing Functions, at Pfizer, Novartis and Takeda. Prior to Pharmacy Marts, worked as Head of Market Access / Country Board Member.
Mina Shawky
Co-Founder & CEO
CliniDo
Egypt
Mina Shawky
Co-Founder & CEO
CliniDo
Egypt
Mohamed AlGhannam
Principal
Flat6Labs
Egypt
Mohamed AlGhannam
Principal
Flat6Labs
Egypt
Mohamed AlGhannam is a Venture Capital Fund Manager at Flat6Labs who specializes in supporting early-stage startups. With 15 years of experience in Venture Capital, Private Equity, Investment Management and Corporate Entrepreneurship, he brings a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the startup ecosystem. Mohamed works closely with founders to refine strategies and business models, helping them successfully scale their companies.
Ahmed Safwat
Managing Partner for MENA region & Board Member
Healthcare International Group (HCI)
Ahmed Safwat
Managing Partner for MENA region & Board Member
Healthcare International Group (HCI)
Dr. Ahmed Safwat is an internationally recognized expert in clinical governance, healthcare accreditation, quality management, and developing healthcare systems with over 25 years of leadership across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the MENA region. He currently serves as Chairman of the Accreditation and Quality Committee at the American Urgent Care Association for MENA, Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee of the African Healthcare and Drug Association, and Chairman of the National Egyptian Green Award in Pharmacy Practice (EGAPP). He is also serves as a Managing Partner for MENA region & Board Member of HCI Group, Board Member of the Egyptian Council for Patient Advocates, and an adjunct professor at the American University in Cairo.
Dr. Safwat previously held key national roles, including Chairman of Egypt’s Supreme Committee for Healthcare Standards and the Committee for Telemedicine Framework Development. He also served as a Board Member of Egypt’s General Authority for Health Accreditation and Regulation (GAHAR) and as an advisor to Saudi Arabia’s National Medical Excellence Program.
His expertise spans healthcare quality, strategic planning, digital transformation, and policy development. His work continues to influence national health systems and organizational excellence across Egypt and the MENA region.
Abdelrahman Hassan
Principal
Enza Capital
Abdelrahman Hassan
Principal
Enza Capital
Abdelrahman Hassan is a Principal at Enza Capital, a multi-stage venture fund investing in African technology companies solving large and meaningful problems. Enza Capital is based out of Nairobi Kenya, has made 50 investments to date through its Fund I & Fund II, and is managing +$50m across its investment vehicles. Prior to Enza Capital, Abdelrahman was an Associate at the Omidyar Network in Kenya where he focused on driving investments in ed-tech innovations across sub-Saharan Africa. Abdelrahman started his career at Dalberg Capital, an impact investing advisory firm, working to align capital with meaning. Abdelrahman has a BSc in Financial Economics from the University of Rochester, along with an MSc in Sustainable Finance from the Frankfurt School of Finance.
Ebrahim Anwar
Founder
I can coach you
Ebrahim Anwar
Founder
I can coach you
Karim Ahmed
Youth & Entrepreneurship Proposition Director
EGbank
Egypt
Karim Ahmed
Youth & Entrepreneurship Proposition Director
EGbank
Egypt
Ahmed Elkawass
Co-Founder & COO
Shipblu
Ahmed Elkawass
Co-Founder & COO
Shipblu
Ahmed studied Politics and Economics at Northumbria University before starting his career in FMCGs and later co-founding Shipblu, Egypt’s first modern delivery platform. At Shipblu, he scaled operations to 20+ governorates, led a team of 350+, and managed 10,000+ daily orders with significant success rates. Ahmed is passionate about building clear, effective operations that turn ambitious goals into reality, and he loves making operations a true competitive advantage for growing businesses.
Alaa El- Sheikh
Creative director
Fp7Mccann
Alaa El- Sheikh
Creative director
Fp7Mccann
Mohamed Badie
Chief Executive Officer
Badie Architects
Mohamed Badie
Chief Executive Officer
Badie Architects
Mahmoud Elhefnawi
Professor
National Research Centre (NRC)
Mahmoud Elhefnawi
Professor
National Research Centre (NRC)
Dr. Mahmoud ElHefnawi is the Informatics and Systems Department Head , Biomedical informatics and
chemoinformatics group leader and founder since 2009 and professor at Informatics and Systems Department at National research centre. He was also a part time adjunct associate professor and senior scientist at Nile University as well as adjunct faculty in many other universities. His H index is 22 on Scopus and led many projects in bioinformatics, gene therapy , cancer, and drug discovery as well as machine learning in biomedicine. He is also the PI for many projects including an affiliated node for the H3 bionet NIH African project. He published more than ninety International publications on topics including rational drug design, docking, gene therapy of siRNA, miRNA for infectious diseases and cancer; structural bioinformatics and motif predictions applications in virology,and applications of machine learning in bioinformatics and medical informatics as well as other bioinformatics and medical biotechnology applications.His interests span the computational biology as well as the medical biotechnology and life sciences fields.
From the informatics and engineering point, he worked on data mining and classification algorithms, deep learning, and other machine learning techniques.
In the bioinformatics application side, he worked on: applications of the Bioinformatics methods and techniques to study viral evolution, prognosis drug resistance mechanisms and modeling, modeling viral immune system networks of interactions, rational drug design, small molecule inhibitors virtual screening and selection, and siRNA design, selection and validation in vitro models. Also, he worked on NGS informatics, metagenomics, the human microbiome, and personalized genomics
He has many national and international collaborations with other research groups. He has/ had in supervisions more than thirty five MSc and PhD thesis from different disciplines and faculties.
Waleed Arafa
Founder & Principal
Dar Arafa Architecture
Egypt
Waleed Arafa
Founder & Principal
Dar Arafa Architecture
Egypt
Waleed Arafa is the founder & principal of Dar Arafa Architecture, established in Cairo, 2006, where he proudly leads a team of young Egyptian architects.
Arafa earned a B.Sc. in Architecture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 2001, a post-graduate degree in the Conservation of Historical Buildings, from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, UK, 2015. His thesis was titled: “The Mosque in Britain: British Heritage”. Waleed is currently an MA Researcher, History of Islamic Art & Architecture, at the American University in Cairo.
His work attained global recognition having been awarded, shortlisted and nominated for many international awards such as the Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture -3 times- and the World Architecture Festival.
He thinks that Islam may provide new perspectives on architecture and help the world overcome its current creative, intellectual, and spiritual impasse. His approach is based on finding ways to continuing the discontinued architectural past of countries with an established legacy in the architecture of Islam, such as and especially Egypt. But equally, looking into how to bring forth new architecture(s) of Islam in completely new contexts, which have their own time-honored architectural traditions, nonetheless have no precedent in producing architecture of Islam, such as that of Britain and/or the Occident at large.