Digital entrepreneurship is a fast and exciting landscape in the MENA region, and in the GCC particularly. Startups across the region have huge scaling potential as evidenced by the growth in investments from leading corporate ventures over the past few months.
Related: $15M Investment in Quantum Group's Arabic Content Platform
Governments are also paying closer attention to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and have increased their involvement by introducing new initiatives and large funds to encourage growth.
Related: Backstage with the Kuwait National Fund for SME Development
Dubai is the region’s unchallenged leader when it comes to nurturing this entrepreneurial ecosystem with the right infrastructure and regulation. The emirate plans to become the capital of the region’s digital economy by 2020.
A large portion of the ArabNet Digital Summit 2015 in Dubai (May 27-28) is geared towards the entrepreneurship track. In parallel with a showcase of the latest cutting-edge practices in technology and e-business, the conference’s Startup and DistroCamp tracks will create a stimulating environment for startups and investors from the region and beyond.
Why You Should Attend
Catch up with the most recent developments in the MENA startup ecosystem
Find out about new VCs in the market, and large corporations beginning to invest in startups. Learn from successful entrepreneurs about what it takes to expand into the region’s key markets and plan for your growth or exit.
Meet top investors and exchange perspectives with like-minded entrepreneurs
Take advantage of the improved speed networking track to quickly touch base with entrepreneurs, investors, partners, and suppliers, then open up new opportunities.
Learn how to growth-hack your startup from Silicon Valley’s best “500Startups”
Mathew G. Johnson and Tammy Camp, partners at global leading tech investor, 500Startups, will run the DistroCamp. The goal of this exclusive new workshop track is to make sure your startup survives after launch, and help you focus on your distribution and marketing.
Confirmed International Investors and Accelerators
Bakhrom Ibragimov, Technology Investments CEEMEA, EBRD
Pavel Terentiev - Partner, AddVenture
Mathew G. Johnson - Partner, 500 Startups
Dilyan Dimitrov - Founder, Eleven Startup Accelerator
Naz Ozertugrul - VP, Atomico
Ligaya Tichy - Angel Investor, 37 Angels + By/Association
Pamir Gelenbe - Partner, HummingBird Ventures
Pavel Terentiev - Partner, AddVenture
Jędrzej Iwaszkiewicz - Head of Business Development, D-RAFT Accelerator
Confirmed Regional Investors
Heather Henyon - Managing Partner of Balthazar Capital, Founder & Chair Women's Angel Investment Network
Philip Boigner - Vice President, Investments, Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA)
Tarek Fahim - Managing Partner at Endure Capital, Partner at Tamkeen Capital
Walid Mansour - Managing Partner, MEVP
Amir Farha - Co-founder and Managing Director, BECO Capital
Jihad Alammar - Investment Senior Specialist Manager, Mobily
Hagop Taminian - Investment Principal, Silicon Badia
Omar J. Sati - Managing Director, DASH Ventures
Angus Paterson - Partner, STC Ventures
Christos Mastoras - Founder & Managing Partner, Iliad Partners
Issa Aghabi - Head of Investments, Twofour54
Feroz Sanaulla - COO and Founder, Emerging Circle
- Alejandro Carbon - Executive Director, Majid Al Futtaim Finance