Streams of Progress

On the MENA startup ecosystem’s entrepreneurs…

Entrepreneurs need to be prepared before going out to raise funds. They need to be educated about the metrics that matter and the importance of repeating customers – there is no lack of funds for good ideas with the right metrics.

On what is needed for the MENA startup ecosystem investor community…

A mindset shift is required – investors need to take risks in this region. There tends to be a focus only on later stage investments and safer bets; for the ecosystem to further develop they need to make investments at the earlier stage (pre-seed and seed stages).

On the Step Conference…

It’s more than entrepreneurs and investors. One can find audience/customers and corporates, not just the ecosystem traditional players, but the fact it’s open to all types of people as well, to network and even find co-founders.

Check out more episodes from the 2018 Step Conference Series and learn more about 1776.

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On how the MENA startup ecosystem has evolved over the last few years…

We’ve seen the MENA region growing aggressively from all fronts, hence the reason why Techstars decided to recently launch Techstars Dubai in the region.

On the increased deal flows in the MENA startup ecosystem…

The startups involved in these deal flow appear to be within hot industries that align with the government’s vision for the future. There is a lot of demand for their market solutions from consumers as well as investors.

On the Step Conference…

As a newcomer to the MENA startup ecosystem, Vijay was able to make new connections and get a pulse of the MENA startup ecosystem at the Step Conference.

Check out more episodes from the 2018 Step Conference Series and learn more about Techstars Dubai.

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On how the MENA startup ecosystem has evolved over the last few years…

There has been a development in the type of ideas that are coming out of startups coming from startups. The market is maturing more and there are more thought leaders entering the regional ecosystem. There is a great mix of local and international thought leaders.

On where the MENA startup ecosystem is heading next and the challenges they face…

Dubai’s potential in becoming a ‘brain port’ where many international thought leaders will be living in Dubai and these thought leaders will be exporting their ideas to nearby countries and neighboring markets.

On challenges that companies might face with new disruptive technologies…

People need to accept the innovative solutions on the way and how the job landscape will completely revolutionize the markets. It’s important for leaders to be in tune with new technologies and innovations.

On the Step Conference…

Startups need to come into such events with zero expectations, but they should take a chance to network with Venture Capitalists, Private Equity players, other entrepreneurs and startups and see what comes from all the networking.

Check out more episodes from the 2018 Step Conference Series and learn more about Intelak Incubator.

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Rana Nawas is a published writer, corporate warrior and sought-after speaker on a mission to inspire women of all backgrounds to shine. Born in England to a Palestinian father and Lebanese mother, Rana grew up like many Western-educated Arabs facing the dichotomy of liberal and traditional values.

Rana’s education at Oxford University and Harvard Business School gave her a strong foundation to solve problems and negotiate effectively, but nothing could have prepared her for the tough reality that women face as they rise through the corporate world.

Over the course of her 17-year corporate career spanning McKinsey & Company’s London Office, the Dubai Government and GE Capital, Rana has pioneered new markets, launched new products, led diverse and sometimes virtual teams, won business all over the world and developed strong relationships. She also led the charge in rewriting corporate policies that impact women, championed pay parity and helped women rise in their professional and personal lives.

Rana is a mother of two and a wife of one, she is the creator and host of the podcast When Women Win, sharing inspirational stories and tools that boss ladies from all walks of life have used along their journeys, and is the chapter president of Ellevate, a global organization that brings professional women together.

Rana has been featured in the press, on TV and on radio. She has spoken in front of diverse audiences on a variety of topics, and has been labelled a “thought-provoking”, “fact-driven” and “inspiring” speaker.

You can keep up with the latest from Rana on her website at RanaNawas.com.

Enjoy the show!

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Philip Bahoshy is the Founder of MAGNiTT, an online platform that connects MENA entrepreneurs, startups and investors and offers access to extensive research, analytics and insights from across the region.

He was raised in the UK with Iraqi origins, Philip obtained an MBA from INSEAD in 2013 and a BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics.

During his time in Dubai, Philip worked at Oliver Wyman in the Financial Services practice for three years, followed by nearly three years at Barclays Wealth working as Chief of Staff to the CEO advising on strategic initiatives.

Philip has lived in the UAE for more than nine years and is passionate about developing the MENA startup ecosystem.

Listen to learn more about his experiences and how MAGNiTT has evolved over the years to become the gateway for the MENA Startup Ecosystem.

• 1:30 – Growing up in the UK.
• 02:00 – His time at Oliver Wyman in 2007.
• 02:30 – His first exposure to the Middle East.
• 03:00 – Transitioning to Barclay’s Wealth.
• 03:30 – His travels during his MBA experience.
• 04:00 – His experience as a “Chief of Staff”
• 06:15 – Learning how to actually implement strategies and honing his skillset.
• 07:30 – The importance of learning to present the message.
• 08:30 – How his MBA helped him refine the hustle.
• 09:00 – How a startup bootcamp acted as a catalyst for him to pursue his startup ventures.
• 10:15 – The surprising number of responses he received from Alumni for his idea validation.
• 11:30 – The first version of MAGNiTT
• 12:00 – Pivoting MAGNiTT’s value proposition to becoming a data-driven platform.
• 13:15 – MAGNiTT’s business model.
• 14:15 – Building relationships with startups and institutions.
• 14:45 – The variables that make up MAGNiTT’s analytics offering.
• 15:30 – MAGNiTT’s application offering for reduce the barriers of entry for startups to apply to institutions.
• 17:00 – The larger vision for what MAGNiTT is trying to create.
• 18:00 – Trends that have occurred over the last couple years in the MENA startup ecosystem.
• 20:15 – The potential next wave of startup solutions.
• 22:00 – The FinTech space and solving pain points.
• 24:15 – Challenges that MENA startups face.
• 25:45 – How the challenges can act as opportunities for first movers in markets.
• 26:45 – Middle East for the World vs. Middle East for the Middle East
• 30:00 – Views on Regional M&A’s & IPOs
• 33:00 – The most important characteristic in startup founders.
• 36:15 – Being able to internalize and listen to feedback is crucial.
• 37:15 – An undervalued tool for startups to be successful.
• 39:30 – His Dubai-based mentors and advisory board.
• 40:45 – The importance of patience.
• 43:00 – The art of freebies and importance of appreciation.
• 44:45 – How daily routines change when transitioning to the startup world vs. the corporate.
• 46:15 – Computer detox day.
• 46:45 – What Philip’s typical day looks like.
• 47:45 – His fascination with biographies and the learnings from them.
• 49:45 – Understanding the hearts and minds through marketing and brand.
• 50:45 – His dream vision for the Middle East.
• 52:45 – “Experiment and drive for things outside the norm”
• 55:15 – How his introduction to entrepreneurship at INSEAD changed his life trajectory.
• 56:15 – The maturing MENA startup ecosystem.

INSEAD – The Business School of the World

Startup Rising: The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East by Christopher Schroeder

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Olivia Manner is the Founder & Managing Director of HelloChef, a meal delivery service that sends tasty recipes and fresh ingredients directly to your door, making it easy to cook a delicious meal at home. Prior to launching HelloChef, Olivia had a successful 10-year career at IBM and E&Y. Olivia is passionate about creating a space where families can gather around the table to enjoy a delicious homemade meal while connecting and creating special memories.

Ahmed Al Akber is the CEO of HelloChef and takes the lead on strategy implementation and marketing, helping to grow and scale the business. Ahmed is a dynamic leader that loves to create ways to provide more value for HelloChef’s customers so they can save time, money, and eat amazing meals by using the service. Ahmed is also a published author and had a successful 15-year career as marketing professional prior to joining HelloChef full-time.

Enjoy the show!

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Ray Dargham, an ambitious entrepreneur straight out of university is known for founding the Step Group behind the popular Step Conference as well as many other media properties such as Stepfeed,  YallaFeed and Arab Vines to name a few.

He is also the co-founder and a partner at Spider Frogs, a future technology consultancy agency working with corporations.

Listen to learn more about how he started his venture and his bold vision for where Step is going next!

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As Co-Founder of Beam Wallet, Shezan Amiji is looking to the future of payment solutions with an interest in the potential of blockchain.

His first successful entrepreneurial venture began with 7 Days, the UAE's first free tabloid newspaper. After successfully exiting this venture, he pursued another venture in sustainability and green technologies before starting up Beam Wallet, the popular mobile payment and wallet application. Beam Wallet came into existence well before the "Fintech" buzzword had caught on.

Lately, Shezan has been fascinated with the potential of blockchain technology and sees many opportunities for incumbents and newcomers who embrace the technology into future solutions.

Listen to learn more about his journey and where he sees it all going.

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Tatiana Antonelli Abella is the founder and managing director of Goumbook, a Social Enterprise dedicated to raising awareness among the local community on Sustainability and Green Living: launched in 2009 it was the first green information resource for the MENA region. Today Goumbook manages different projects such as Sustainable Mena, a green directory dedicated to promote green products and services in the region; the Give a Ghaf Tree Planting Program, the only tree planting initiative of the GCC with over 30,000 seeds planted in the past 5 years, and the Drop It & Drop It Youth campaign to help businesses and individuals stop using single-use plastic. Tatiana is actively involved in the green arena and is considered one of UAE’s top Environmental Influencers.

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As Founder and CEO of Beehive, Craig Moore is responsible for overseeing the overall strategic direction and managing the day to day operations of Beehive.

Before founding Beehive, Craig was a Founder & COO of Butterfly Software, a data analytics and migration software company acquired by IBM in September 2012.

Prior to Butterfly his experience included various sales, consulting and finance roles at various multinational companies such as Dell, EMC, Hitachi and HSBC with an emphasis on shaping effective go to market and value propositions.

Enjoy the show!

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