9 #RiseUpFromHome Speakers Not to Miss

As we continue to navigate the repercussions of a pandemic, salvaging the remnants of a spiralling economy and worn-out spirits, it’s vital to look back at these past months and recognise the unprecedented A-Game that entrepreneurs have brought to the ecosystem.

This year -  a year of many firsts - leading entrepreneurship platform RiseUp is hosting a virtual edition that’s bringing all their on-ground finesse to the interwebs. Under the slogan ‘Got Grit?’, the unique edition will serve as a celebration of the expertise, aptitude and resilience that founders and entrepreneurs across the region have exhibited time and time again throughout a global health and economic crisis. Leading this celebration is a lineup of speakers that brings creatives, heavyweight financiers, business leaders, tech mavens and influential figures that span several industries across the MENA region. Here are 9 speakers you most definitely won’t want to miss at #RiseUpFromHome:

MAURO PORCINI

SVP & CHIEF DESIGN OFFICER AT PEPSICO

Design and branding are far from an afterthought, but a key pillar ingrained in a brand’s identity and being. Porcini joined PepsiCo in 2012 as the first ever Chief Design Officer; a newly created position where he was able to meld design thinking into PepsiCo’s entire portfolio. His forte includes bolstering the drinks giant with physical and virtual expressions of their brands, including product, packaging, events, advertising, fashion and art collaborations, retail activation, architecture, and digital media. 

MONA ATAYA

CEO AT MUMZWORLD.COM

Ataya catapulted her startup Mumzworld into a thriving SME that has inspired several communities. The platform has become a haven for mothers looking for any and everything maternity and childcare, with over 2 million active users from across the Middle East. The award-winning entrepreneur has received a variety of accolades, from being one of the top two women touted by Forbes for creating impact in the region to being voted SME Executive of the Year three years in a row, and nabbing a spot in Top Ten Arab Women in Business by Forbes in both 2017 and 2018.

RANA EL KALIOUBY

CO-FOUNDER & CEO AT AFFECTIVA

A pioneer in Emotion AI, Rana el Kaliouby, Ph.D., is Co-Founder and CEO of Affectiva, and author of the newly released book, Girl Decoded: A Scientist’s Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity by Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Technology. A passionate advocate for humanising technology, ethics in AI and diversity, El Kaliouby has been recognised on Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list and as one of Forbes' Top 50 Women in Tech. She is also a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and a newly minted Young Presidents' Organization member, and co-hosted a PBS NOVA series on AI.

SCOTT JENSON

PRODUCT STRATEGY AT GOOGLE

When it comes to user interface and UX design, Jenson has made the rounds on some of most notable feats within the industry. Be it Apple’s System 7, Newton and the Apple Human Interface guidelines, he boasts a rich experience with being hands on with strategy planning and interface design.Currently, Jenson is helming Google’s Physical Web project.

MONA BIJOOR

CEO & FOUNDER AT HOLY.TV

Mona Bijoor is the Founder and CEO of Holy.TV and a partner at King Circle Capital LLC, an investment and advisory firm, where she has holdings in real estate, franchises, start-ups, and online businesses. Bijoor is also the founder of JOOR, the premier online global B2B marketplace for wholesale buying that directly connects brands and retailers. She is the Amazon best selling author of Startups and Downs, The Secrets of Resilient Entrepreneurs and a frequent contributor to TechCrunch, Entrepreneur, and Thrive Global.

AMIR BARSOUM

FOUNDER & CEO AT VEZEETA

Healthtech was already one of the most high growth industries. Then came a global health crisis, and what was lucrative became a frothy hotbed of opportunity. Barsoum, founder and CEO of Vezeeta, pioneered the healthtech space in Egypt, and in turn, the region. Throughout the Coronavirus crisis, the platform has expanded to Kenya, partnered with Egypt’s Ministry of Health for an awareness campaign and has struck deals with pharma giants to bolster its telemedicine services.

MOHAMED ABOULNAGA NAGATY

CO-FOUNDER AT HALAN INC

The inimitable Nagaty needs no foreword. The accomplished entrepreneur has proven himself one of the most innovative minds in the ecosystem. Be it disrupting industries, or adding to them, Nagaty’s career spans different sectors - all of which he has mastered. He’s currently co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Halan, who have reportedly raised $15 million in a funding round earlier this year.

CHRISTOPHER SCHROEDER

GLOBAL VENTURE INVESTOR/MENTOR AT NEXT BILLION VENTURES

One of the most interesting questions of our time is what will happen to societies, economies and innovation as almost everyone has a super computer in their pocket — and what will it mean for those who don’t? Schroeder is a serial entrepreneur, advisor, author and investor in interactive tech and social communications, and has helped fuel startups into becoming media staples, such as Vox Media, Skift Media and iBotta.

SHARIF EL-BADAWI

MANAGING PARTNER AT 500 STARTUPS

El-Badawi currently serves as a Partner at 500 Startups, the most active venture capital firm in the world. In his role, he manages 500 Startups' MENA fund, focusing on seed stage investments in the Middle East and North Africa. In addition, El-Badawi is the Chairman of the Board of TechWadi, where he helps connect MENA startups with Silicon Valley. He also serves on several advisory boards for startups in the MENA region and Silicon Valley. Previously, El-Badawi was the Partner Lead to VCs and Startups at Google where he worked with top tier VCs and their most promising startups on strategies that bring all of Google;s offerings to their businesses. 

To find out more about ‘RiseUp from Home’, and to register your spot, visit the website right here.