Here Are 8 Opportunities Across The Middle East To Look Out For In September
From a design workshop to a roadshow for Syrian entrepreneurs taking place in five cities, concluding with Amsterdam, here's a list of eight events Startup Scene is looking forward to.
It's back-to-school season, which is an all-year-season for startups in the Middle East, and this month's events list is a living proof. September is jammed with conferences and competitions, promising the best entrepreneurs global exposure. September is getting urban startups, Syrian change makers, and social entrepreneurs fully booked with courses, bootcamps, and competitions - bringing together likeminded CEOs, founders, and mentors.
Design + Social Impact @ KMT House / Deadline: September 8
Although this design workshop is happening in mid-October, applications close on September 8th. Urban news platform progrss.com and urbantech innovation space KMT House, are partnering with the U.S. Embassy in Egypt to bring Parsons School of Design professors John Bruce and Mark Randall to Egypt in mid-October for a five-day intensive workshop to explore the role that creative professionals can play when executing projects to make a positive contribution to their communities. The workshop, “Design + Social Impact: A Workshop on Strategies for Creative Intervention,” will be held at KMT House in Maadi between October 14 and October 18.
Over the course of five days, participants will cover areas like: framing the question, creative sessions, activities and ecosystem mapping, identification of leverage points, stakeholders and value proposition, provo/prototyping, and storytelling. Concluding with a public reception, participants will develop the strategic foundation for a design-driven project and leave KMT House with an understanding of the steps needed to make it a reality.
Book your place here.
Nawah 2018 @ GEN Egypt / Deadline: September 15
Entering its fourth year, Nawah, the annual Egyptian innovation competition for entrepreneurship has become one of the main social entrepreneurship events in Egypt that contributes to the development of entrepreneurial business ecosystem. This year it's happening in mid-September at GEN Egypt. Nawah’s Social Entrepreneurship Challenge has an objective to contribute to a flourishing, collaborative and conscious entrepreneurship ecosystem by empowering young entrepreneurs, to develop their skills, capabilities, and expand their network and resources.
Nawah is looking for students and college or institute graduates, ages from 18 to 35, and should be able to passionately explain all related details to your idea or startup and already have examples of what you have accomplished in your life.
Find out more here.
Middle East Banking Innovation Summit @ Roda Al-Bustan / September 17 
Addressing the break-neck speed at which the banking industry in the MENA region is changing, the 8th annual Middle East Banking Innovation Summit is set to explore emerging technologies, developments and trends, as well as the new opportunities that continue to emerge for financial institutions throughout the UAE.
Over the last seven years, the Middle East Banking Innovation Summit has emerged as the largest platform in the region for banking technology, and is the only event that brings together over 450 senior industry experts and leaders to discuss the future of banking.
Find out more here.
Startup Roadshow @ Beirut, Erbil, Amman, Gaziantep and Istanbul / Deadline: September 16
From September 22nd to October 13th, the Startup Roadshow is taking Syrian entrepreneurs to five cities, from Beirut, Erbil, Amman, to Gaziantep and Istanbul, embarking on a journey to discover the next Syrian startup rockstars and give them the chance to win up to $8,000 at Amsterdam's Startup Battle at the SPARKIgnite Conference happening later in November 28th.
Starting with Beirut, the roadshow will train 20 teams of entrepreneurs in each location through two tracks: the Idea Stage track - for entrepreneurs who have not yet created a startup - and the Early Stage track - for entrepreneurs who have launched their business and are looking to raise investment or grow their business. Moving on to Erbil, the roadshow will train Syrian entrepreneurs in Iraq, to then move on to Amman on October 6th, Gaziantep on October 13th and Istanbul on October 20th. Participants will also get Google Cloud Services, Facebook Ads, co-working space membership, and free design for their Pitch Deck to help set them on the path to success.
Apply before September 16th.
Social Impact Summit @ Address Hotel / September 25
Environmental sustainability, social and community development are under the spotlight at the Social Impact Summit in Dubai, where policy makers, corporates, NGOs and charities are to open a dialogue on how these different sectors can work together with a view to improving social well-being and company bottom line by highlighting several case studies that have succeeded in doing so.
With 200 attendees, over 40 speakers, two practical workshops, the four-day summit is the go to event to gain insight on market trends, learn from inspirational leaders as well as share best practice on managing sustainable programmes in MENA.
Find out more here.
Insurtech MENA @ Dubai / September 25 
Happening in parallel, InsurTech will also take place in Dubai, focusing on consumer-centric approaches to the challenges the insurance sector faces in the context of evolving technologies. InsurTech will provide a forum to discuss these challenges, as well as their counter oppurtunities, arising from the interplay of the latest disruptive technologies, the regulatory regimes governing the regional markets, and the new entrants into the insurance technology space.
It will also provide a platform for the insurance market to meet with the technology companies that are reshaping the industry’s operating landscape. In its third edition, the event will feature a range of speakers, including Director General of the UAE Insurance Authroity, Ebrahim Obaid Al Zaabi, senior counsel aof Al-Tamimi and Company, Andrew Fawcett and more.
Find out the full agenda here.
Meira Annual Conference and Awards @ Bulgari Hotel & Resorts/ September 26 
The following day, also in Dubai the Middle East's largest Investor Relations is taking place. This benchmark event, Middle East Investor Relations Association (MEIRA), brings together participants from locally listed firms, international corporates, investors, research analysts and advisors, as well as representatives of the region’s regulatory bodies. The aim of the 10th MENA conference is to provide delegates with a networking platform and to encourage dialogue around market challenges and best practice, while educating participants and stakeholders on the importance of Investor Relations, transparency and corporate governance.
MEIRA's on a mission to enhance the reputation, efficiency and attractiveness of the Middle East capital markets. This involves a commitment to fostering increased dialogue among its members and to encourage them to share and adopt best practice techniques within the field of IR. In partnership with stock exchanges, regulators and other market participants, MEIRA supports companies through its professional development and certification programmes as well as its membership community and network of country chapters.
Register here.
Techne Summit 2018 @ Bibliotheca Alexandrina / September 29
Last but not least, Techne Summit will end this month gathering tech entrepreneurs, mentors, and key players by the Mediterranean Sea. All those will gather under the roof of the majestic Bibliotheca Alexandrina for the annual summit. To make this year's experience easier the event is divided up into industry tracks; which will include: FinTech, HealthTech, eCommerce, Marketing and Media technology, Investment, Startup Academy, Architecture, and Real Estate Technology.
Book your early bird ticket here.
Follow our Events Calendar for day-by-day events around the MENA region.
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