UAE-Palestine Startup & Mentor Day
UAE, Dubai, Feb. 25, 2019 – Partnering up with Endeavor UAE and In5, MENACatalyst jointly hosted, UAE – Palestine Startup and Mentor Day. The day-long event was all about gaining invaluable industry knowledge, learning how to compete in global markets, and most importantly securing mentorship opportunities for participating startups.
MENACatalyst opened the event with a keynote statement, detailing their mission to support innovation and entrepreneurship as the foundation for a more equitable and sustainable virtual economy in Palestine, one that is global in scope. With the consolidation of networks between a Palestinian based diaspora community of professionals and investors and local based startups, as the first steps towards achieving this goal.
In5 then introduced their work as an enabling platform for entrepreneurs and startups via their creative spaces, training and mentorship programs, and community of committed investors. Endeavor followed up, sharing their efforts to enhance the scope and impact of already established entrepreneurs by connecting them to leading business professionals and partners dominating regional and global markets.
Prior to pitching, In5 brought in some of their most distinguished business professionals, to share their entrepreneurial journeys, acumen as well as marketplace experience. Event speakers included CEO Shridhar Sampath, Founder and General Manager of Motivaluate Consulting & Training FZ LLC; Naresh Phanfat whose exceptional background ranges from Finance Aficionado, Thought Leader, Business Advisor and Angel Investor, just to name a few. And finally, Ala’ Alsallal, Founder and CEO of the ecommerce platform Jamalon.com, the largest online bookstore in the Middle East.
Pitching then commenced with Palestinian startups rising to the challenge and impressing all attendees, not only with their skills and passion for innovation, but through the display of their market-place research and business models, that are not only sustainable but poised to deliver an impact.
Offering feedback and support to the startups were, Joumana Al Jabri Co-founder and Co-director of Visualizing Palestine; Zeina Abou Chaaban, Founding Partner and Managing Director of Palestlye; and Eyad F. Latif from Latham & Watkins LLP. A host of Endeavor UAE’s distinguished personnel were also in attendance and actively took part in pitching and mentorship sessions, including Managing Director, Noor Shawwa; Helena Donoso, Account Associate; and Arshina Shroff, Marketing and Projects Associate.
A networking session rounded off the day’s event, which allowed startups to further delve into the trajectory of their startups and meet with a diverse range of entrepreneurs dominating regional and global markets. Startups also took advantage of the great opportunity to expand their outreach and connect with mentors with the access and strategic resources needed to achieve next level success.