Barack Obama

A New Beginning
In his speech at Cairo University, President Obama announced a new vision: to promote entrepreneurship and technological development throughout the developing world.

The success of this initiative will require the most active involvement of all expatriate venture capitalists, successful executives, entrepreneurs and seasoned investors – leveraging their knowledge and experience to create cross-border collaboration between their countries and the United States, benefiting both regions.

With over 20 distinguished speakers, the Global Technology Forum will bring together the group that will transform this vision into reality.

Gold Sponsors
Ideavelopers
ITIDA

Riyada Enterprise Development


Silver Sponsor
Sawary Ventures

Event Sponsors
pnp logo
SVB
Soovox Inc Logo
LebNet

Media Partner
ArabCrunch.com
Startups and Tech Community Official Partner
ArabCrunch.COM

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About TechWadi

TechWadi is the leading networking association for Arab American professionals in the technology industry.

Friday
08Jan2010

Global Technology Forum 2010

Silicon Valley and the Middle East: Building a Successful Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Join us on March 18, 2010 for a jam-packed conference on entrepreneurship, venture capital, and a new initiative to form partnerships with Silicon Valley and dramatically accelerate the growth of both – in MENA as well as other emerging markets.

Why attend?
  1. Gain a clear understanding of the venture capital and entrepreneurial ecosystems in the MENA region
  2. Create opportunities for meaningful collaboration between Silicon Valley, the MENA region, and the rest of the world
  3. Join accomplished Arab-American leaders dedicated to ensuring the success of pan-Arab entrepreneurship
$100 for members, $150 for public
Walk-in registration: $200

Hosted by: 440 N. Wolfe Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94085 (Google Map)

Conference Agenda:
8:30-
9:00
Registration and breakfast
9:00-
9:15
Opening remarks and conference objectives
Youssri Helmy and Dina Ibrahim (TechWadi)
9:15-
10:00
Incubators: Exporting the cutting edge of Silicon Valley
Saeed Amidi (CEO, Plug and Play)
Hazem Abdelazim, PhD (CEO, ITIDA)
10:00-
11:00
MENA: Investor perspectives on tapping a new world of opportunity
Tarek Assaad (Managing Partner, Ideavelopers)
Emile Cubeisy (Managing Director, IV Holdings)
Hany Al-Sonbaty (Partner, Sawari Ventures)
Walid Bakr (Partner, Riyada Enterprise Development)
Feroz Sanaulla (Director, Intel Capital META)
Session Leader: Karim Fahmy (Director, Intel Capital USA)
11:00-
11:15
Coffee break
11:15-
12:15
Silicon Valley: VC trends and transplantation - how can the model work in the MENA region?
Maha Ibrahim, PhD (General Partner, Canaan Partners)
Khaled Nasr (Partner, InterWest Partners)
Nadim Maluf, PhD (Entrepreneur-in-Residence, USVP)
Ramy Adeeb (Principal, Khosla Ventures)
Session Leader: Elie Habib (Co-founder, LebNet)
12:15-
13:30
Lunch
President Obama’s Global Technology and Innovation Fund: How you can make a difference
Ossama Hassanein, PhD (Newbury Ventures)
13:30-
14:15
Success stories from MENA and Silicon Valley
Hisham Haddara, PhD (CEO and founder, Si-Ware Systems)
Nadia Mansour (VP Sales, Turin Networks)
Ronaldo Mouchawar (CEO, Souq.com)
Akram Benmbarek (CEO and founder, Soovox)
Session Leader: Youssri Helmy (Chairman, Idealratings)
14:15-
14:30
Networking break
14:30-
15:15
Spotlight on a new generation of Arab entrepreneurs
Ibrahim Almojel, PhD (Strategic Decisions Group)
Tamer Hassanein (ZONG Mobile Payments)
Rony Chammas (Electronic Arts)
Session Leader: Abdullah Assal (President, Stanford GSB E-Club)
15:15-
16:15
Trendsetters
Ali Diab (VP Product Management, AdMob)
Taher Elgamal (CEO, IdentityMind)
Maha Achour, PhD (CTO and cofounder, RAYSPAN)
Belgacem Haba, PhD (CTO, Tessera)
Session Leader: Ghazi Benothman (Partner, Minah Ventures)
16:15-
16:30
Networking break
16:30-
17:30
Building blocks: Creating the new ecosystem
Bassel Ojjeh (CEO, nPario)
Ash Lilani (President, SVB India & China)
Naeem Zafar (President, OPEN Silicon Valley)
Habib Haddad (Founder, Yamli.com)
17:30-
19:30
Cocktail reception/Networking session
Friday
01Jan2010

Speakers

Saeed
Saeed Amidi

CEO, Plug and Play
Maha_Ibrahim
Maha Ibrahim, PhD
GP, Canaan Partners
Ossama
Ossama Hassanein, PhD
Managing Director, Newbury Ventures
Khaled Nasr
Khaled Nasr

Partner, InterWest
Emile
Emile Cubeisy

Managing Director, IV Holdings
Nadim
Nadim Maluf
EIR, USVP
Hazem
Hazem Abdelazim, PhD

CEO, ITIDA
Hany
Hany Al-Sonbaty
Partner, Sawari Ventures
Tarek
Tarek Asaad
Managing Partner, Ideavelopers
Bassel
Bassel Ojjeh
Lead Investor, ArabCrunch Group
Karim
Karim Fahmy
Director, Intel Capital
Maha
Maha Achour
CTO, RAYSPAN
Walid
Walid Bakr
Director, Riyada Enterprise Development
Ronaldo
Ronaldo Mouchawar
CEO, Souq.com
Habib
Habib Haddad
Founder and CEO, Yamli.com
Ash
Ash Lilani

President, SVB India & China
Belgacem
Belgacem Haba, PhD
CTO, Tessera
ali
Ali Diab
VP Product Development, AdMob
Akram
Akram Benmbarek
CEO, Soovox
Taher
Taher Elgamal, PhD

CEO, IdentityMind
Youssri
Youssri Helmy
Chairman, Idealratings

Dina
Dina Ibrahim
Assistant Professor, San Francisco State University

Ramy
Ramy Adeeb
Principal, Khosla Ventures
Naeem
Naeem Zafar
President, OPEN Silicon Valley

Ghazi
Ghazi Benothman
Partner, Minah Ventures

Ramy
Ibrahim Almojel
Consultant, SDG
Hisham
Hisham Haddara, PhD
CEO, Si-Ware Systems
Abdullah
Abdullah Assal

President, Stanford MBA Entrepreneurship Club
Rony
Rony Chammas
Product & Marketing Manager, EA
Tamer
Tamer Hassanein
Monetization Guru, ZONG