Bringing a host of significant businessmen and entrepreneurs from all over the world was the essence of the RiseUp Summit, held in the heart of the Pyramids Plateau on November 24-27.
RiseUp is a well-known organisation which focuses on supporting startups and expanding their access to resources through its RiseUpConnect web platform, besides the annual RiseUp Summit, which is the largest in the Middle East in entrepreneurship and startups.
Such a summit enables startups to market their ideas and businesses where there are investors who are willing to fund such creative startups.
According to organisers, RiseUp Summit 2021, the ninth edition, hosted more than 10,000 visitors, including 2,000 foreign investors, 150 startups and 250 speakers on entrepreneurship, technology and innovation. In addition, some 50 workshops and 250 lectures were delivered.
The summit was themed ‘Eternal Innovation’. At the opening, Naguib Sawiris, an Egyptian businessman and chairman of Orascom Telecom Holdings, spoke about the future of investment in Egypt and his investment journey.
The summit featured a variety of speakers ranging from Pixar Animation Studios’ Art Director Deanna Marsiglies and actor Ramsi Lehner to Global Ventures’ General Partner Basil Moftah and Fawry’s CEO Ashraf Sabry.
Other eminent speakers included Google Egypt’s Country Director Hisham el-Nazer, Microsoft Managing Director Shaloo Garg and TikTok Global Community Manager Laura-Andreea Savu.
“It’s my third time to attend the RiseUp Summit,” said Ahmed el-Fakharany, senior officer loyalty and partnerships at Alex Bank.
He told the Egyptian Mail that he had attended some valuable workshops and panel discussions.
The summit tackled three necessary areas in business: the Capital Stage for mastering fundraising and investment, the Creative Stage for all things related to culture and the creative economy, and the Tech Stage for the booming field of emerging technologies.
Minister of International Co-operation Rania al-Mashat participated in the concluding session of the summit.
“Don’t be too shy to say ‘I don’t know’. Open yourself up to advice and you will pave your way forward,” the minister advised participants, urging them to put their worries and fears aside.
El-Fakharany said he had attended a useful panel discussion, ‘Mobility as a Service’ on using technology for daily activities.
The panel was moderated by Karima el-Hakim, ecosystem and venture builder at Fawry.
Meanwhile, Stephen Key, cofounder at Invent Right, gave a talk, ‘How to License Your Product Idea’.
Fakharany said this talk was influential for him as it gives pointers to those who have fantastic ideas but lack the means to implement them.
RiseUp announced it would spread its wings to another Middle East country, Saudi Arabia, next year.
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