Step Saudi 2022 Agenda

• 9:55 am
• 10:05 am
• Start

Step Saudi is back in Riyadh after 2 years of being virtual, two days filled with content, acivities and networking

• 10:10 am
• 10:50 am
• Start

The role of the startup community in achieving vision 2030, the contribution to the economy, attraction of foreign investments, improvements in the retail sector, development of the digital economy and the increase in women’s participation in the labor market.

• 
  Omar Al Shaaban The Space
• 
  AMAL DHOKAN Global Entrepreneurship Network Saudi
• 
  Mamoun Hmedan Wego
• 
  Ibrahim Neyaz National Technology Development Program
• 
  Mohammed Alsuhaim MCIT
• 
  Ahmed Aljbreen Merak Capital

• 10:20 am
• 10:30 am
• Fintech

• 10:30 am
• 11:00 am
• Fintech

Fintechs are exercising changes on many aspects of individuals and institutional financial systems and management processes and are driving many regulatory adjustments with that which in return is affecting fintechs' operations and strategies in adapting to any new law and regulation that's being introduced. How are fintech founders keeping up with the changes to stay compliant.

• 
  Rami Yehya Techmeen Podcast
• 
  Ahmed Nawasrah Salma AI, a Mawdoo3 company
• 
  Hamad Alsaghir Neoleap
• 
  Ahmad Yaacoub Thunes
• 
  Khadija Khartit Fujn

• 10:55 am
• 11:25 am
• Start

What makes Saudi the most sought after country in the MENA region for venture capitalists? What industries are proven to be the most attractive to international VCs?

• 
  Fikry Younis Lumina Capital Advisers
• 
  Loulwa Bakr Global Ventures
• 
  Riyad Abou Jaoudeh MEVP
• 
  Ivo Detelinov Hambro Perks Oryx Fund
• 
  Hussein Attar Tech Invest Com

• 11:00 am
• 11:10 am
• Wellness

10 startups that are shortlisted from the 1st round will be pitching each for 5 mins in the 2nd round, and only 3 startups will make it to the final.

• 11:00 am
• 11:10 am
• Future

Welcoming attendees to Day Two of Step Saudi 2022 - Recap from yesterday and brief on today!

• 11:00 am
• 11:10 am
• Wellness

Step Saudi pitch competition is 3 rounds, 30 startups from the startup basecamp are selected to join the pitch competition to go for the 1st round, 10 of these startups will move to round 2 and then 3 finalists will pitch on stage for 1 winner to be selected by 3 judges.

• 11:05 am
• 11:35 am
• Fintech

How is open banking being adopted by fintech founders and what effects has it been providing to the ecosystem?

• 
  Annika Melchert BCG Platinion
• 
  Sultan Alkhayal Drahim
• 
  Ayham Gorani Pemo
• 
  Emir Isik Tarabut Gateway

• 11:10 am
• 11:40 am
• Digital

Building brands for Arab consumers and providers, talking about building brands for the Arab market and the backend required to serve the demand.

• 
  Amr Shawqy ExpandCart
• 
  Ahmad Coucha FlapKap
• 
  Paul Dawalibi Holodeck Ventures

• 11:30 am
• 12:00 pm
• Start

In the context of a recession, many tech companies are laying off large parts of their workforce. Naturally, the question of flexibility and forms of collaboration is being raised. Building a remote team is a solid option to explore — but should companies hire full time employees? Contractors? Both? Come and learn from companies who have successfully built global, remote teams.

• 
  Mohammad Al-Razaz OTO
• 
  Kamal Reggad RemotePass
• 
  Salman Butt Salla
• 
  Ayman Hamdan Unifonic

• 11:40 am
• 12:00 pm
• Fintech

MENA's digital economy is evolving at pace and consumers in the region are some of the most digitally savvy in the world. Adoption and appetite for ecommerce continues to boom across the region. But with high adoption comes high expectation; customers are clamouring for best-in-class digital payments that are seamless and secure, and allow them to purchase exactly when, how and what they want. This session will explore the latest facts and figures around MENA's digital transformation - and explain what it means for ambitious merchants wanting to supercharge their growth in this thriving region.

• 
  Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo Checkout.com

• 11:40 am
• 12:10 pm
• Future

Blockchain has been gaining momentum among the public in the region for reasons that we might, or might not know. Regardless of its popularity the question of trust and security is still a major one both on the regulatory as well as the consumption levels. How are blockchain builders promoting trust and how is the blockchain security and trust different from that of cloud?

• 
  Jad Adnan AETHER
• 
  Sharene Lee TAKADAO
• 
  Mohammed Shah Knowledge Economic City
• 
  Ahmad Mushtaq Sohoby
• 
  Mohammed Al Wahaibi AL JABR

• 11:45 am
• 12:15 pm
• Start

Talking about startups merging and acquiring other regional startups, and power of regional IPOs, how does it reflect on the dynamics of the entire ecosystem, and what are the requisites for taking such a decision.

• 
  Ibrahim Abdel Rahim Moonbase Capital
• 
  Yazeed Alturki STV
• 
  Sameh Saleh Hawaya
• 
  Rawan Baddour Zest Equity
• 
  Nayef AlAthel Saudi Exchange Company

• 12:05 pm
• 12:35 pm
• Start

Talent gap in the tech startup space is common in the MENA region with some differences from one market to another. Remote work has helped in sourcing talent from all around the world however it did affect many aspects of the local talent pool, discussing skills that need to be priotitized for local talent, the enhancement of tech talent supply and the role of the “Made in Saudi” initiative in empowering local talent.

• 
  Noor Al-Marzoky WorkshopX
• 
  Nathalie Spree TrueSearch
• 
  Emon Shakoor Blossom Accelerator
• 
  Tarek Salam Deel
• 
  Ali Alasiri Meila Digital

• 12:05 pm
• 12:25 pm
• Fintech

• 
  Yeshas Nakshathri CleverTap

• 12:15 pm
• 12:45 pm
• Future

Data-driven healthcare systems and technology integrations in promoting longevity.

• 
  Dr.Suliman M. Alblowi Karaz Platform منصة كرز
• 
  Sabine Zureikat Truelli

• 12:20 pm
• 12:50 pm
• Digital

Earlier this year the interest in NFTs has fallen dramatically after a long time hype. Questions on whether or not the NFT bubble has burst have risen and questions are yet to be asked to artists and creatives. Is the NFT space a bull or a bear? Will there be a shift in use of NFTs? What does it mean for artists?

• 
  Nourah Feteih Whtstonez

• 12:30 pm
• 12:45 am
• Future

Understanding SaaS unit economics has become even more important for tech companies in MENA. ZenHR's Cofounder & CEO, Yousef Shamoun, brings you the top 5 SaaS Unit Economics to watch out for in 2023.

• 
  Yousef Shamoun ZenHR

• 12:40 pm
• 1:10 pm
• Start

There's been more awareness on angel investing in the region and especially in Saudi Arabia, what are the reasons for the raised awareness, is it a sign for a maturing market?

• 
  Abdullah Alaraj Riyadh Angel Investors
• 
  Emon Shakoor Blossom Accelerator
• 
  Lama Naseer Aanaab
• 
  Vijay Tirathrai Techstars
• 
  Khaled Talhouni Nuwa Capital

• 12:50 pm
• 1:20 pm
• Fintech

Financial services building the foundation of Saudi Arabia's fintech hub, turning the economy cashless by 2030 takes high security and high adoption of digital payment solutions, what's the current state of the financial systems in Saudi Arabia? And how is P2P accelrating the digital payments adoption?

• 
  Noel Connolly NOW Money
• 
  Mohamed Jawabri Lendo
• 
  Haider Syed Faloos
• 
  Sarah Toukan Ziina
• 
  Mohammed Alkhowaiter Tap Payments

• 12:55 pm
• 1:25 pm
• Digital

The KSA gaming industry is currently valued at $1 billion and is expected to grow to $2.5 billion by 2030. Saudi Arabia has been an early adopter of the gaming and e-sports space in the region and with the way the industry is unfolding it's looking more promising than ever. We are going to look at how entrepreneurs are riding the wave and the potential integrations with corporates.

• 
  Paul Dawalibi Holodeck Ventures
• 
  Brian Ward Savvy Games
• 
  Majdi Kamel Allulu Grintafy

• 1:25 pm
• 1:55 pm
• Start

Successful stories regarding entrepreneurs and founders who established their brands in a market that is not yet regulated.

• 
  Mohamed Amine Merah BIM Ventures

• 1:30 pm
• 2:00 pm
• Digital

Consumption of podcasts in Saudi Arabia is large and keeps increasing year-on-year. Content ranging from entertainment, art, sports, religion, news, well-being, education, comedy, to technology. We'll chat with podcasters and storytellers on their journeys and what changes and challenges they've seen in the market over the years.

• 
  Manal Assaad Valtech Germany
• 
  Abdulaziz Alhudian مايكس للبودكاست | Micspod
• 
  Eman Sobhy What If - ماذا لو

• 2:00 pm
• 2:30 pm
• Fintech

Discussing the buy now pay later effects on the provider and the retailer, what are the main challenges that providers are facing and how are they getting retailers to hop on that model.

• 
  Abdulrahman Almalki HyperPay
• 
  Abdulaziz Saja Tabby
• 
  Ammar AlMadani Sahala

• 2:00 pm
• 2:05 pm
• Wellness

The wellness track covers all topics related to lifestyle, mental health, femtech, and more.

• 2:00 pm
• 2:10 pm
• Wellness

• 2:00 pm
• 2:30 pm
• Digital

Merging art with brands, activities and loyalty programs. What is shaping the consumers' experiences? And how can brands leverage marketing channels to reach their target market?

• 
  Cheryl King Markettiers
• 
  Maria Gedeon Gedeon Mohr & Partners
• 
  Ahmed Khairy Gameball

• 2:05 pm
• 2:10 pm
• Wellness

• 
  Fares Ghandour Tuhoon

• 2:10 pm
• 2:40 pm
• Wellness

• 
  Fares Ghandour Tuhoon
• 
  Dr. Yasmin Altwaijri King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center
• 
  HRH Fahad Bandar Al Saud Totem

• 2:10 pm
• 2:30 pm
• Wellness

• 
  Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa Tuhoon

• 2:30 pm
• 3:00 pm
• Wellness

Highlighting the difference between wellbeing and mental health, discussing the state of each in the Kingdom and the way forward for healthy work life synergies.

• 
  Fares Ghandour Tuhoon
• 
  Latifah AlEssa Ayadi
• 
  Basim Albeladi Labayh
• 
  Emon Shakoor Blossom Accelerator

• 2:35 pm
• 3:05 pm
• Start

Being a first time founder is tricky especially when it comes to finances and projections of costs and capital needed to achieve milestones for the business. Founders will come together to share their experiences on their ventures and discuss practical strategies that worked for them to manage and project finances for their businesses.

• 
  Aboudi Al-Qatta DASH Ventures
• 
  Mohamed Khaled Hotdesk
• 
  Shereen Tawfiq Balinca
• 
  Tarek Mounir Enhance Fitness
• 
  Nida Sumar 60 Day Startups

• 2:35 pm
• 3:05 pm
• Future

Looking at the Web3 landscape in Saudi Arabia and how the integrations will look like for businesses in the market.

• 
  Haninder P. Singh StrategyConnect
• 
  Tala Al Jabri Angel Investor
• 
  Vincent Ghossoub Nifty Craft
• 
  Yasser Alobaidan Jawraa

• 3:00 pm
• 3:30 pm
• Digital

The Kingdom aims to invest $64 billion in entertainment and amusement over the next 10 years. How is this reflecting on local activities and what does it mean to event organizers?

• 
  Ahmad Al Masri Progressive Generation Studios
• 
  Adnan Haque Spades
• 
  Richard Fitzgerald Augustus Media

• 3:00 pm
• 3:30 pm
• Fintech

Startups easing the institutional adoption of financial technologies, how will that adoption affect the dynamics of SMEs and corporations financial departments. Discussing the integration of fintech solutions in SMEs and corporates, where it play a role in enhancing efficiency in companies, and which solutions will be the most adopted across corporates in the coming 5 years.

• 
  Shady Badr AMWAL
• 
  Mohammed AlMAdhi Mohasby
• 
  Ahmed Nawasrah Salma AI, a Mawdoo3 company
• 
  Faisal Al Bitar Tamatem

• 3:05 pm
• 3:35 pm
• Wellness

The awareness on diets and healthy food is increasing among the population in Saudi Arabia, going from eat outs to growing your own food and following strict diets has changed the dynamics of the market. Discussing the best ways of perceiving diets and finding the right fit for your physical and mental wellbeing.

• 
  Noora S. Al-Askar Nutribox Healthy Living WLL.
• 
  Soniya Ashar NutriCal
• 
  Sabine El Najjar Kitopi

• 3:05 pm
• 3:35 pm
• Wellness

Discussing the building blocks of a social impact startup infrastructure. What's required in the infrastructure of an ecosystem to drive more social entrepreneurship, and who are the enablers in Saudi Arabia?

• 
  David Munir Nabti Bloom
• 
  Dania Al Masri Khadoum
• 
  Lujain AL Ubaid Tasamy
• 
  Muna AbuSulayman Transform VC

• 3:10 pm
• 3:40 pm
• Future

A discussion on how the adoption Agritech is a stepping stone for food security. What's required for agritech founders aiming to serve food security.

• 
  Nadim Taoubi Natufia
• 
  Abdel Rahman Alzubaidi Ivvest
• 
  Alexandre Allegue Graze-it

• 3:10 pm
• 3:40 pm
• Digital

The struggle of monetizing without compromising content is real, although many creators are figuring out creative strategies to do it by integrating lifestyle into the equation, what is the long term play for monetizing content?

• 
  Atul Hegde YAAP
• 
  Hashem Zahran Flicron
• 
  Faisal Al-sheikh Mohtwize
• 
  Arshad Zaheer Crayons Communications

• 3:35 pm
• 4:05 pm
• Digital

• 
  Osama Ali Veda Holding
• 
  Mazen ALdhrrab ZID
• 
  Mohammed Alarifi Floward
• 
  Ahmed Khairy Gameball

• 3:35 pm
• 4:05 pm
• Fintech

The grounds to know when testing in a sandbox as founders, what to test and how to make the best use of the playground.

• 
  Sonia Gokhale VentureSouq
• 
  Nosaibah Alrajhi Forus
• 
  Naif AbuSaida Hakbah Fintech
• 
  Saeid Hejazi Wally

• 3:40 pm
• 3:55 pm
• Wellness

Discussing the evolved habit of being disconnected from nature, what are we really doing to acheive sustainable economies that serve humanity inside out? How are we measuring the success of every technological initiative and project that economies are working to achieve?

• 
  Raghad Fathaddin Sangha "Estidama Hub"

• 3:45 pm
• 4:15 pm
• Start

With the global economic situation worldwide being unstable, investors are hesitant about international activities especially towards emerging markets. In this chat we'll talk about the role of local and regional investors in decreasing the effect of the global activities on local startup scenes with solutions like sovereign funds and fund of funds.

• 
  Rakan Alrashed Access Bridge Ventures
• 
  Ibrahim Alhejailan Plus Venture Capital
• 
  Ahmed Mirghani BIM Ventures
• 
  Tala Al Jabri Angel Investor
• 
  Athary Almubarak Jada Fund of Funds

• 3:45 pm
• 4:15 pm
• Future

Discussing real estate in the Kingdom

• 
  Razan Amoush International Producer
• 
  Manar Mahmassani Stake
• 
  Aahan Bhojani Silkhaus
• 
  Haroon Rashid Bayut Saudi Arabia

• 4:00 pm
• 4:30 pm
• Wellness

The state of circular economy in Saudi Arabia and the awareness of sustainability and its evolution over the past years. What is the role of investors, founders and regulators in enhancing and promoting the growth of this space? And why is it important?

• 
  Hatem Altariqi SIP Global Partners
• 
  Feras Al Safwan Wa'ed Ventures
• 
  Mansoor Banaja AMUSED CO

• 4:00 pm
• 4:30 pm
• Wellness

Technology integration in fitness has been gaining massive adoption over the last few years, an adoption that's here to stay. In this session we will be discussing the state of the fitness space in Saudi Arabia, evolution of the fitness perception, technology integration and trajectory as well as the effects of fitness on the quality of life and lifestyle in our societies and economies.

• 
  Teodora Pantu Dizrupt
• 
  Norah Ali Alyusuf Quality of Life Program Center
• 
  Alwaleed Alkeaid ElCoach

• 4:10 pm
• 4:40 pm
• Start

Growing and scaling are great. But only when you keep it exciting for your consumers. Where do founders fail when growing while staying innovative and true to their core?

• 
  Shahad Geoffrey Taffi
• 
  Ali Al Ebrahim COFE
• 
  Dr. Zeger Degraeve MBS College
• 
  Musaab Hakami VentureSouq
• 
  Dr. Lama Hakem KAUST

• 4:10 pm
• 4:40 pm
• Fintech

Fintech founders discussing their experience with launching fintech solutions, what to expect and what not to expect from the regional ecosystem, and infrastructure.

• 
  Mustafa F. Ahmed KFUPM Business School | Speed Digital (Ascend E-Ventures)
• 
  Reem Ikram Thriftplan
• 
  Maha Touk Majid Al Futtaim
• 
  Dr.Mansour Albarrak Saudi Electronic University
• 
  Mansour Alharbi Dawul

• 4:20 pm
• 4:50 pm
• Future

Mobility startups are playing a role in improving transportation infrastuctures and making people's lives easier, there are several factors to consider when talking mobility from energy to public services all the way to the actual infrastructure. What can mobility founders tell us about the state of transportation in Saudi Arabia?

• 
  Chris Wossala Swapp
• 
  Imad Hammad CarSwitch

• 4:20 pm
• 4:50 pm
• Digital

Exploring the opportunities of in-app ads and strategies on maintaining a good user experience and loyalty. 

• 
  Tamer Kassem Audiomob
• 
  Mohammed Al-Shaker ArabiaWeather
• 
  Aladdin Abukhalaf Nabd

• 4:35 pm
• 5:05 pm
• Wellness

To build a culture around well-being, the HR/people's team needs a holistic understanding of employees' well-being. How are employers learning about the space to build the right programs for their employees and satisfy the physical wellness.

• 
  Vaibhav Kashyap Wellx
• 
  Hasibah Alaskandrani Jovia

• 4:45 pm
• 5:15 pm
• Start

Why are Venture Builders and Studios becoming more popular? How is Venture Building changing the dynamics of building and funding?

• 
  Mohammad Alhokail Enhance Ventures
• 
  Ibrahim AlShaya Unifonic
• 
  Yana El Dirani Modus Capital
• 
  Rayan Alsharif BIM Ventures

• 5:20 pm
• 5:50 pm
• Start

The volume of SaaS solutions in the region is relatively small comapred to other regions, discussing the need to promote the space for more solution building tailored to the region and learning from SaaS founders on the challenges faced when going to market.

• 
  Zaid Derbi staq.io
• 
  Ayham Gorani Pemo
• 
  Faisal Albaraiki Slide
• 
  Bassam ARAYS ALLUP APP

• 5:55 pm
• 6:30 pm
• Start