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AGENDA
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Investor Lounge
Startup Showcase
Sharjah's Little Founder
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Doubletree Hilton Sharjah
BOOK YOUR PASS
SEF'26
AGENDA
Check out the sessions and connections that will shape the future of media, content and entertainment, bookmark your favourites, and don’t miss the future-shaping moments
31 JAN - 1 FEB 2026
SPARK, SHARJAH, UAE
BOOK YOUR PASS
THEY ARE COMING
5000+ FOUNDERS
500+ VCS ARE JOINING
THEY ARE COMING
5000+ FOUNDERS
500+ VCS ARE JOINING
THEY ARE COMING
5000+ FOUNDERS
500+ VCS ARE JOINING
ALL SESSIONS
ALL SESSIONS
TALK
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MASTERCLASS
ACTIVATION
PERFORMANCE
ALL TRACKS
ALL STAGES
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CREATIVE
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ACTIVATIONS
MADE IN SHARJAH
PERFORMANCES
ACROSS THE VENUE
31 JAN
1 FEB
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Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
11:30 am
-
12:30 pm
Geo Game-Changer: Turning Geolocation Data into Profit
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Isaias Thomas Biju
Head of UX/UI Design, Year 2- BSc Computer Science, Heriot Watt, Dubai.
2000
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
11:30 am
-
1:30 pm
Coil Method Pottery Workshop
Made in Sharjah
SPEAKERs
Shahid Altaf
Plastic Artist
2000
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
11:30 am
-
1:30 pm
The Art of Warak: Haya Bishouty's Vine Leaf Rolling Workshop
SEF Eats
SPEAKERs
Haya Bishouty
Founder, Haya's Kitchen
2000
moderator
No items found.
Masterclass
Jan 31, 2026
11:30 am
-
1:00 pm
From Fear to Confidence: The 90-Minute Speaking Transformation
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Hicham El Amrani
Consultant & VIP Senior Trainer
126
moderator
No items found.
Talk
Jan 31, 2026
12:10 pm
-
12:30 pm
MENA's 2026 Startup Ecosystem: Current State and Future Trends
Founder
SPEAKERs
Peji Kanani
Regional Lead, MEA, Carta
26
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
12:30 pm
-
1:30 pm
From Solo to Squad: Building Your A-Team
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Jessy Abraham
Founder & CEO, Thrive People HR Consultancies
38
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Jan 31, 2026
12:30 pm
-
1:00 pm
What Does the Next Year of Venture Capital Look Like
Founder
SPEAKERs
Tushar Singhvi
Principal Investments, Crescent Group
2000
Christos Mastoras
Founder & Managing Partner, lliad Partners
51
Paula Tavangar
Chief Investment Officer, Injaz Capital
52
Tala Al Jabri
Founder & Managing Partner, Wyld VC
53
moderator
Jamie Lane
Co-Founder, FWDstart
Masterclass
Jan 31, 2026
1:00 pm
-
2:30 pm
Money Mastery 101: The Do’s & Don'ts Of Saving & Investing
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Shahd Abdelhadi
Co-Founder, Women Who Invest & Head of Growth, Takadao
76
moderator
No items found.
Masterclass
Jan 31, 2026
1:00 pm
-
2:30 pm
A SEF Photowalk With Your Phone
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Ayah Ballout
Filmmaker, Creative Director & Artist
2000
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
1:30 pm
-
2:30 pm
An Unfiltered Look into Building a Business
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Lauren Hamilton
Founder, RideSkipper
2000
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Jan 31, 2026
1:30 pm
-
2:00 pm
The Value of a Founder's Lens in VC
Founder
SPEAKERs
Sami Khoreibi
Co-Founder & CEO, Wisewell
54
Allen Lau
Co-founder & Operating Partner, Two Small Fish Ventures
Sharif Farha
Partner & Head of Investments, HB Investments
56
Noor Shawwa
Venture Partner, Global Ventures
57
moderator
Ahlem Mahroua
Founder & Growth Systems Expert, nova* ; Growth Advisor, Kutb
Panel Discussion
Jan 31, 2026
2:00 pm
-
2:30 pm
Arabic First: Building Native AI for MENA
Founder
SPEAKERs
Fatima Al Kaabi
Inventor & Co-Founder, AlEmirati
80
Fouad Jeryes
Co-Founder & President, Maqsam
31
Hassan Hamdan
CEO, Elements & Co-Founder, Unifonic
26
Muhammed Khalid
Founder & CEO, Airev
2000
moderator
Elizaveta Vartanian
Co-founder, AIEmirati
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
2:30 pm
-
3:30 pm
Cash is King: Taking Control of Cash Flow as You Scale
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Ivan Jesus
Founder & CEO, Finalytics
2000
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
2:30 pm
-
3:30 pm
Conscious Cuisine: Whole-Ingredient Cooking Workshop
SEF Eats
SPEAKERs
Judy Karkour
Chef & Founder, Ode by Judy
128
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
2:30 pm
-
3:30 pm
Herbal Blends: Anemoia Tea Party
Expression Zone
SPEAKERs
Mariam Al Theraawi
Herbalist, Anemoia Wellness
63
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
2:30 pm
-
3:30 pm
Polymer Clay Charms Workshop
Made in Sharjah
SPEAKERs
Reem Hassan
Dentist & Polymer Clay Artist
2000
moderator
No items found.
Masterclass
Jan 31, 2026
2:30 pm
-
4:00 pm
Artificial Intelligence Automation for Businesses
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Philip Wride
Marketing Technologist, Speaker, Author & Founder, Find Your Freedom Club
27
moderator
No items found.
Talk
Jan 31, 2026
2:45 pm
-
3:15 pm
Masculinity in the New Age
Community
SPEAKERs
Ali Ilyas
Clinical Psychologist, Monarch Health Centers
47
moderator
Punam Verma
TV & Radio Journalist, Dubai Eye Radio
Panel Discussion
Jan 31, 2026
3:00 pm
-
3:30 pm
Pitch, Pivot or Drop: When should you let go & when should you pivot?
Founder
SPEAKERs
Eyad Al Kassar
CEO & Founder, Qlub
24
Bassel El Koussa
CEO & Co-founder, Quiqup
25
moderator
Nader Aboulhosn
Programs Manager - Ecosystem Development, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (SHERAA)
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
3:30 pm
-
4:30 pm
AI Product Building for Tech Founders
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Shaher Tayfour
Founder, Coders Launchpad
2000
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Jan 31, 2026
3:30 pm
-
4:00 pm
Designing Tech for the Modern Family's Needs
Founder
SPEAKERs
Torkia Mahloul
Co-Founder & CEO, Ovasave
60
Lida Ahmadi
Co-Founder & CEO, Monix
2000
Christin Toubia
Strategy & Growth Healthcare Consultant; Co-Founder, FounderStudio
2000
moderator
Esraa Fakeih
Co-Founder & CPO, Gees Health
Masterclass
Jan 31, 2026
4:00 pm
-
5:30 pm
Building Your AI Workflow for Storytelling and Creativity
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Khaled Iskandar
AI Educator & Workflow Strategist, Zkandar AI
133
moderator
No items found.
Talk
Jan 31, 2026
4:00 pm
-
4:30 pm
Secondaries Explained: Creating Liquidity Before an Exit
Founder
SPEAKERs
Parthi Duraisamy
Co-founder & CEO, Alaan
58
moderator
Basil Moftah
Managing Partner, Key Capital
Talk
Jan 31, 2026
4:25 pm
-
4:45 pm
Where Commerce Meets Culture: The New Playbook for Region-Born Global Icons
Community
SPEAKERs
Nadine Kanso
Creative Director & Founder, Bil Arabi
80
moderator
Aalia Mehreen Ahmed
Features Editor, Entrepreneur Middle East
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
4:30 pm
-
6:30 pm
Heritage in Pixels: Miniature Charms Creation Workshop
Made in Sharjah
SPEAKERs
Abeer Dawoud
Digital Artist
2000
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
4:30 pm
-
5:30 pm
Introduction to Space & Satellite Development
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Abdullah Al Salmani
Co-Founder & CEO, SpacePoint “Space.”
40
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
4:30 pm
-
6:30 pm
Chocolate Crafting with Co-Chocolat
SEF Eats
SPEAKERs
Iman Suguitan
CEO & Co-Founder, Co Chocolat; Founder, Ahsant Premium Hotel Supplies
100066
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Jan 31, 2026
4:30 pm
-
6:30 pm
Co Chocolat Natural Skincare Ritual Workshop
Expression Zone
SPEAKERs
Julie Evans
Clinical Herbalist & Kundalini Global Yoga Teacher
771000
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Jan 31, 2026
4:30 pm
-
5:00 pm
Leading Scale-ups in Emerging Markets
Founder
SPEAKERs
Martin Rohland
CEO, Baly
2000
Muhammad Omer Khan
Founder & CEO, PostEx
20
Azizjon Azimi
Founder & CEO, zypl.ai; Chair, AI Council of Tajikstan
2000
moderator
Youssef Salem
CFO, ADNOC Drilling
Panel Discussion
Jan 31, 2026
4:45 pm
-
5:15 pm
Nourish to Flourish: How Intuitive Eating Fuels Lifelong Wellness
Community
SPEAKERs
Layla Al Naif
Holistic nutritionist
81
Mirna Sabbagh
Entrepreneur & Dietitian. Founder, Puraface, Kokowipes & Co-Founder, Nohm
97
moderator
Nathalie Curabba
Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Health-supportive Chef & Sustainability Manager, AUS
Panel Discussion
Jan 31, 2026
5:00 pm
-
5:30 pm
What Happens When Two Worlds Collide: The Story of Athletes Turned Founders
Founder
SPEAKERs
Vadim Fedotov
Chairman & Co-Founder, Bioniq
18
Idriss Al Rifai
Co-Founder & CEO, Flow48
87
moderator
Tamara Pupic
Managing Editor, Entrepreneur Middle East
Masterclass
Jan 31, 2026
5:30 pm
-
7:00 pm
How to Make a Full-Time Income with a Part-Time Audience: A Roadmap for Aspiring Creators
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Dr. Amina Younis
Educational Content Creator, AI Consultant, Academic Coach & Founder, The Page Doctor
2000
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Jan 31, 2026
5:30 pm
-
6:00 pm
Career Pivots: A Lawyer, Engineer & Biomed Grad Pivot into Start-up
Founder
SPEAKERs
Tayeb Hassan
Co-Founder, Nafsi Health
2000
Omar Ebeid
Founder & CEO, Zeal
25
Ali Al Alawi
Co-Founder & CEO, Unipal
30
moderator
Izma Fatima
SEF Ambassador & President, AUS Entrepreneurship Club
Activation
Jan 31, 2026
6:30 pm
-
7:30 pm
Mat Pilates with Squat Wolf
Community
SPEAKERs
Yuhann John
Brand Marketing - Events and Partnerships, SQUATWOLF
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
11:00 am
-
1:00 pm
Co Chocolat DIY Botanical Remedies Lab Workshop
Expression Zone
SPEAKERs
Julie Evans
Clinical Herbalist & Kundalini Global Yoga Teacher
771000
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
11:00 am
-
1:00 pm
Coil Method Pottery Workshop
Made in Sharjah
SPEAKERs
Shahid Altaf
Plastic Artist
2000
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
11:00 am
-
1:00 pm
Master Manty Making with Chef Azhar Katarbayeva- Dastarkhaan
SEF Eats
SPEAKERs
Azhar Katarbayeva
Brand Manager & Owner, Dastarkhaan Super Club
65
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Feb 1, 2026
11:00 am
-
11:30 am
Where Should MENA Invest in 2026?
Founder
SPEAKERs
Ola Doudin
Co-Founder & CEO, BitOasis
17
Nadine Mezher
Co-founder & CEO, Nawa
19
Manar Mahmassani
Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Stake
33
Tarik Chebib
CEO Middle East, Capital.com
35
moderator
Chaymae Samir
Founder, THIRD
Panel Discussion
Feb 1, 2026
11:00 am
-
11:30 am
Rewriting Early Childhood Education in MENA
Community
SPEAKERs
Jacqueline Perrottet
Founder & CEO, Hoopla
115
Rana Dajani
Social Innovator & Scientist; Professor, Hashemite University
300
Lenka Basweidan
Founder & CEO, arabee
Reem Madkour
Founder, Dardasha
60
moderator
Aalia Thobani
Founder & CEO, The Brain Accelerator
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
11:30 am
-
12:30 pm
AI-Powered Success: Unlocking Business Success with ChatGPT
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Shiemaa Adlan
Data Science Specialist - Technical Lead, Ministry of Health & Prevention UAE
93
moderator
No items found.
Masterclass
Feb 1, 2026
11:30 am
-
1:00 pm
Personal Branding for Founders
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Dr. Mohamed Nagia
Content Creator & Founder, The Mayor Marketing Agency
86
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Feb 1, 2026
11:30 am
-
12:00 pm
Financing Models Start‑ups Don’t Always Know About
Founder
SPEAKERs
Armineh Baghoomian
Managing Director, Head of MENA & Co-Head, Global Fintech, Partners for Growth
2000
Omair Ansari
Founder, Abhi
31
Dhanush Arjun
Co-founder & CEO, Zelo
2000
moderator
Erika Welch
Co-Founder & CCO, Lucidity Insights
Panel Discussion
Feb 1, 2026
12:00 pm
-
12:30 pm
When You are Literally Shooting for the Moon: Building Tech for Space
Founder
SPEAKERs
Dana Baki
Chief Commercial & People Officer, The Exploration Company
2000
Shareef Al Romaithi
Founder & CEO, Madari Space
40
moderator
Abdullah Al Salmani
Co-Founder & CEO, SpacePoint “Space.”
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
12:30 pm
-
1:30 pm
Mastering the Moment With The Art of Improv
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Ayah Ballout
Filmmaker, Creative Director & Artist
2000
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Feb 1, 2026
12:30 pm
-
1:00 pm
How Do You Know You Found Product-Market Fit? The Serial Entrepreneurs Tell Us All
Founder
SPEAKERs
Sundeep Sahni
CEO, Valeo Health
62
Fahmi Al Shawwa
Founder & CEO, Immensa
80
Bunty Monani
Founder & CEO, Zofeur
2000
Anuscha Iqbal
Co-Founder & CEO, Qanooni AI
moderator
No items found.
Masterclass
Feb 1, 2026
1:00 pm
-
2:30 pm
AI Prompt Engineering for Creatives
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Sufyan Al Hussein
Executive Creative Director, 33 Creatives
98
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Feb 1, 2026
1:00 pm
-
1:30 pm
Build in Public: Founders Exposing the Startup Build Process
Founder
SPEAKERs
Walid Dib
Founder, Better
46
Jon Santillan
Co-Founder & CEO, OCTA
45
moderator
Ahmad Takatkah
Partner, Sadu Capital
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
1:30 pm
-
2:30 pm
Pricing with Purpose- Overcoming Guilt and Charging with Confidence
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Scheherazade Hasan
Founder, Scheherazade Hasan Wealth Coaching
57
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
2:00 pm
-
4:00 pm
Mastering Calligraphy with Studio N
Expression Zone
SPEAKERs
Naziya Sawant
Founder & Luxury Calligrapher, Studio N Calligraphy Co
300
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
2:00 pm
-
4:00 pm
Ferment & Flour: Sourdough Starter & Milk Kefir Workshop by Tabchilli
SEF Eats
SPEAKERs
Maher El Tabchy
Founder & CEO, Tabchilli
92
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
2:00 pm
-
3:00 pm
Polymer Clay Charms Workshop
Made in Sharjah
SPEAKERs
Reem Hassan
Dentist & Polymer Clay Artist
2000
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Feb 1, 2026
2:00 pm
-
2:30 pm
Designing Education for Real Life
Founder
SPEAKERs
Arman Khederlarian
CEO & Co-Founder, Maharat
42
Hamdi Tabbaa
CEO & Co-Founder, Abwaab
45
Andy Coxall
Managing Director, EvolveCareers
2000
moderator
Alaa El Gamal
Founder & CEO, Bulbul
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
2:30 pm
-
3:30 pm
From Chaos to Clarity: The Art of Creative Focus
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Kiran Sajwani
Design & Innovation Strategist
143
moderator
No items found.
Masterclass
Feb 1, 2026
2:30 pm
-
4:00 pm
Beyond the Swipe: The Next Era of Payments
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Aleksandr Kuzmichev
Senior Director, Head of Business Planning & Operations for GCC Sub-Region, Visa Middle East
2000
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Feb 1, 2026
3:30 pm
-
4:00 pm
Building Food Systems that Feed, not Fail
Founder
SPEAKERs
Edward Hamod
Founder & CEO, Switch Foods
49
Daniel Solomon
Founder & CEO, HeroGo
2000
Zaynab Elhaj
Founder, Save Me
2000
Hachem Mahfoud
Founder & CEO, RBT Collective
99
moderator
Nadine Zidani
Founder & CEO, MENA Impact
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
3:30 pm
-
4:30 pm
Hidden Costs That Kill UAE Startups: How to Budget Right, Control Cash Flow, and Hit Break-Even Faster
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Mohamed Yasin
Founder & CEO, DEPIX
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
4:00 pm
-
6:00 pm
Heritage in Pixels: Miniature Charms Creation Workshop
Made in Sharjah
SPEAKERs
Abeer Dawoud
Digital Artist
2000
moderator
No items found.
Masterclass
Feb 1, 2026
4:00 pm
-
5:30 pm
Beat The Burn: Burnout & Stress Prevention Strategies
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Kareem Esmail
Founder & CEO, Mental Health Hub
30
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
4:30 pm
-
5:30 pm
Is Your GTM Fundable? A Reality Check for MENA Founders
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Sanjana Raheja
Founder, Off The Record & MENA Partner, Strategy Tools
2000
moderator
No items found.
Panel Discussion
Feb 1, 2026
4:30 pm
-
5:00 pm
Modernising the Cornerstone of Civilization: Technology in Agriculture & Sustainability
Founder
SPEAKERs
Dr. Azam Pasha
Co-Founder & CEO, Maalexi
68
Hassan Fayed
Founder & CEO, Aydi
2000
Alp Katalan
MENA Commercial Lead, Desolenator
136
moderator
Ragy Ramadan Ahmed Shehata
Founder & CEO, NoorNation
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
5:00 pm
-
7:00 pm
The Embroidered Canvas: Cross-Stitching Workshop
Expression Zone
SPEAKERs
Melanie Maliwat
Workshop Facilitator & Maraya Cafe Coordinator, Maraya Art Centre
2000
moderator
No items found.
Workshop
Feb 1, 2026
5:30 pm
-
7:00 pm
The Essential Steps to Start Your Entrepreneurial Journey
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Shamma Saeed Binlahij
Certified Entrepreneurship Consultant & Co-Founder, Sahab Vacation Homes LLC
2000
moderator
No items found.
Masterclass
Feb 1, 2026
5:30 pm
-
7:00 pm
Demystifying the Mechanics of Equity Fundraising
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Rawan Alsamawi
Sales & Partnerships- Startups, Carta
140
moderator
No items found.
Masterclass
Feb 1, 2026
5:30 pm
-
7:00 pm
A SEF Photowalk With Your DSLR Camera
SEF Academy
SPEAKERs
Ayah Ballout
Filmmaker, Creative Director & Artist
2000
moderator
No items found.
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