--- title: "Highlights of Seedstars MENA Summit 2018" url: https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/highlights-seedstars-mena-summit-2018/ --- 1. [HOME](/) 2. [RESOURCES](/content-hub/) 3. [NEWSROOM](/content-hub/newsroom/) 4. HIGHLIGHTS OF SEEDSTARS MENA SUMMIT 2018 ![Highlights of Seedstars MENA Summit 2018](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/ELI_6423.2e16d0ba.fill-1140x400_1.max-1500x500.jpg) MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA • TECHNOLOGY ## Highlights of Seedstars MENA Summit 2018 Nadia Mykhalevych DEC. 10, 2018 3 days, 351 attendees, 45 investors, 119 startup founders, 21 countries represented, 303 one-on-one meetings, thousands of ground-breaking ideas — the [Seedstars MENA Summit](https://www.seedstarsworld.com/event/Seedstars-MENA-2018?__hstc=242025565.6bbcb081131dc9d7244b7d54333b96b6.1600346907331.1604315324639.1604325174754.13&__hssc=242025565.39.1604325174754&__hsfp=3717253829) numbers are impressive, but it goes beyond the numbers. It’s about people’s stories, valuable connections, impact, learning by doing, ‘wow’ moments, and strong community spirit. #### WRITTEN BY ![None](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Nadia_Mykhalevych.max-376x376.jpg) CONTENT MARKETING MANAGER Nadia Mykhalevych [CONTACT US](/contact-us/) This year, the Summit took place on November 27-29 in Beirut, Lebanon, and was packed with practical events such as two startup bootcamps powered by [touch](http://www.touch.com.lb/) and Seedstars, the Beyond Banking Hackathon by [Bank Audi](https://www.bankaudi.com.lb/personal-banking), an Investor Forum and a HealthTech Workshop powered by [the Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL)](http://investinlebanon.gov.lb/), and many more. ![MENA Regional Summit](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/LUMA0336.width-800.width-800.jpg) > “We're very proud to have supported Seedstars in Lebanon again this year and are happy to have received very positive feedback from both attendees and our internal management team. It was great exposure for the company which got to showcase how it has been supporting entrepreneurship in Lebanon and helping the local ecosystem grow." > > LARA AMMAR FROM TOUCH, OUR PLATINUM PARTNER. We were lucky to host keynote speeches of such well-known entrepreneurs as Mr Emre Gurkan, CEO of [touch](http://www.touch.com.lb/autoforms/portal/touch), Mr Sharif El Badawi, a partner at [500 Startups](https://500.co/), and Mr Bassem Saad, Chief Executive Officer at [Queen Rania Foundation](https://www.qrf.org/). ![MENA Regional Summit](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/ELI_5682.width-800.width-800.jpg) Among various highlights of the Summit was a fireside chat with American entrepreneur, advisor, and investor in interactive technologies and social communications, Christopher M. Schroeder, where he shared his insights on the state of entrepreneurship in the MENA region and the power of technology in transforming our lives. ![MENA Regional Summit](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/shroeder_.width-800.width-800.jpg) > “What amazes me the most is not the technology itself, but the accessibility of it.” > > CHRISTOPHER SCHROEDER In addition to the numerous activities of the Summit, the Seedstars MADA Best Arabic Assistive Technology Startup Competition also took place concurrently. [Bonocle](http://bonocle.co/), a device that offers a more affordable and portable way for people with visual impairments to access the digital content in Braille, was crowned with the title and received a $10K USD-award for further product development from [MADA Assistive Technology Center](http://mada.org.qa/). ![MENA Regional Summit](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/ELI_6227.width-800.width-800.jpg) This year’s Summit also became a meeting point for startups and investors at a private Investor Forum powered by our partner IDAL. Twenty-two startups including 6 Lebanese ones selected by Seedstars and IDAL had the chance to partake in one-on-one meetings with 15 Lebanese, 16 regional, and 10 international investors. ![MENA Regional Summit](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/ELI_4809.width-800.width-800.jpg) ## **Beyond Banking Hackathon** During the Beyond Banking Hackathon by Bank Audi, 20 selected participants worked on their ideas to tackle different challenges. These ranged from reinventing the digital banking user experience and creating a personal touch in banking, to reimagining the banking e-advisor and rethinking the customer’s lending, saving, and transacting journeys. At the end of the hackathon, Go Ahead, an automated financial planner that provides users with a personalized financial plan, follows up with them along the way and offers them recommendations to improve their buying and spending, won the $5K USD prize as well as follow-on support from Bank Audi. ![MENA Regional Summit](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/LUMA0279.width-800.width-800.jpg) ## **HealthTech Workshop by IDAL** To address healthcare issues in the MENA region, this year, we partnered with IDAL and its Business Support Unit (BSU) that supports Lebanese entrepreneurs by providing them with the right tools and skills to succeed in their businesses. Technologies have great potential to help us live healthier and longer lives, and the question to be asked would be how we can accelerate the progress in medicine and benefit from technology, from today. To figure out the possible answers, we brought together a diverse group of 29 thought leaders, healthcare experts, entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals to attend a 3-hour workshop. The participants discussed topics such as telemedicine, big data, machine learning and blockchain, and came up with an action plan helping to build the healthcare system of tomorrow. They worked implementing the root causes analysis methodology and peer-to-peer brainstorm. To continue the further collaboration, participants proposed to organize think tanks, hackathons, and workshops aimed at raising awareness, learning and generating ideas for healthtech. ![MENA Regional Summit](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/LUMA0127.width-800.width-800.jpg) ## **Startup Pitches** The [12 MENA finalist startups](https://www.seedstars.com/magazine/find-out-names-12-finalists-middle-east-and-north-africa/) pitched on stage and prepared themselves for the finals in April 2019. They will travel to Switzerland to represent their countries at the Seedstars Summit. The trip is part of the prize for having won their Seedstars World local competitions and will have them competing with +65 finalists from all over the world for the title of Seedstars Global Winner and up to $1M USD in equity investment and other prizes. ![MENA Regional Summit](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/ELI_4613.width-800.width-800.jpg) ![MENA Regional Summit](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/icon_2.width-500.width-800.png) ## **‘Quotes box’** > “The momentum of change in the educational sphere is very tough.” > > RAYMOND SOUEID > "We should not be training them [the next generation] to be entrepreneurs; we should teach them how to utilize entrepreneur thinking.” > > FADI BIZRI > “We became a generation of skimmers; we don't dig deep into topics. People must pursue their passions, and we should encourage them to embed the deep learning into the curriculum." > > BASSEM SAAD > "We have to do something about the education system to remove the mindset of “I'm studying” or “I have homework” because it is turning into punishment. If we change it from “I'm studying” to “I'm learning”, the whole mindset of the students will change.” > > SIROUN SHAMIGIAN > “When I first started LittleBits, I tried raising money in Lebanon, but I got rejected. I went to the US as my second choice but realized that fundraising and entrepreneurship are hard no matter where you are in the world.” > > AYAH BDEIR > "Most of the companies have regional interests. Nobody thinks about addressing global markets. Becoming number 1 in the Middle East isn't as difficult as gaining 1% of the global market’s attention” > > WALID HANNA > "The main problem was this funding gap. We all need to clearly understand what’s happening from both sides: the investors and entrepreneurs." > > SHARIF EL-BADAWI > "If you’re doing well in Egypt according to its currency, for example, it doesn't mean you’ll be doing well outside of Egypt. Evaluations are all over the place because of that issue.” > > SHARIF EL-BADAWI > “At the end of the day, if we don't have access to other startups that are doing well, can’t contact them, or share experiences with them, we won't have access to open knowledge that is necessary to the system.” > > HASSANE SLAIBI > “The theme over the years is empowering patients. The patient records are important to be utilized in improving healthcare.” > > MOHAMMED ELMOUGI > "When it comes to data, it's critical to focus on questions around data ownership. We gather so much data, and it's important to provide insights for patients.” > > FADI ZOGHZOGHY > “Depending on where you stand and what product you offer, you’d require different infrastructures. Data protection and security are seen as a handicap, but I see them as an opportunity. We’ve seen startups that came up with ideas, but they face a variety of challenges from being able to be credible to being adopted by governments.” > > HASSAN CHAMSEDDINE NEWS / BLOGPOST SEEDSTARS WORLD 2019/20 MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA LEBANON INVESTMENT TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATORS & INCUBATORS EVENTS TECH ## More like this [ ![Applications for Online Startup Competition](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Seedstars_Brings_Its_Startup_Competition_Onl.max-320x550.png) GLOBAL • INVESTMENT #### Seedstars Brings Its Startup Competition Online: 2020 Applications Are Open We are happy to announce that Seedstars World Competition 2020/21 will be held exclusively online and the call for startups is open until July 31st. Jun. 25, 2020 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/seedstars-brings-its-startup-competition-online-2020-applications-are-open/) [ ![Sumitt](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/C-7_Early-Stage_startups_from_MENA_Won_Their.max-320x550.png) MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA • ECOSYSTEM ENABLER #### 7 Early-Stage startups from MENA Won Their Tickets to the global Seedstars Summit 2020 The Seedstars World Competition 2019 in MENA has come to an end during the latest edition of Seedstars Summit MENA 2019 in Morocco that took place from December 10 to 12. Dec. 20, 2019 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/7-early-stage-startups-mena-won-their-tickets-global-seedstars-summit-2020/) [ ![Startups Africa](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/10africanstartups.max-320x550.png) AFRICA • ECOSYSTEM ENABLER #### 10 Startups from Africa to Compete for 500,000 USD During Seedstars Summit Africa 2019 in Johannesburg, South Africa, Seedstars selected 10 the most promising startups from the continent that proved their ideas to be innovative and scalable. Dec. 15, 2019 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/10-startups-africa-compete-500000-usd/) [ ![Seedstars Summit CEE](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/C-From_Latvia_to_Mongolia_Seedstars_Summit_C.max-320x550.png) CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE • INVESTMENT #### From Latvia to Mongolia: Seedstars Summit CEE United 25 Countries in the Region What did the Seedstars Summit CEE 2019 in Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan bring to the community this year? Dec. 03, 2019 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/latvia-mongolia-seedstars-summit-cee-united-25-countries-region/) [ ![Seedstars Summit CEE](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/cee_summit1.max-320x550.png) CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE • ECOSYSTEM ENABLER #### Seedstars Summit CEE Will Gather 100+ Founders From 20 Countries Under One Roof Kazakhstan, November 22. You would probably ask why Kazakhstan was chosen as the final stop for the Seedstars World Competition 2019? Oct. 30, 2019 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/seedstars-summit-cee-will-gather-100-founders-20-countries-under-one-roof/) [ ![Seedstars World Latam](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/latam_comeback.max-320x550.png) LATIN AMERICA • ECOSYSTEM ENABLER #### Seedstars World Is Coming Back to Latam for Its 7th Edition with 18 Cities on the Map The 7th edition of the Seedstars World Tour , the largest early-stage startup competition for emerging markets, will be launched on the 27th of June in Lima, Peru. Jun. 06, 2019 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/seedstars-world-coming-back-latam-its-7th-edition-18-cities-map/) [ ![Seedstars Latam Summit](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/C-Seedstars_Latam_Summit_2018_Sum_Up_of_What.max-320x550.png) LATIN AMERICA • INVESTMENT #### Seedstars Latam Summit 2018: Sum Up of What You've Missed 3 days, 350 attendees, 34 investors, 20 startups from 12countries; 200 1:1 meetings between investors and entrepreneurs; plus thousands of interactions and new connections! Dec. 17, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/seedstars-latam-summit-2018-sum-what-youve-missed/) [ ![Startups from CEE and Central Asia](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/C-Meet_the_Top_22_Startups_from_CEE_and_Cent.max-320x550.png) ASIA • ECOSYSTEM ENABLER #### Meet the Top 22 Startups from CEE and Central Asia The 2018 Seedstars tour across more than ten countries in the region has come to an end. Nov. 07, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/meet-top-22-startups-cee-and-central-asia/) [ ![African Startups](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/africa_startups.max-320x550.png) AFRICA • TECHNOLOGY #### Discover the Most Promising African Startups in 2018 With the population of 1.2 B people, Africa is the second fastest-developing market in the world. The region growth rate is expected to increase from 3.6 percent in 2017 to 4.1 percent in 2018 and 2019. Oct. 16, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/discover-most-promising-africa-startups-2018/) [ ![Seedstars Summit 2018](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/Untitled_design_89.max-320x550.png) GLOBAL • INVESTMENT #### Seedstars Summit 2018: Investor Forum Recap The Investor Day is the only occasion for entrepreneurs to get connected with investors from their region and their industry and the one place to be for investors who are interested in impact investing. Apr. 12, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/seedstars-summit-2018-investor-forum-recap/) [ ![Startup Bootcamp](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/startuos.max-320x550.png) GLOBAL • ECOSYSTEM ENABLER #### Seedstars Summit 2018: Inside Look At Startup Bootcamp Months of heavy work finally paid off this Monday for the Seedstars team as they officially kicked off the first phase of this year’s summit with the bootcamp sessions. Apr. 11, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/seedstars-summit-2018-inside-look-startup-bootcamp/) [ ![The best startups in Uzbekistan!](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/C-Seedstars_is_coming_to_Tashkent_to_find_th.max-320x550.png) ASIA • ECOSYSTEM ENABLER #### Seedstars is coming to Tashkent to find the best startups in Uzbekistan! On May 18th, 10 of Uzbekistan’s best seed stage startups will compete to represent the country at the Seedstars Summit 2019 and win up to USD 1 million in equity investment. Mar. 02, 2018 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/seedstars-coming-tashkent-find-best-startups-uzbekistan/) [ ![Asia’s upcoming startup capital](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/korea.max-320x550.png) ASIA • INVESTMENT #### Korea: Asia’s upcoming startup capital opens doors to global startups Korea can stake a legitimate claim to be one of Asia’s most promising startup hubs. The country is producing around a unicorn a year. May. 24, 2017 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/life/korea-asias-upcoming-startup-capital-opens-doors-to-global-startups/) [ ![Summit Winners](https://seedstars-com.s3.amazonaws.com/images/C-Meet_our_2017_Global_Summit_winners.max-320x550.png) GLOBAL • TECHNOLOGY #### Meet our 2017 Global Summit winners Asafeer Education Technologies from UAE was awarded the TRECC Transforming Education Prize, a grant of USD 50’000, presented by TRECC. May. 09, 2017 ](https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/newsroom/meet-our-2017-global-summit-winners/) --- ## Sitemap - [Sitemap](https://www.seedstars.com/sitemap.md): every public page on this site - [llms.txt](https://www.seedstars.com/llms.txt): what Seedstars does and where to start