Smashi Business Interviewed The Sharks And Start-Up Business Owners At The Step Conference 2024
Step Conference made a triumphant return for its 12th edition, transforming Dubai Internet City into a vibrant hub of tech and all things business! From February 21 to 22, attendees were treated to an exhilarating exploration of the latest tech trends under the theme of innovation.
The event drew in a staggering 8,000 participants from across the globe, alongside 350 dynamic startups and the attention of 150 venture capital firms. Step didn’t hold back this year, offering 6 thrilling tracks: Startup, AI, Fintech, Digital, Earth, and Wellness, each providing a unique journey into the world of technology and entrepreneurship. It was a whirlwind of inspiration, networking, and groundbreaking ideas that left everyone buzzing with excitement long after the conference ended.
Get the latest news on your phone, for free! Follow Lovin Dubai on WhatsApp here!
Smashi Business, a proud media partner of Step, had the opportunity to interview several powerful entrepreneurs
Walid Shihabi, former investment banker and founder of Keyper sat down for an interview to talk about the Palestinian tech resilience. They also discussed challenges ranging from liquidity to resilience in times of adversity.
Saeed Al Nofeli, the director of Dubai incubator In5 told Smashi Business that regional VCs must take liquidity and profitability seriously when investing in start-ups.
Wael Ismail, VP of Corporate Affairs at PepsiCo was also interviewed and he spoke about their Mega Green Accelerator programme and the importance of corporates joining forces with startups to become more flexible and lenient and integrate sustainable solutions.
Listen to the conversation on the Smashi Business podcast HERE!
In addition to talking to the power-houses in the industry, Smashi Business interviewed a few start-up business owners at the Step Conference
Architecture in a Box is an educational product that teaches kids and teens everything about architecture through fun games. Aseel Honein joined the conversation and discussed the importance of researching product-market fit before scaling. They’re currently based in Lebanon but are looking to scale to Dubai and before they can do that, intensive regional market and consumer needs and demands need to be studied.
Smashi Business also spoke to the co-founders of Slice, a B2B2C payment solution. It allows users to see the menu, split the bill, pay tips in 15 seconds and directly from your phone.
You can listen to the Smashi Business podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!
