Angel Rising

Investor education Symposium on ‘ClimateTech – Catalyzing Investors as Agents for Change'.

About Angel Rising

Angel Rising is an annual Investor Education Symposium co-hosted by startAD and VentureSouq. In line with the COP28 and UAE’s ambitions to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the 8th Annual Angel Rising Investor education Symposium will delve into ‘ClimateTech – Catalyzing Investors as Agents for Change’ and convene world-class global and local experts, highlighting the need to act fast and catalyze technology adoption through investments into ClimateTech startups to address the impacts of climate change on the economy

The annual Angel Rising investor education symposium is organized jointly by startAD and the GCC-based venture capital firm VentureSouq. Over the last 8 years, it has grown to be a leading voice demystifying and encouraging the cause of technology startup investments in the UAE.

The symposium will include two invite-only elements in this special edition:

Angel Rising Roundtable with UICCA

Wednesday, Dec 6, 2023, 2:30 – 4 pm
at the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators Pavilion at the COP28 Green Zone. The discussion will explore local case studies with innovators showcasing how their cutting-edge technologies address pressing climate issues. Capacity of 15-16 guests for the round table only.

Angel Rising Symposium

Thursday, Dec 7, 2023, 2 – 5 pm
at the Climate Action Innovation Zone, Madinat Jumeirah Conference Centre, Dubai, UAE. Featuring spotlight sessions, panel discussions, and fireside chats followed by networking for 150 guests.

Angel Rising convenes 15+ global climate tech investment experts, 100+ registered investors from the region, and 100+ stakeholders of the MENA innovation ecosystem. In addition, the event related content is viewed by over 2 million people globally. Request an invite by registering below

ORGANIZED BY

startAD and VSQ

VISIONARY SPONSOR

STRATEGIC SPONSOR

ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS

uicca-ewa

Speakers

Sonia Weymuller
Sonia Weymuller
Partner and Co-Founder
,
VentureSouq
John Tate
John Tate
CEO
,
Tamkeen LLC
Maria
Lola Fernandez
Senior Investment Associate
,
VentureSouq
Nihal
Nihal Shaikh
Assistant Director of Communications and Strategic Projects
,
startAD
Patricia Bubner
Patricia Bubner
CEO
,
Orbillion Bio
Tammer Qaddumi
Tammer Qaddumi
Partner and Co-Founder
,
VentureSouq
FRANCISCO JARDIM
Francisco Jardim
Managing Partner
,
SP VENTURES
Rick Fox
Rick Fox
CEO
,
Partanna Global
Susan Graham
Susan Graham
Dr
,
Dendra Limited
Peter Hirsch
Peter Hirsch
Head of Sustainability
,
2150
Swapna Gupta
Swapna Gupta
Parter
,
Avaana Climate and Sustainability Fund
Aby Sam Thomas
Aby Sam Thomas
Editor in Chief
,
Entrepreneur Middle East
Anjali Bansal
Anjali Bansal
Founding Partner
,
Avaana Climate and Sustainability Fund
Dick Cameron
Dick Cameron
Vice President of Science
,
Pachama
Suleiman Amin
Suleiman Amin
Managing Director
,
The Catalyst Limited
Prof. Phil Hart
Prof. Phil Hart
Chief Researcher, Head of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Research Center
,
Technology Innovation Institute
Jessica Matthews
Jessica Matthews
Global Head of Sustainable Investing
,
JP Morgan Private Bank
Rob Bartrop
Rob Bartrop
CRO
,
SOURCE Global
Sean Dennis
Sean Dennis
CEO
,
Seafood Souq

Calendar

Symposium

14:00 – 14:30

GST

Welcome and registration

14:30 – 14:35

GST

Welcome notes

Speaker:

Sonia Weymuller, Co-Founder and General Partner of VentureSouq

14:35 – 14:40

GST

Opening Address

Speaker:

John Tate, CEO Tamkeen

14:40 – 14:45

GST

Keynote Address

Speaker:

Martina A. Strong, US Ambassador to the UAE

14:50 – 15:20

GST

Setting the stage: ClimateTech Investment stocktake

This panel will bring together 2-3 ClimateTech leaders to give an overview of the industry, where technology and funding stand today in terms of development and deployment. The panelists will answer questions such as: how does this new wave of Climate Technologies differ from CleanTech 1.0? What are we doing well, and what do we need to improve? What are the key focus areas across the different global ecosystems and what are the main forces driving them?

Speakers:

Peter Hirsch, Head of Sustainability, 2150.vc

Jessica Matthews, Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable Investing, J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Habib Abdur-Rahman, Head of ESG Investcorp

Moderator: Sonia Weymuller, Co-Founder and General Partner at VentureSouq

15:25 – 15:55

GST

ClimateTech in the Global South: ready for take off

This panel will bring together founders and investors from a variety of ClimateTech hubs across the Global South. The panelists will discuss the growth drivers for ClimateTech solutions, the specific nuances founders face throughout the Global South and more.

Speakers:

Anjali Bansal, Founding Partner of Avaana Capital

Francisco Jardim, General Partner of SP Ventures

Robert Bartrop, CRO of Source Global

Moderator: Suleiman, The Catalyst

16:00 – 16:25

GST

Expanding the frontiers of climate data and intelligence: AI & Blockchain

This panel will bring together founders of ClimateTech startups that are leveraging emerging technologies to accelerate the development and deployment of climate solutions focused on data and climate intelligence. How can AI and natural assets work together? What exponential technologies are driving costs down to bring climate action to a global scale?

Speakers:

Susan Graham, Co-Founder and CEO Dendra Systems 

Dick Cameron, Pachama

Moderator: Professor Phil. Hart, Chief Researcher Renewable and Sustainable Energy Center at TII

16:30 – 16:55

GST

Climate Trailblazers: insights into the next decade of innovation

This panel will bring together founders of ClimateTech startups leveraging emerging technologies to address problems in the some of the major polluting industries: food, agriculture, logistics, built environment and more.

Speakers:

Sean Dennis, Co-Founder and CEO of Seafood Souq

Rick Fox, Co-Founder and CEO of Partanna

Patricia Bubner, Co-Founder and CEO of Orbillion

Moderator: Aby Sam Thomas, Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Middle East

16:55 – 17:00

GST

Closing Remarks

Speaker:

Nihal Shaikh, Assistant Director of Communications and Strategic Projects at startAD

Roundtable

14:30 – 14:40

GST

Welcome and registration

14:40 – 14:45

GST

Welcome notes

Speaker:

Ramesh Jagannathan, Managing Director, startAD

14:45 – 15:05

GST

Spotlight Session: Climate Change in the GCC: the next decade

Speaker:

Patricia Keating, Scale-Lead, Senior Manager, PwC

15:05 – 15:25

GST

Case Study:
From the UAE to the world: Seafood Souq

Speaker:

Sophie Hunter-James, Director of SFS Trace, Seafood Souq

15:25 – 5:45

GST

How can the UAE build a climate-resilient economy? The role of ClimateTech startups

15:45 – 16:00

GST

Networking

Request Invite

Our Gallery

Adnan
Adnan Dekedek
Program Lead
,
startAD at NYUAD
Max Rye
Max Rye
Co-Founder
,
TurtleTree
Patricia Bubner
Patricia Bubner
CEO
,
Orbillion Bio
Rodrigo Mallo
Rodrigo Mallo
General Partner
,
Outsized Ventures
Katherine Foster
Katherine Foster
Advisor Social
,
Alpha Foundation
Fransisco Jardim
Fransisco Jardim
Managing Partner
,
SP Ventures
speaker-marcum
Ed Marcum
Managing Director
,
Working Capital Investment Fund
Fahim Al Qasimi
Fahim Al Qasimi
Co Founder
,
Seafood Souq
Greg Ohanessian
Greg Ohanessian
Founder
,
Soma Mater
Nihal
Nihal Shaikh
Assistant Director of Communications and Strategic Projects
,
startAD
Maria
Lola Fernandez
Senior Investment Associate
,
VentureSouq
Hattan Ahmed
Hattan Ahmed
Entrepreneurship Director
,
KAUST
Muna Abusulayman
Muna Abusulayman
Social Impact Investor & Serial Entrepreneur
Andrew
Andrew Yip
Head of Technology & Innovation
,
Food, NEOM
Kholoud Almohammadi
Kholoud Almohammadi
Investment Manager, Future Investement
,
Initiative Institure
Caio Malufe
Caio Malufe
Head of Strategy
,
Food & Ag Advisor, Orbillion Bio
Heather Henyon
Heather Henyon
Founding Partner
,
Mindshift Capital
Nicole Rogers
Nicole Rogers
Founder
,
Drawdown Foods
Henry Gordon Smith
Henry Gordon Smith
Founder
,
Agritecture
Justine Dampt
Justine Dampt
Co-founder
,
Shake your plants
Anshuman Bapna
Anshuman Bapna
Founder
,
Terra.do Inc
Majid Al Qassimi
Majid Al Qassimi
Founder & Partner
,
Soma Mater
John Tate
John Tate
CEO
,
Tamkeen LLC
Sonia Weymuller
Sonia Weymuller
Partner and Co-Founder
,
VentureSouq

Welcome note to all guests outlining the vision of Angel Rising 2020, thanking partners, sponsors and ecosystem enablers to make all of this possible.

Speakers:

Welcome note to all guests outlining the vision of Angel Rising 2020, thanking partners, sponsors and ecosystem enablers to make all of this possible.

Speakers:

This panel will cover the ways how local and international entrepreneurs are building inclusive, efficient food systems leveraging new technologies and existing infrastructure and practices. We will try to answer questions such as: How do we educate consumers on new technologies and flavors? How do we envision the new future farmer across different geographies? What are the current opportunities and gaps in the market for new products to nurture the next generations?

Speakers:

This panel will discuss the role of smart capital in the Food and AgTech sectors across different growth stages. What’s the spectrum of capital available to companies? Is there a a fundraising canon in the industry? How can new forms of financing based on ESG and impact-focused remits benefit Food & AgTech projects?

Speakers:

Food security has been top of mind in the MENA region, with many initiatives launched in KSA. This panel will discuss the current landscape of the Food & AgTech space in the Kingdom and the future outlook for the tech community regionally.

Speakers:

This panel will discuss the very important topic of traceability, what the current status is and ways to move forward with technologies to empower all stakeholders in building and consuming a sustainable, transparent food produce.

Speakers:

This panel will cover the exciting topic of cellular agriculture, global investors and founders will discuss the recent developments in the space, the road ahead and how consumers are responding to this new product in the market.

Speakers:

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