Abdulla Al Dhaheri is the CEO of The Blockchain Center in Abu Dhabi, a pivotal figure in the blockchain and Web3 sectors. With a history of having 2 patents in the blockchain ecosystem, author of Into the future of technologies, working on groundbreaking projects inventing 2 concepts such as digital identification and offline payment systems, Abdulla has been a key advisor for companies with total market capitalization of millions of dollars. Abdulla is also prominent speaker at global forums, and dedicated to advancing the UAE’s position as a leader in blockchain, Web3, and AI technologies.

Alessia Baumgartner is a VP, Ecosystems at DWF Labs, a new generation Web3 market maker and investor. With a strong background in crypto and blockchain, Alessia is dedicated to fostering partnerships and driving the development of decentralized technologies. Her work at DWF Labs focuses on creating impactful collaborations and nurturing growth within blockchain ecosystems. Apart from overseeing close to 800+ portfolio companies, Alessia also manages the company's business development in the MENA region, where they have been based for more than two years.

Alessia brings a deep understanding of emerging crypto trends and a passion for advancing the Web3 space. Her ability to bridge connections across diverse projects and stakeholders has positioned her as a key contributor to DWF Labs’ success in supporting innovative blockchain initiatives.

Alex Scott leads Solana Superteam UAE. He runs hackathons, developer workshops and networking events on behalf of the Solana blockchain network. His goals are to grow Web3 talent, deal flow and new tech adoption in the Middle East.

Amit is General Partner at Borderless Capital, managing investments in early and growth stage blockchain startups. Prior to Borderless, Amit was Founding Principal at Unicorn India Ventures. He brings nuanced understanding of equity and token investments, token design, tokenomics, equity v/s token value capture and strong transactional experience in the entire investment cycle. A joint MBA from Duke University & London School of Economics, Amit has lived extensively across the Americas, Europe and Hong Kong.

Astrid is the CIO of SMAPE Capital, a crypto-native fund that invests in pre-seed / seed stage Web3 ventures. She has been active in the venture capital industry for the past 9 years. Prior to that, Astrid made her career in technology transfer, where she gained extensive experience in identifying, establishing, and running promising startups. In that role, she was advising on intellectual property and business strategy, including regulatory considerations and data protection issues.

Astrid holds a DPhil in Biology from the University of Oxford, an LLM from the University of Strasbourg (Intellectual Property Law& Management), and an MSc in Blockchain and Digital Currency from the University of Nicosia.

Belal Jassoma is Director of Ecosystems at DMCC, the world’s leading business district and authority on international commodities trade and enterprise.

Belal joined DMCC in 2011 and has been instrumental in scaling up DMCC’s ecosystems and commercial offering, including new products, services and member engagement programmes. In his current capacity as Director for Ecosystems, Belal is responsible for developing key strategic relationships,partnerships and product functions as well as overseeing ecosystem development across several of DMCC’s industry verticals such as crypto, gaming, AI, energy and financial services.

Belal holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the American University of Sharjah and brings over 18 years of experience in real estate, investment, and government administration.

Brian Crain serves as the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Chorus One and is the former President of the Interchain Foundation. Additionally, he sits on the board of the Urbit Foundation and is the host of the longest-running podcast in the cryptocurrency space, Epicenter. Brian’s involvement in the crypto sphere dates back to 2014 when he initiated the Blockchain Meetup Berlin community.

Daryl is the General Partner of TRIVE Digital, a Web3 investment division of a licensed venture capital firm in Singapore with a global mandate to invest in stage pre-seed and seed startups within the blockchain space focusing on infrastructure, entertainment and finance. Before TRIVE Digital, Daryl was the Co-founder and COO of Metapals (Kindred Labs), a blockchain startup on a journey to create your companion in the metaverse through digital entities with artificial intelligence.

Daryl has spent over eight years in management consultancy and enterprise technology, managing innovation projects and global partnerships through implementing digital transformation strategies such as startup scouting, including innovation challenges, accelerators, innovation labs, and tech hiring. Daryl holds an MSc in Innovation and Technopreneurship from the Nanyang Technological University.

Dr. Sameer Al Ansari is the Chief Executive Officer of RAK Digital Assets Oasis, the only common law free zone in the world solely dedicated to non-regulated digital and virtual asset companies. Under the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al Qasimi, The Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and oversight of its Chairman Sheikh Mohammed Bin Humaid Al Qassimi, Dr Sameer has played a key role in the creation of RAK DAO, building the team and shaping its future strategy.

He is also the CEO of RAK ICC, one of the fastest-growing government-owned offshore corporate registries.

Dr. Al Ansari is a finance guru with over 35 years of senior corporate, operational, private equity, investing, board, and strategic advisory experience. He currently serves on several boards, including Marjan, TVM Healthcare Partners and Al Ramz Capital.

Dr. Al Ansari’s vast leadership experience includes roles such as Chairman & CEO of Dubai International Capital ($13B Assets Under Management) and numerous regional and international boards, such as the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) from 2004–2016, Hawkamah Institute of Corporate Governance, Dubai Holding, and many others.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.

Gabriele Zennaro is the Managing Partner and CEO of 50x Capital, an early-stage venture fund founded in 2025 and headquartered in Dubai. With a mission to accelerate the adoption of transformative technologies in AI and Crypto, 50x Capital operates globally, maintaining strong connections with the UAE, USA, and India.

As a venture capitalist and business developer,Gabriele brings deep expertise in scaling technology ecosystems and fostering innovation. Prior to founding 50x Capital, Gabriele served as Partnerships Lead at Outlier Ventures, where he played a pivotal role in advancing Web3 startups and expanding the firm’s flagship accelerator program, Base Camp. His career also includes a successful tenure as Country Lead for Confluent, where he led initiatives in the Italian market, launching new opportunities and forging strategic alliances with industry leaders.

Gaurav Dubey is the Chairman of TradeDog Group where hehas built an infrastructure to accelerate Web3 startups and enterprises’scalability.

He leads TDeFi, a web3 incubator and consulting firm, as the CEO. TDeFi manages a diverse portfolio of over 60 projects, including Vulcan Forged, Biconomy, Chingari and Racer Club.

Gaurav’s journey in the Blockchain and Crypto space started in 2015 through early investments, crypto mining, various quant deployments, early investments in ICOs, traditional venture investments and operating a trading desk with over 20 traders. Since then he has invested in over 100 token startups.

He also holds 8+ patents & has been active in the brain-machine interface, intent prediction and behavior analysis space through BrainAlive technologies.

‍

Gordon Einstein is a hybrid Crypto-Attorney, Technologist,and Enterprise Strategist. Gordon received his undergraduate degree in Politics in 1991 from Brandeis University in Boston and then received his JD in 1995 from the USC Gould School of Law in Los Angeles. Gordon is also a proud Eagle Scout, having served in Boy Scout Troop 223.

Initially Gordon's law practice centered on startup, venture capital, investment banking, regulatory compliance, intellectual property and general business law. As an avid computer and programming hobbyist, in 2012 Gordon was intrigued by Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and the related technologies. By 2014, he was providing legal services to several individuals and companies operating in this space. And by 2016 the majority of Gordon’s law practice involved working with crypto, blockchain and FinTech startups and funds, including as Chief Legal Officer of Distributed Lab. The practice was formalized as CryptoLaw Partners in 2017.

Gregorio Maiorano, an Italian financial consultant, began his career in insurance and finance while studying Economics at the University of Lecce. In the late '90s, he delved into derivatives and specialized in over-the-counter markets at the Milan Stock Exchange. Transitioning to fundraising pre-2008 crisis, he later founded Azzurra Consult, recovering mortgage interest. Now, he offers financial consulting in Italy and is the founder and CEO of GMA (Global Market of Artification).

Hari is an entrepreneurial leader with extensive multi-geography investment and operational expertise in Technology and Healthcare businesses across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.Starting off as a software founder, Hari transitioned into M&A before moving on to principal investments, ultimately managing over $20 billion in assets across blue-chip venture capital firms and family offices over his career. With direct in-market experience across various stages of business, including greenfield projects, he has consistently demonstrated a proven ability to add value through strategic and financial planning, deal structuring, and hands-on business development. A forward-thinking investor, Hari is also an active angel investor in blockchain businesses, combining his operational expertise with a keen eye for emerging technologies.

Hayden Hughes is the Head of Crypto Investments at EvergreenGrowth, a Singapore based family office. He was previously CIO at Intrinsic Ventures. He has also held senior roles at Crypto.com and Techemy Capital, and trained as a lawyer.

Hubertus is Chairman of Ghaf Capital and Ghaf Labs, the first UAE-home-grown venture capital firm and growth-accelerator focusing on the Web3 space. He is advisor or serves on the board of numerous brands in the blockchain-space, like SUI Foundation, BitPanda and was formerly heading the Tezos Foundation Board. 

Hubertus was Co-Founder of Babil Games, which became the leading mobile games publisher with Arabic content, acquired in 2017 by NASDAQ-listed Stillfront Group. From 2000 to 2010 he served as CEO of Casinos Austria International’s Swiss Holding, helping to build-up the regulated casino-industry in several European jurisdictions. 

Hubertus Thonhauser has been a resident in Dubai since 2012.

Inal graduated from the State University of Management (SUM) in Moscow, Russia with a Master’s degree in Tech Entrepreneurship and Acceleration of IT Startups, and also from Tongmyong University of Information Technology in Busan, Korea with a major in Digital Entertainment & Game Engineering. He worked at Waves Blockchain for six years in various roles, including Developer Relations Director and CTO. Inal founded several companies, including the successful Waves Ducks game, which saw over $20 million in NFT trading volumes in summer 2021.Recently, he served as GameFi Lead at TON Foundation, where he developed a comprehensive GameFi strategy, on boarded teams, managed projects, fostered partnerships, and delivered infrastructure such as SDKs for game engines and advised almost all most successful games on TON and Telegram.

As an e-commerce executive with deep experience in commercial strategy, operations, and procurement, I’ve successfully led growth and innovation across various digital retail ventures. With a proven track record in building and scaling e-commerce businesses, I have worked extensively to drive revenue, enhance customer experience, and create operational efficiencies. Additionally, my success in running multiple personal online stores has provided me with hands-on insights into what it takes to thrive in today’s competitive online marketplace.

I am passionate about reshaping digital commerce through customer-centric strategies, data-driven decision-making, and sustainable growth initiatives. Whether steering teams toward high-impact results or forging strategic partnerships, my focus remains on setting new standards for e-commerce excellence. Let’s connect to explore the future of online retail and the opportunities within the evolving digital ecosystem.

JT is Partner at IVC (Infinity Ventures Crypto), a leading blockchain venture capital fund with over 200 investments in blockchain games, Web 3, fintech/defi, and infrastructure.  He is excited to invest in and help grow the next generation of Web3 and Web2 companies to achieve results and impact.  JT is co-founder of VerifyInvestor.com, the dominant accredited investor verification service. VerifyInvestor.com was acquired by tZERO, a leader in blockchain innovation for capital markets.

JT was an investment banker at Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup in New York, London, and Hong Kong, where he managed transactions in equity and debt capital raising, mergers, and acquisitions.  JT was an Investment Committee member of GF Investments (GF Securities affiliated private equity fund).  JT’s investment and advisory transactions covered technology, education, media, and manufacturing companies that culminated in IPO and sale exits in US, China, and Hong Kong.  

JT received his BS from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and MBA from Columbia Business School.

James Dunthorne is the CEO and co-founder of Neuron Innovations, a pioneering company at the forefront of DePIN, AI, and aviation. Renowned for his problem-solving expertise, disruptive thinking, innovative approach, and acute business acumen, James has been instrumental in driving over $4 million in revenue through groundbreaking drone technologies deployed across rail, road, and construction sectors.

During his PhD research on autonomous drone collision avoidance, James uncovered the transformative potential of Web3 technology for building open and resilient infrastructure networks. This discovery sparked the vision for Neuron, which he co-founded with Niall Greenwood, former Managing Director of NATS. Together, they set out to redefine decentralized infrastructure, creating solutions that bridge cutting-edge technology with real-world applications.

Under James’s leadership, Neuron continues to drive innovation and disruption, cementing its position as a leader in decentralized technology and its applications across diverse industries.

Jimi Ibrahim is a forward-thinking entrepreneur and investor driving innovation across blockchain, AI, real estate, sustainability, fashion, and gaming. Since entering the cryptocurrency space in 2016, he has been at the forefront of decentralization, tokenization, and AI-driven ecosystems, leveraging technology to disrupt traditional markets.

As co-founder of IOPn (Internet of People Network), Jimi is pioneering AI-powered blockchain solutions, bridging real-world asset tokenization, DePIN, and DeFi-AI to build a scalable, decentralized future. Under his leadership, IOPn has secured a multitude of partnerships positioning itself as a leader in Web3 infrastructure.

Beyond IOPn, Jimi is a private angel investor, backing over 10 startups, and serves as an advisor to emerging ventures in fintech and Web3. He is passionate about empowering founders, shaping future economies, and creating impactful solutions at the intersection of technology, finance, and digital assets.

A frequent speaker at global blockchain and AI conferences, Jimi continues to push boundaries, forge partnerships, and drive the next evolution of decentralization and AI.

Jonathan is a seasoned entrepreneur and marketing strategist with over 33 years of experience in sales and business development. As the Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of PLAYA3ULL GAMES, Jonathan aims to revolutionise the gaming industry by building an internal ecosystem that sponsors world-class games and develops a proprietary blockchain. The launch of Master Nodes and the 3ULL Coin will be foundational elements for the expansive PLAYA3ULL ecosystem.

His previous roles include Chief Marketing Officer at Melbourne Interactive Studios, where he successfully raised $1,000,000 AUD to fund a new first-person shooter project, and co-founder of FLOTE Pty Ltd, a community connecting boat owners with boating enthusiasts. He also co-founded Love Property Group, focusing on ethical real estate practices, where he specialises in turning around challenging property listings through strategic marketing.

Throughout his diverse career, Jonathan has achieved significant marketing ROI through traditional campaigns, demonstrating his ability to maximise impact while minimising costs.

Josh Lawler, Partner at Zuber Lawler, a minority owned law firm, is an expert in digital asset regulation, securities law, intellectual property rights, mergers and acquisitions and commercial transactions with a strong focus on crypto, NFTs and other digital assets and related systems. As a dedicated futurist, Josh leads the firm’s New Technology Practice Group, focusing on novel issues presented by developing technology including Blockchain (distributed ledger), artificial intelligence, robotics, virtual/augmented reality and internet of things.

Juliet Su is the Managing Partner at NewTribe Capital, the leading UAE-based Web3 VC firm. After her 15-year legacy career in corporate investments, she ventured into the digital assets realm in 2017. Juliet's insightful outlook on future technologies and the evolving landscape of Web3 has been instrumental in elevating startups to global prominence, particularly in the Middle East.

Her proficiency in Mandarin, English, and Russian languages enhances her ability to foster international relationships. An acclaimed international speaker, Juliet has shared her expertise at over 100+ global conferences, focusing on the latest advancements in the Web3 space.

Juliet is passionate about supporting blockchain startups to gain traction in the Middle East, where only 14% of the population has access to banking services, serving a region of approximately 580 million people.

Kamran's journey started as a Bitcoin OTC trader in 2015, transacting over $100M+ in BTC, which he then transitioned to other liquid markets & Yield farming strategies during 2020.

His foray into DeFi led him to founding one of the leading crypto native media outlets, BSCN, which received a sizeable grant from Binance Labs & generated over 7M+ in revenue in the first year of trading. During this time, he also co-founded MH Ventures in 2021 to become one of the leading early stage investors in Web3.

Karim Banna is a seasoned leader in the startup ecosystem,currently serving as a Director at Brinc and Host of the Crypto Code channel on YouTube.  

With over 15 years of experience in business development, fundraising, and strategy, Karim has been deeply immersed in the dynamic world of startups. Over the course of his career, he has successfully raised over $300 million in funding.

As the Head of Partnerships at Brinc, a global venture accelerator and platform, Karim oversees multiple accelerator programs in the Middle East. He collaborates daily with visionary founders, helping them build transformative businesses that shape the future.  

Karim’s passion for innovation, coupled with his deep understanding of entrepreneurship, positions him as a key figure in the regional and global startup community.

Karine, also known as Kay, boasts an extensive 20-year tenure in Investment Banking. Her career highlights include leading Fixed Income sales teams at prestigious firms such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and RBS. Her expertise in this field is augmented by her diverse international exposure, having been based in key financial hubs like Paris, London, and Singapore.

In 2015, Kay embraced her entrepreneurial spirit, venturing into the Wellness industry by founding a successful business. This pivot marked a significant transition in her professional journey. Later, in 2018, she further expanded her horizons by joining IOV (Internet of Values), a pioneering blockchain-protocol start-up, as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Head of Investor Relations.

In 2020, Kay had the opportunity to join SGH Capital, a Paris-based Venture Capital firm, focusing on early-stage Tech companies in the US and in Europe, with a focus in Blockchain Infrastructure. This role allowed her to synergize her extensive experience in banking with her expertise in the blockchain sector.

Currently, at SGH, the team's investment strategy centers primarily on Machine Learning, AI, Humanoid Robotics and Blockchain technologies, not only within their investment thesis but also as tools to identify and monitor companies, representing a novel class of venture funds. SGH’s  strategy harnesses the power of a new generation of machine learning algorithms, with an approach uniquely underpinned by an extensive proprietary dataset.

‍

Katie Evans is Chief Business Development and Communications Officer at Swarm with over a decade of experience in financial markets, focusing on crypto, equities and commodities. Before Swarm, she worked at multi-asset retail investment platforme Toro, where she worked with market analysts and comms specialists across several countries in Europe, APAC and the US. Prior to joining eToro, Katie worked in the business development and communications teams at the London Metal Exchange.

Khalid Mazouz is the General Partner of M55 Capital, a prominent investment fund in cryptocurrency and blockchain industry. With over 11 years of experience the crypto industry, and involvement in over 300 projects, Khalid is a recognized authority in Asia’s cryptospace. His strategic vision and and hands-on expertise have had a significant impact on the development of the industry in China, and continue to shape the crypto ecosystem across Asia.

Laura K. Inamedinova -an award-winning serial entrepreneur, investor and keynote speaker sharing herinsights on Web3 space since 2016.

Currentlyserving as Principal at Gate Ventures, the venture arm of Gate.io, she overseesinvestments, partnerships and growth of the fund.

Beforejoining GVC, she founded a Web3 marketing agency LKI Consulting, that she grewto 8-figures. This led her to be globally acclaimed as one of the “10 WomenEntrepreneurs” by Entrepreneur Magazine and among “Top 10 Women inInternational Business” by Silicon Valley Times.

In 2024,she transferred the leadership of LKI Consulting to a new management team,while Laura retained her position as a majority shareholder.

On a personal level, Laura is a successful angel investor with 40+ projects in her portfolio, ex-Forbes and Huffington Post columnist, and an internationally renowned speaker with a track record of 156+ conferences in 25+ countries.

Lee is the Group CEO and Managing Partner at MV Global, one of the most active Web3 venture capital firms. He has been a leader in the crypto and blockchain industry since 2016, with over 20 years of experience in investing, building, and advising businesses. Lee has played a key role in creating three unicorn companies and has invested in more than 100 ventures.

As the founder of one of the earliest institutional-backed crypto VC funds, a former ConsenSys executive, and an advisor to EQT Group, Lee excels at identifying emerging trends and high-potential opportunities. His visionary leadership continues to drive innovation and shape the future of the crypto industry.

Mansoor Madhavji 穆大胜 is a Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund which invests in and venture builds top-tier startups. Mansoor consulted leading organizations such as INSEAD and the United Nations on emerging technologies. He is also a Limited Partner at Loyal VC and Draper Goren Holm.

Mansoor has supported numerous projects on developing sophisticated economic models, go-to-market, and branding strategies. Mansoor has created unique cost-effective growth hacks for startups and clients that surpassed benchmarks. Mansoor serves as an advisor to innovative startups including Splinterlands, the leading blockchain game with over 3 billion games played.

He is a mentor with Orbit Startups, one of the global elite accelerator programs operated by the venture fund SOSV with $1.5B+ AUM and the Mobile Only Accelerator (MOX) which helps the best mobile startups from around the world with 167 million users on its smartphone platform.

Michael Terpin is founder and CEO of Transform Ventures, a leading blockchain advisory and venture studio since 2013, working with hundreds of crypto projects in their earliest stages, including Augur, Bancor, Ethereum, Gnosis, Mastercoin, Neo, Tether and WAX. Current projects include Brett, Core DAO, and Shiba Inu.  

CNBC called Terpin “the godfather of crypto” for his long history of launching and advising iconic crypto projects. His first book, Bitcoin Supercycle, is being published by Skyhorse Publishing and distributed by Simon & Schusterin November 2024.

Terpin also co-founded BitAngels, the world’s first angel network for digital currency startups, in May, 2013, which has expanded to 25 city chapters. His venture studio incubated Blockchain Wire and blockchain-based sustainability platform, OpenCarbon. A prolific angel investor, he is also a general partner at digital asset fund managers Alpha Transform Holdings and Tradecraft Capital; senior advisor and LP at Alphabit Fund and LP at four other crypto funds. He also co-founded and profitably exited the Dapps Fund, one of the first cryptocurrency venture funds, in March 2014.

Previously, Terpin founded Marketwire (now Globe Newswire), one of the world’s largest company newswires, which was acquired in 2006, later sold to NASDAQ for $200 million, and ultimately to Intrado Digital Media, a division of Apollo Global Management (NYSE: APO). Terpin previously founded and sold The Terpin Group, which represented many of the early Internet leaders, including America Online, Earthlink, Match.com and the Motley Fool. The firm is now part of FTI Consulting (NYSE: FCN).

Terpin holds an MFA from SUNY at Buffalo and dual BA in journalism and English from Syracuse University, where he serves on the board of advisors. Terpin lives in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he received the first Act 22 tax decree granted to a blockchain industry investor and has widely been credited with being the father of the Puerto Rico blockchain movement.  He also co-founded the Caribbean Blockchain Association with industry leaders Gabriel Abed and Roger Ver.

Mohammed Al Hakim is a visionary leader and innovator in the fields of finance, technology, and public service. Currently serving as the President of Crypto.com for the GCC and Turkey, Mohammed oversees operations valued at $24 billion, with a staggering trading volume of $1 trillion in just two months.His role focuses on advancing cryptocurrency adoption in the region, including pioneering Sharia-compliant financial solutions to broaden accessibility and trust in the crypto world.

The first stage of NAFIS, the UAE Government initiative launched in 2021,was developed and implemented under the leadership of a collaborative team comprising senior government officials, policymakers, and key stakeholders from the public and private sectors. Mohammed Al Hakim was among the distinguished contributors to this groundbreaking initiative, bringing his expertise and dedication to its design and execution. His involvement in NAFIS was instrumental in aligning its objectives with the UAE’s vision for empowering Emirati talent and enhancing their presence in the private sector. The program’s success reflects the collective efforts of visionary leaders and their commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth in the UAE.

A Cohort of the prestigious Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development, Mohammed exemplifies the center’s mission to cultivate future leaders. He combines strategic foresight with a deep dedication to innovation, leveraging his expertise to strengthen the UAE’s global influence in finance and technology.

Beyond his professional achievements, Mohammed values collaboration and mentorship, often engaging with industry leaders and government officials to shape impactful initiatives. He recently introduced a groundbreaking concept of cryptocurrency-based Sukuk, blending modern financial technology with Islamic principles to attract diverse audiences.

Passionate about fostering innovation and building robust ecosystems, Mohammed’s leadership continues to leave a lasting impact on the UAE, the GCC, and the global financial landscape.

Mona is an investor at tokentus investment AG, a leading VC firm in the German blockchain ecosystem, where she invests in start-ups that leverage blockchain technology globally.

She has several years of experience in venture capital, and has been involved in pre-seed to Series A deals across Europe, the USA, the UAE and Asia.

With a background in strategy consulting, venture building/growth, and entrepreneurship, Mona has a passion for supporting founders and innovators who are building the decentralized future of the internet. She has co-founded and led companies in Fintech, Edtech, and Foodtech, and has an MBA from INSEAD. She mentors several start-ups at leading accelerators, such as Brinc's ZKAdvancer, the Consensys Fellowship, the Summ3r growth programme, and is part of the Oxford University entrepreneurship expert network.

Mona regularly educates and speaks at global conferences, events, podcasts, and online forums about blockchain, venture capital or entrepreneurship. She also writes a blog about the web3 space and is an active member at the investment DAO Hydra Ventures.

‍

Nikita Sachdev is an Indian-American entrepreneur. She studied Chemistry and Business at the University of Texas, Austin and James Cook University. Shortly after graduating, Nikita launched Luna Management in 2015, a talent management and production agency, based in Singapore. Her passion and drive to tap into the Crypto and Blockchain space in 2017, led her to work with crypto giant, Huobi, as the host of their talk show, interviewing and gaining exposure to some of today's renowned crypto pioneers.

She successfully exited Luna Management to launch Luna PR, a dynamic public relations agency with a keen focus on Web3 technologies. Since its founding, the self-funded agency has served more than 500 clients, spreading its influence to four countries worldwide, today, thriving with a dedicated team of over 75 creative professionals.

Nikita aims to implement web3 into mainstream media. She was the host and co-producer of CNBC Arabia’s first ever Web3 show “On the Chain”, which hit 50 million homes across the Middle East. She is an active contributor on the Forbes business council, and acquired the franchise for Cointelegraph Middle East in 2022.

Nikita is often invited to speak globally at universities and conferences, where she provides educational and valuable industry insight. Since 2017, she has launched and advised several web3 companies globally. Her growth in the industry has caught the attention of media and government officials worldwide. She has been recognized with several awards, including “Arabian Businesses 50 Inspiring Women Leaders”. She is passionate about the industry and aims to increase mass adoption by harnessing the power of media.

Omar is a seasoned cryptocurrency executive and entrepreneur, most recently responsible for leading Binance’s business across the MENA region. 

Prior to this, he ran his own companies in the trading and crypto space, leveraging his experience as a commodities and financial market strader.

He currently runs his own fund, Matcha Capital which invests in early stage crypto businesses.

Patrick is a Partner at Borderless Capital. He brings 18+ years of experience in VC, national security, federal law enforcement, and consulting. He previously was a founding member and GP of RW3 Ventures, co-lead of KPMG's Crypto Practice, served as a Special Agent in the USDOJ focusing on crypto-investigations, and supported the US Intelligence Community on counter terrorism and other national security objectives. He received his MBA from Columbia Business School.

Philipp is a Senior Associate at the Dubai Future District Fund, a $200m VC fund of funds and direct investment platform backed by the government of Dubai.

Entrepreneur. Investor. Involved.
With over two decades of experience in leading and building technology companies, Ralf Glabischnig is at the forefront of the leading Web3 ecosystems: Crypto Valley (Switzerland & Liechtenstein), Crypto Oasis (Middle East), and The Green Block (Global).

As a founder, partner, and major shareholder of more than 20 companies, and an investor in over 130 startups, he is actively shaping the future of Web3. He is the Managing Partner of Inacta Ventures, whose mission is to bridge the gap between B2B-focused Web3 companies and the corporate world. Inacta Ventures focuses on Ecosystem Development, Venture Building, and Investment Management. Key areas of the portfolios include tokenization (Tokengate.io), securitization (Gentwo), crypto payments (inapay), and provenance (Proofx).

Among his most notable co-founding efforts and initiatives are impactful organizations that contribute to the sustainable growth of blockchain ecosystems, including the Crypto Valley Association, Swiss Blockchain Federation, SHED Business Club, DMCC Crypto Center, D2A2, and CO Ventures in the UAE.

Rifad is the CEO of OKX for the MENA region. He brings in over a decade of experience in business strategy, management and public policy in the MENA region. Prior to OKX, Rifad was the Vice President and General Manager of Rain Financial in the UAE. Rifad's earlier roles included leading Uber's ride hailing business in the GCC and the levant region; Rifad has a bachelors degree from the University of Toronto and an MBA from IE Business school.

Rishabh is the Director of Operations at TDeFi and a beacon in the Web 3.0 landscape. At the core, he believes in unlocking the full human potential through spirituality, integrating deeper purpose with modern tech.

With a rich portfolio of over 60 startups, Rishabh takes pride in guiding ventures to scale, assisting them in growing 1 to n. Each startup's journey is a testament to human potential and innovation.

Deep expertise in token engineering sets Rishabh apart.By combining economics, game theory, incentive design, and financial models,bespoke strategies are crafted to ensure sustainable growth in the decentralized world.

Before TDeFi, Rishabh was instrumental at OYO Rooms,shaping its trajectory to become one of the fastest Decacorn (USD 10 Bn+)companies. This journey enriched skills in negotiation and solidified the importance of customer-centric approaches.

Holding an MBA in Finance from IIT Kanpur and boasting a CFA Level 3 candidature, Rishabh seamlessly merges the realms of finance and technology. Yet, beyond the boardroom, there's an enduring commitment to societal upliftment, particularly ensuring equitable education access and wealth distribution.

‍

Rodney is a Partner at Hack.vc - a crypto venture capital fund with a focus on web3 infrastructure (e.g. Eigenlayer, Babylon, Berachain, ZeroGravity). In the past, Rodney was on the venture team at AngelList, and led operations Angle Health (YCW20). Rodney has been angel investing in crypto since 2017.

Roland is an Investment Principal at Mechanism Capital, investing in venture opportunities throughout the digital asset space. Prior to that, he was a Portfolio Manager at a UK based hedge fund. Roland’s expertise comes from leveraging his longstanding market experience within digital assets that began in 2016.

Roman J. Ma, General Partner at Ceras Ventures, is a recognized leader in the blockchain industry with over a decade of experience driving innovation in decentralized technologies. Roman holds an MBA in Business and Finance from the University of Manchester and was named to Forbes 30 Under 30. He actively advises and serves on the boards of prominent Web 3.0 & AI startups, helping to shape their strategic direction. At Ceras Ventures, he focuses on identifying and supporting high-potential blockchain projects, guiding the industry’s future with visionary leadership. The firm manages a diverse portfolio of over 70 companies and offers a comprehensive range of services through Ceras Labs, including venture investing, fund management, incubation programs, and consulting services.

Sam Shami, Senior Partnership Manager at Cointelegraph, famous for the Cointelegraph X DMCC Partnership, opening a new home for Cointelegraph UpTown Dubai UAE. 

Moderator, speaker & award collector for Cointelegraph in the UAE.

Sarah Abuagela has been active in the blockchain space since 2018 as a private investor and joined Ceras Ventures in 2021 where she is currently Global Head of Investment. She is also actively supporting international hackathons and projects as Judge and Mentor as well as D+I initiatives such as Global Women in VC Community and more.

Sarah holds a MBA degree focusing on Fintech and Blockchain from University of Manchester and was involved in several research projects about potential mass adoption of cryptocurrencies and CBDCs as payment methods. She is also speaker in events focusing on Web3 investments trends, due diligence process for start-ups, blockchain adoption use cases as well as crypto market outlook.

Prior to Ceras Ventures, Sarah gained 10 years of experience at BASF in the field of Finance, Business Analytics and Supply Chain Management. She also held additional roles to promote and drive Diversity and Inclusion, Lean Six Sigma and Employee Engagement.

​Shaishavis a prominent investor in seed and early-stage startups who enjoys working with founders on their fundraising, GTM, and product development. Over the course of his distinguished career, Shaishav has demonstrated exceptional analytical, managerial and technical acumen within the investment realm. Shaishav graduated from RV College of Engineering Bangalore with a degree in Computer Science. A former entrepreneur in his own right, Shaishav brings extensive, cross-sectoral domain expertise to his role at Lemniscap. He is also a voracious reader and has an avid interest in emerging social formations around new economic models, with a particular focus on building openly accessible financial ecosystems.

Shawn was born and bred in Singapore and has been digging into the potential of blockchain technology since 2015.  He enjoys working with founding teams in the earliest stages of business creation.

Shawn began his career as a corporate lawyer at Debevoise & Plimpton in New York City where he worked on mergers & acquisitions across a range of industries including technology, media, healthcare and financial services.

He later spent time in the private equity industry, first as a senior operating executive of Burger King Corporation, the global consumer brand affiliated with 3G Capital. At Burger King, Shawn was a member of the leadership team for APAC where he ran a fast growing business unit with over $1B of system sales. He later joined Proterra Investment Partners, the US-headquartered private equity investment firm, as an investor focused on the consumer sector.

Artichoke Capital was bornout of an excitement around the disruptive potential of web3 technology when applied to industries ranging from payments and financial services to consumer and gaming.

Shawn currently serves as Advisor to Fenbushi Capital, the first blockchain focused VC firm in Asia.  He also occasionally mentors at startup accelerators and hackathons.

‍

Sumeet Surana is an Investment Director at Cypher Capital and now leading Nest Studio, a venture lab backed by Cypher Capital, building a meme discovery and trading platform vibes.meme. An alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and INSEAD, Sumeet started his career in Investment banking with JPMorgan where he was covering the technology sector. Before moving to the crypto, he worked in an early-stage technology startup and has also founded a startup in the ed-tech space.

Takashi Hayashida has over 20 yearsof experience in the financial industry, having worked in investment banks andprivate equity funds such as Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas. In addition to hisexperience in structuring and trading financial products, he also hasexperience operating trading funds and private equity funds focusing onsmall-cap companies. Since 2017, he has been investing in and supportingstartups related to Web3/Blockchain.

Talal Tabbaa is the CEO and Co-Founder of CoinMENA, a cryptocurrency exchange platform licensed by Dubai’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority and the Central Bank of Bahrain. CoinMENA enables retail and institutional investors to buy, sell, send, receive, and store digital assets safely and securely.

Talal also serves on the advisory board of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and the Board of Middle East Payment Services (MEPS) in Amman, Jordan. Previously, he co-founded Jibrel Network, a blockchain development company based in Zug, Switzerland. Before entering the crypto industry, Talal worked in financial and supply chain consulting services at PwC, and managed a private investment fund in Saudi Arabia. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering with a minor in Economics from Purdue University, IN, USA.

Tess Hau, General Partner and Founder to Tess Ventures - A Silicon Valley Venture Capital fund investing globally across various sectors including AI, Web3 Blockchain-tech, Fintech, SAAS, enterprise, Gaming, market places, automation, ML, FemTech, longevity health tech, enterprise and more with multiple successful exits.

She’s also an AllStarsWomen DAO Ambassador, a sought-after speaker, and is honored as one of Thrive Global’s "Top Women to Watch 2019". Her impressive portfolio boasts a portfolio of over 200 successful companies like Animoca Brands, Shrapnel, Aptos, YugaLabs, EigenLayer, Aitomatic, Networky. With a background in various successful investments and exits, she has executed successful expansion for several portfolio companies into Middle East and Southeast Asia.

‍

Vineet is the CEO & Managing Partner at Sigma Capital, a leading Web3 Native VC based in UAE and has led 200+ Investments like MystenLabs, Sei Network, Casper Labs, Web3Auth, ZKLink among others. An entrepreneurfor 15 years before the Investment Role, Vineet has built 3 Web2 startups in the past as well as worked at global corporations like Rocket Internet,Emirates, and TCS. He was highlighted as one of the Top 50 Indians in the Middle East by Arabian Business and has extensively been featured across Media (The Times, Sun, etc.), Podcasts (Wolf of All Streets, Kisco News), andregularly speaks at Global Crypto Conferences.