DAY 1 Thursday, April 25, 2024
9:30 – 10:00 Registration
10:00 – 10:45 Welcoming Remarks
- Anthony Asher, Member of USEK Board of Trustees, USA
- Danielle Khalife, PhD, dean of USEK Business School (UBS), Lebanon
- Melissa Gruys, PhD, Dean of Monte Ahuja College of Business – (CSU), USA
- Samer Atallah, PhD, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, AUC School of Business, Egypt
- Laura Bloomberg, PhD, president – CSU, USA
- Rev. Fr. Talal Hachem, PhD, president – USEK, Lebanon
- Keynote Speaker : His Excellency Mr. Yasinne Jaber, Former Minister of Economy and Trade and Former Member of Parliament
10:45 – 11:15 Coffee Break
11:15 – 12:00 Panel 1: Global Perspectives on Entrepreneurship: Trends and Growth Strategies
Moderator: Madonna Salameh-Ayanian, PhD, Assistant dean for Executive Studies – UBS, Lebanon
- Amin Nehme, President – Lebanese Development Network (LDN), Lebanon
- Jean Riachi, Chairman – I&C Bank, Lebanon and FFA Private Bank, Dubai, UAE
- Marwa Abou Dayya – Managing Consultant and Partner – Beyond Group, Lebanon
- Mazen Soueid, PhD, Chairman-General Manager – IDAL, Lebanon
12:00 – 12:45 Panel 2: Bridging for Success: Industry Leaders and Entrepreneurship Support Ecosystem
Moderator: Nancy Saliba, PhD, director – Asher Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at USEK, Lebanon
- Elias Abou Fadel - CEO of University Hospital - Notre Dame des Secours, Lebanon
- Pedro Domit, Former EVP – TracFone Wireless Inc., USA
- Tony Haddad, CEO – Technica International, Lebanon
- Wissam Sabbagh, CEO – Alpha Technology, Lebanon
- Yousif Asfour, PhD, CTO – American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon
12:45 – 14:00 Lunch and Networking
14:00 – 14:45 Panel 3: Funding the Future: Investment Strategies for Entrepreneurs
Moderator: Corine Kiame, President of LLWB, Lebanon
- Ahmed Bastawi, Managing director – ICEALEX and board member – AfriLabs, Egypt
- Elie Akhrass - iSME Fund Manager World Bank Fund Managed by Kafalat, Lebanon
- Fadia Jradi – Financial Inclusion and Enterprise Expert – ILO, Lebanon
- Maya Rahal, Country director – Alfanar Venture Philanthropy, Lebanon
- Naila Farouky – CEO at Arab Foundations Forum, Egypt (online)
14:45 – 15:45 Panel 4: Innovative Clusters and Sustainable Entrepreneurship
Moderator: Jackie Kassouf Maalouf, PhD, Co-Chair MENA and Founder of Lebanon Chapter – Catalyst 2030, Lebanon
- Annalisa Contini, Social Economy Unit – Cosv, Italy (online)
- Kareem Khodary, Project Manager - AUC Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Egypt
- Mohab Anis, PhD, professor – American University in Cairo and CEO – Innovety, Egypt
- Ramy Boujawdeh, COO – Berytech, Lebanon
15:45 – 17:00 Networking Coffee and Investment Competition
Matchmaking Activity – Investment Competition
Moderator: Mohammad Makki, PhD, assistant professor, – UBS, Lebanon
Entrepreneurs will deliver one-minute elevator pitches, presenting their products to industry experts and ecosystem partners. Esteemed guests, acting as investors, will provide valuable feedback and use simulated money to invest in their preferred startups.
Startups:
- Agonista: Wassim El Hage, USJ and ESA
- Ayki, Ara Abadjian, AUST
- G-Algae: Jinane Tannous, LAU
- Gi-tech: Adib Abboud, USEK
- Green Vibes: Hala Sharfo, UL
- Small Steps: Michel El Haddad & Jana El Helou, USEK
- Spreadly: Maha Mrad, AUB
- UWYTA: Margot Wehbe, USEK
DAY 2 FRIDAY, April 26, 2024
9:30 – 9:45 Registration – Building H, B3
9:45 – 10:35 Parallel Sessions
HS315 Session 1: Unleashing Creative Minds in the World of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Moderator: Jwailes Ahmad Rajab, PhD, Al Zarkaa University, Jordan
- Al Montaser Mohammad, PhD, Al Zarkaa University, Jordan
“Trends in Leadership Styles, Employee Engagement, and Employee Performance: A Comprehensive Review and Bibliometric Analysis Using Scopus and WOS Data”
- Prof. Subrahmanyam Satya, PhD, USEK Business School, Lebanon
“Navigating the Entrepreneurial Landscape: Unraveling the Dynamics of Startup Leadership”
- Lechuga Mayela, TECNM/Instituto Tecnológico de Durango, Spain (Online)
“Motivation in entrepreneurship: a guarantee of entrepreneurial success”
HS314 Session 2: Exploring New Models of Entrepreneurship and their Impact on Policy
Moderator: El Maalouf Nada, PhD, USEK Business School, Lebanon
- Makki Mohammad, PhD, COSV, Italy
“Transformative Synergies; Catalyzing Vocational Excellence and Social Entrepreneurship through Lebanon’s School-Enterprise Model”
- Apaydin Marina, PhD, American University in Cairo, Egypt & Den Hartigh Erik, Ozyegin University - Turkey (Online)
“Unleashing Innovation: Testing a Comprehensive Model”
- Elia Jean, Lebanese University, Lebanon
“Examining the Impact of Artificial Intelligence Adoption on Academic Writing among Business Students in Lebanese Higher Education”
- Mawad Jeanne, PhD, USEK Business School, Lebanon
“Towards Sustainable Green Transition in the Southern Mediterranean Countries, Identifying Policy Gaps and Spotting Opportunities to Design Sustainable Policies”
10:35 – 11:05 Breakfast Networking – Building H, B3
11:05 – 11:55 Parallel Sessions
HS315 Session 3: Pioneering Tomorrow’s Solutions: Exploring Cutting-Edge Technologies and Disruptive Ideas
Moderator: Atallah Samer, PhD, American University in Cairo, Egypt
- Jwailes Ahmad Rajab, PhD, Al Zarkaa University, Jordan
“The Effect of fintech Adoption on Cybersecurity in Jordanian Banks: The Moderating and Mediating Effect of Regulatory Compliance and Consumer Trust”
- Abu Darwish Nabil, PhD, Al Zarkaa University, Jordan
“Applications of artificial intelligence in data analysis to improve the performance of information systems for e-business.”
- Chbat Elias, USEK Business School (Online)
“From Youth Prospects to Seasoned Stars: A Gradient Boosting Model for Dynamic Financial Valuation of Football Players”
- Jawilis Ahmad, PhD, Al Zarkaa University, Jordan
“Mobile Banking Apps and Customer Satisfaction in Jordanian Commercial Banks: The Mediating Role of User Interface Design and the Moderating Influence of Technological Competence."
HS314 Session 4: Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and New Models
Moderator: Mouawad Nouhad, hD, Antonine University, Lebanon
- Freiha Sibelle, PhD, USEK Business School
“Entrepreneurial intentions in the absence of Banking services: the case of the Lebanese in crises.”
- Makki Mohammad, PhD, USEK Business School
“The Role of SE in the Advancement of Sustainable Development Goals, a Collaborative Perspective on Challenges and Opportunities in Lebanon and the Mediterranean Region”
- Emma Shaffu, Berytech, Lebanon
“Innovation in ideation or communication? Testing the accuracy of judged personality traits from delivered nonverbal behavior in public speaking.”
- McElroy Charles, PhD, Cleveland State University, USA
“Leveraging Knowledge Graphs to Map the SBIR Company Ecosystem to Promote Entrepreneurial Insights”
11:55 – 12:10 Closing session - HS315