CFTE co-founders, Huy Nguyen Trieu and Tram Anh Nguyen, presenting the Fintech Ideathon at the Future Skills Forum
Dubai, 8th May 2024: The Future Skills Forum, was hosted by the Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CFTE) on 8th May in Dubai. This prestigious event, held at the Museum of the Future in Dubai, served as the perfect setting to bring together 800 policymakers, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and young innovators for a packed day of discussions, networking, and collaboration.
In conversation with Tram Anh, H.E Noura Alblooshi, General Manager at the Emirates Institute of Finance (EIF) and Dr Allen Baby, Chief Learning Officer EIF
Future Skills Forum Ideathon in Partnership with EIF
The Future Skills Forum commenced with an ideathon in partnership with EIF’s ETHRAA programme, aimed at fostering innovation among young Emirati graduates. The ideathon was structured around four key themes: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Sustainability, and Fintech.
CFTE’s co-founder Huy Nguyen Trieu, giving an introductory speech
Ideathon at the Future Skills Forum alongside Tram Anh Nguyen and Huy Nguyen Trieu, co-founders CFTE, Saqr Ereiqat and the Key Participants and Mentors
We had an opening remark by CFTE’s co-founder, Tram Anh Nguyen who shared that “We could not dream of a better place to launch it, inside The Museum of The Future with a quote inside it by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum with such an important meaning: “The future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it, and execute it”
Together with our esteemed partner the Emirates Institute of Finance (EIF), we co-organised an
to help Ethraa’s professional students to launch an idea of a startup. We know it is so important. Ethraa is empowering Emirati talent with the skills needed to thrive in the financial sector of tomorrow, and thinking like an entrepreneur is important. One of key successes for young entrepreneurs is the support they can get in their journey to cultivate a mindset of being an innovator with entrepreneurial skills” said Tram Anh Nguyen, co-founder CFTE.
“Through collaboration, commitment, and future development, we can construct a workforce that is adaptable, resilient, and prepared to thrive in the exciting world that awaits,” said H.E Noura Alblooshi, General Manager at the Emirates Institute of Finance (EIF), emphasising the importance of equipping the workforce with essential skills for success in an AI-driven world.
Host of Ideathon
The ideathon was hosted by Saqr Ereiqat, an industry leader with over thirteen years of experience focusing on the Middle East and Africa regions. He is a partner at the TradeDog Group and CEO of TDMM.io. Previously he co-founded Crypto Oasis Ventures and Riddermark, a boutique advisory firm that invests and grows fintech, blockchain, healthtech, and govtech solutions.
Ideathon Host: Saqr Ereiqat (CEO of Trade Dog Market Manager, Co-Founder of Crypto-Oasis Ventures, and Co-founder of Riddermark)
Key Participants and Mentors
The ideathon featured mentors from various global fintech, blockchain, and AI sectors. Their guidance was instrumental in shaping the participants’ ideas.
Key mentors included:
- Takeshi Kito, CEO and Co-founder of ELEVANDI Japan
- Isabela Ududec, Chief Operating Officer of Magnati
- Akram El Youssi, Founder and CEO of Instaval
- Nadeem Ladki, VP Commercial – MENA & International, Bitpanda
- Khalid Al Hosani, Transformation Manager, ADNOC Distribution
- Sarah Abuagela, Head of Investment and Partner, Ceras Ventures
- Ibrahim Muhammed, Payments Consultant, Finxplorer Consulting Services
- Olasupo Ogunsanya, Digital Product Owner, RAKBank
- Sophie Guibaud, Co-founder and Chief Commercial & Growth Officer, FiatRepublic
- Sampriti Jain, Innovation Manager, GELLIFY
- Andrei Afanasiev, Regional Director, Paysend
- Abdulaziz S. Qurashi, Process Engineering Lead, Siemens
- Joe Sejean,Mentor and Expert, GLEAC
- Saed Ereiqat, Ecosystem Manager, Crypto Oasis
- Soufia Trabelsi, Ecosystem Business Development, Flare Network
Judges and Evaluation
A panel of seasoned industry experts evaluated the projects based on innovation, scalability, impact, and clarity of presentation. The judges included:
- Gaurav Dhar, CEO of Marshal and MENA Fintech Association
- Phil Watson, Managing Director of Platform Development and Innovation at Citi
- Sarah Abuagela, Head of Investment and Partner at Ceras Ventures
Judges and audience of the ideathon
Winners of the Ideathon: Innovative Solutions for a Digital Future
Winners of the Ideathon
1. Tawasal (Gold Award)
Team: AHRF
Description: A real-time data-sharing platform that enhances communication between public and private sectors using AI and Blockchain.
Benefits: Time and cost efficiency, real-time data sharing, unified KYC process.
Challenges: Ensuring data privacy and security.
2. Banking.ae (Silver Award)
Team: Banking.ae
Description: An AI-driven platform providing personalised banking product recommendations.
Benefits: Simplifies decision-making for customers, saves time and costs, enhances customer satisfaction.
Challenges: Convincing banks to release data, keeping up with dynamic financial information.
3. Kharda (Bronze Award)
Team: #1
Description: A SaaS application for efficient cash management targeting both B2B and B2C sectors in the GCC.
Benefits: Improves cash management, reduces risks, assists banks in managing cash flow.
Challenges: Mitigating theft and business interruptions, building trust with users.
About CFTE
The Centre for Finance, Technology & Entrepreneurship (CFTE) is a global education platform that aims to equip financial professionals and organisations with the necessary skills to remain competitive in a rapidly changing industry. With offices in London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi, CFTE partners with Fortune 500 companies to build their knowledge in Financial Technology, whilst simultaneously supporting their digital transformation process. Our leading training programmes, curated by global industry experts, help talent build skills to join the digital transformation of finance.
For further details about the Future Skills Forum and registration information, please contact:
Contact: CFTE MENA Office
Email: mena@cfte.education
