A Day of Energy, Community, and Pure Entrepreneurial Spirit

Founders Live Cairo – December 2025 Edition

Dec 06, 2025

Today we wrapped up one of the most energetic and inspiring editions of Founders Live Cairo — an event that once again proved how powerful community-driven entrepreneurship can be when people come together with purpose, curiosity, and generosity.

A huge thank you to The enpact hub, Startup Haus Cairo for hosting us and continuously empowering the ecosystem through their space, their team, and their commitment to supporting entrepreneurs.

And of course — a special thank you to Maria, who continues to be the soul of Founders Live Cairo. Her dedication, discipline, and consistency are what keep this community growing month after month. I’m excited to see her build Mariasoft, and we’re all rooting for her success.

We were also honored to welcome Youstina Abdelmeseh, our Founders Live Alexandria City Director, who came all the way to Cairo to attend and support the event.

**Youstina Abdelmeseh** | City Leader **Founders Live Alexandria**

Registration & Early Morning Energy

This edition stood out from the moment doors opened. Registration was smooth, early, and incredibly organized — people arrived on time, filled the space quickly, and brought a level of energy that set the tone for the rest of the morning. The room was vibrant before we even started the program. It’s becoming clear that the community values these gatherings, not just for the pitches but for the depth of conversations and connections that happen throughout the event.

Opening Remarks & My Introduction

We opened with a warm introduction from Maria, who gave everyone an overview of the Founders Live MENA vision — why we exist, what we stand for, and how we are building a unified, founder-first movement across the region.

Then I gave a quick presentation about who I am, what I do, and why I launched Founders Live Cairo. I shared the purpose behind bringing this global platform to North Africa, our expansion into new cities, and our commitment to building a strong, inclusive community of entrepreneurs and innovators.

**Mostafa Shahat** | MENA Director **Founders Live**

We then heard from Omnia El Minyawi, our Operations Assistant, who has been an incredible asset in supporting Founders Live Cairo and ensuring every edition runs with professionalism and care. Omnia spoke about her involvement and what this community means to her.

Following that, Ahmed Karam, Junior Communications Associate at Enpact, welcomed the audience and shared Enpact’s continued mission of empowering founders and shaping the ecosystem.

Speakers Who Made an Impact

We were fortunate to host a lineup of exceptional speakers who each brought unique perspectives from across the investment and technology landscape.

First, we welcomed Noha, Investment Associate at Suhail Ventures, who shared insights into their fund, their investment thesis, and what they look for in early-stage founders.

Next, Rana Eltanbadawy from Averroes Ventures spoke about their portfolio, their approach to investing, and the characteristics they prioritize when evaluating founders and opportunities.

We then heard from Hassaan Mahdy, Head of Growth at EdVentures, who shared an honest look at their investment journey, the types of startups they back, and the patterns they’ve observed over the years.

And then came Ahmed Seddek, who, as always, left the room speechless. His perspective, his authenticity, and his ability to capture the essence of Egyptian culture made his talk unforgettable. Finally, we welcomed Sara Bakri, whose sharp legal mind and calm delivery added a completely different layer of value to the event. She broke down startup legal essentials with clarity and confidence, giving founders exactly the kind of practical guidance they rarely get on stage.

The 99-Second Pitch Challenge – Our Five Founders

We then moved into the heart of the event: the 99-second pitch competition.

Here are the pitching founders, with full descriptions and founder backgrounds as presented during the event:

1. Almah – Founded by Manal Saleh

Founded in 2020, Almah is a social enterprise that embodies creativity, sustainability, and community. Their mission is to support The Egyptian Clothing Bank by upcycling excess materials into unique designs or renting preserved vintage textiles.

Almah is a women-led initiative promoting conscious consumerism, circularity, skill development, and environmental awareness.

Founder: Manal Saleh – Sustainability advocate & CEO of The Egyptian Clothing Bank.

2. lvlup365 – Founded by Mohamed Selima

lvlup365 is a digital platform designed to elevate employee performance and HR processes through gamification and smart development tools.

Founder: Mohamed Selima – CEO of 3S Smart Solutions, Odoo & 3CX partner, Odoo Certified & Advanced 3CX Certified.

3. PeacePay – Founded by Ahmad Adel

PeacePay is redefining Pay-on-Delivery for cash-heavy markets, digitizing conditional payments for goods, services, and bookings.

With PeaceLink and PeaceMeet, PeacePay secures transactions, reduces failed deliveries, automates refunds, and builds trust in the digital economy.

Founder: Ahmad Adel – Founder & CEO – PeacePay | Replacing Cash on Delivery in Egypt | Digital Wallet Ecosystems | Inclusive Fintech | Microsoft for Startups, and 500 Global Alumnus

4. Peacock Sustainable Designs – Founded by Dahlia Salem

Peacock Designs offers minimalistic, eco-friendly design solutions merging contemporary art with natural materials.

They support Egyptian crafts, rural artisans, and sustainable practices while offering alternative green products to traditional consumer goods.

Founder: Dahlia Salem – Co-Founder & sustainability advocate.

5. DrifTech – Founded by Ethar Hesham

DrifTech is creating a transparent, trustworthy automotive marketplace where buyers, sellers, and renters access high-quality vehicles with full confidence.

Founder: Ethar Hesham – CEO & Co-Founder of DrifTech EG.

Audience Voting & Announcing the Winner

As always, the voting was 100% audience-driven. Everyone in the room cast their vote for the founder who delivered the strongest 99-second pitch.

🥇Winner: Peacock Sustainable Designs – Dahlia Salem

Her pitch was clear, impactful, and deeply rooted in purpose. The community responded with full enthusiasm, and she earned the win with pride.

Networking, Food, Music & Community

After the pitches, the energy only grew stronger.

We had an open floor of networking, conversations, introductions, and new collaborations forming across the room. The food was wonderful, the drinks were refreshing, and the atmosphere was full of genuine connection.

Our volunteers did an incredible job supporting logistics, welcoming guests, and keeping everything flowing smoothly. They are the backbone of Founders Live Cairo.

Public Open Mic Session

Toward the end, we opened the floor for our public open mic session — a space where anyone can take a few minutes to speak to the room, personally or professionally. This has become one of the most meaningful parts of every edition, giving founders, investors, operators, and community members a platform to share ideas, ask for support, or introduce new projects.

One of the most touching moments came from Sherif Mohamed Elshahawee, who shared a deeply personal story about his journey — from serving as cabin crew at Emirates Airlines to becoming a developer at one of the fastest-moving fintech startups in the region. His story of transition, resilience, and reinvention resonated with everyone in the room.

Alongside Sherif, several others took the stage to share their journeys and the incredible work they’re building — honest moments, powerful insights, and genuine community energy that reminded us why Founders Live exists in the first place.

A Special Thank You to Our Volunteers

No event of this scale comes to life without the people who stand behind it — and our volunteers were truly exceptional. Their energy, commitment, and professionalism set the tone from the moment doors opened. They handled registration flawlessly, supported founders and speakers throughout the day, guided attendees, and made sure every small detail ran smoothly. This team showed what real community spirit looks like, and Founders Live Cairo is incredibly grateful for their hard work. Thank you for being the heartbeat of this edition — we couldn’t have done it without you.