April 30 was unforgettable ✨
10 founders took the stage to pitch their startups, three received scholarships from @founderconnects , and we closed the night with an inspiring fireside chat with a prominent VC in MENA, Manish Phulwani.
Everyone left feeling sharper, more connected, and ready for what's next.Join our community and be part of the next Spotlight at @paramountmidtownhotel
in the room: @ronyhage@khaledhelps@dawchihliou@sidhowes@the.inner.harbour@third_inning
🌟 Spotlight: Guest of the Month
Meet EQ2 Ventures Associate Director, Manish Phulwani.
Investing in the Next Wave of Breakout Startups across MENA & Africa.
🏦 Associate Director at EQ2 Ventures, backing Seed to Series A founders.
💼 Portfolio includes Eyewa, Carswitch, The Luxury Closet, ArabyAds, Invygo, Step Conference & More.
📊 27 active investments with a $71.8M portfolio across MENA & Africa.
🚀 Backing the founders shaping the region's next breakout stories.
This is your chance to meet Manish and hear what makes founders stand out, where investor attention is going, and how startups can position themselves for real growth.
RSVP Link in Bio.
In challenging times, founders and leaders are increasingly feeling isolated while bearing the weight of tough decisions that others rely on. The best advice would come from someone in their shoes.
Rony Hage, the man behind Founder Connects, encourages founders to get out, engage, and talk to as many people as possible. Joining a community that feels right for them, is a powerful antidote to isolation.
#DXBToday #DubaiOneTv
"While raising, if you feel like you're selling, walk out" - @nadinemezher 🎤 (Guest of the Month)
Spotlight #6 was absolutely unforgettable! Hearing founders take the stage for their 60-second pitches was fantastic, but the true magic happened when those brief intros evolved into meaningful, deep discussions.
Swipe to catch the incredible vibe of the Founder Connects community in Dubai. 🇦🇪
✨ Who was your favorite connection from the event? Give them a shoutout in the comments below!
🌟 Spotlight: Guest of the Month
Meet NAWA & Sarwa Co-Founder, Nadine Mezher.
From Fintech to Fashion, $26.5M Raised with Sarwa
🏆 Emirates Women Award Winner & Arabian Business Young Achiever
💰 $26.5M raised for Sarwa backed by Mubadala & KIPCO
🌍 Pioneering accessible, low-cost investing across the MENA region
🚀 Innovating financial accessibility with AI-driven wealth tools
This is your chance to meet Nadine and learn how to build category-defining companies from fintech to fashion in the Middle East.
RSVP Link in Bio.
Building a startup requires immense grit, and doing it right now across the MENA region takes unimaginable resilience. We see you, and we want to help.
To support our community during these devastating times, we are launching Founder Features - a completely free visibility initiative to highlight MENA founders and the incredible startups you continue to build.
No cost. No catch. No ask in return.
Just our platform amplifying your hard work to a massive, highly engaged audience.
🔗 How to apply:
1️⃣ Hit the link in our bio to fill out the form.
2️⃣ We’ll handle drafting and posting your feature.
Note: Due to limited resources, this initiative will run for as long as we can on a first-come, first-served basis.
#StillBuilding #MENAStartups #FounderConnects #MENAFounders #StartupCommunity
In this candid conversation with Entrepreneur Middle East at STEP Dubai 2026, Rony Hage (@ronyhage ), Founder of Founder Connects (@founderconnects ), speaks openly about the emotional weight and isolation that often define the startup journey — and why community building sits at the core of his venture.
Hage shares how he has grown Founder Connects into a trusted space where founders can speak openly, learn from one another, and grow together.
"We needed people who challenged us in the room." - @theramisaad 🎤 (Guest of the Month)
Spotlight #5 was one for the books. We watched founders step up for their 60-second pitches, but the real highlight was seeing those pitches turn into deep conversations.
Swipe through to see the energy from Dubai’s Founder Connects community. 🇦🇪
✨ Who did you connect with at the last Spotlight? Tag them below!
Watching founders deliver a 1 minute pitch on stage is so energizing!
It was a pleasure to be the guest of @founderconnects connects where I shared some of our learnings from our journey building Halo AI.
Proud of my friend @ronyhage for building a genuine community and support system for aspiring entrepreneurs. Keep it up!
Big dreams need safe spaces. 💛
Calling all Abu Dhabi founders: The spotlight is on you. 🇦🇪
We are excited to launch the first edition of SPOTLIGHT by Founder Connects at the iconic MIZA HQ. This is an exclusive gathering of 80+ startup founders designed to spark real connections and growth.
The highlight of the night? A live "Spotlight" pitch competition!
See you on Feb 9th.
RSVP link in Bio
🌟 Spotlight: Guest of the Month
Meet Halo AI Co-Founder, Rami Saad.
From Pitch to $6M Seed in 12 Months
🏆 1 Billion Pitches 2025 Winner
💰 $6M seed raised in under 12 months
📊 378% growth in creator payouts in one year
🚀 Scaling brand-creator collaborations 10x with AI
This is your chance to meet Rami and learn how to build in the booming creator economy.
This is a @stepconference edition.
RSVP Link in Bio.
January was one for the books ✨
15 founders took the stage to pitch their businesses, three received scholarships from @foundinggcc , and we wrapped it up with an inspiring fireside chat with @faresksebati
Safe to say, everyone walked away inspired and more connected.
Join our community and be part of the next Spotlight on February 10 at @paramountmidtownhotel
Book now. Link in bio.
