We’ll start the day with a recap of the past year and share more details about the new calculus and other exciting developments at the center. 

Dina H. Sherif, Executive Director, MIT KSC
Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Renowned Economics Professor, Bestselling Author, and Expert in Sustainable Development

The panel will explore how we can move beyond traditional measures of economic performance toward a broader framework that captures resilience, equity, and long-term prosperity.

H.E. Dr. Ghada Waly, Former Minister of Social Solidarity, Egypt
Professor Daron Acemoglu, MIT Faculty Co-Director of the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center on Inequality and Shaping the Future of Work 
Claude Grunitzky, CEO & Managing Partner, The Equity Alliance
H.E. Minister Mark-Alexandre Doumba, Digital Economy and Innovation, Gabon

Moderated by: Dina H. Sherif, Executive Director, MIT KSC

Tracey Abbott, Founder, Leadership Current

As artificial intelligence reshapes economies, labor markets, and global power dynamics, a critical question emerges: who gets to design its future? This plenary will explore how machine learning can be developed and governed in ways that advance equitable growth, shared prosperity, and technological sovereignty for emerging and growth markets. Beyond technology itself, the discussion will examine how AI is transforming the future of work - redefining skills, productivity, and opportunity across industries.

Dr. Mona M. Hamdy, Founder & Managing Director, Anomaly
Abdulakhad Kuchkarov, Advisor to IT Park Uzbekistan

Moderated by: Kathleen Kennedy, Executive Director, Center for Collective Intelligence

Dr. Amr Awadallah, Founder, Vectara, Cloudera, and Aptivia

The current model of venture capital and investment is misaligned with the realities of growth markets. It can be risk-averse, short-term, and impose Silicon Valley templates that stifle homegrown innovation. This panel confronts a central question: What does "fit-for-purpose" capital look like for the unique challenges and opportunities of growth markets?

Kola Aina, Founding Partner, Ventures Platform Fund
Heather Henyon, Founding Partner, Mindshift Capital
Sudhir Sethi, Founder and Chairman, Chiratae Ventures
Rodrigo Villar, Founding & Managing Partner, New Ventures and Adobe Capital
Geetha Tharmaratnam, Impact Investor and Development Finance Expert

Moderated by: Bunmi Akinyemiju, Founder & CEO, Venture Garden Group

All workshops (unless otherwise indicated by "invitation only") are open to conference attendees. Please register for your preferred workshops using the form link at the bottom of the conference program.

1. WORKSHOP: CAPITAL THAT IS FIT FOR PURPOSE
   The prevailing venture model used in growth markets is not localized; it is often risk-averse, and short-term, which stifles innovation in growth markets. This hands-on, by-invitation workshop confronts this misalignment. We will deconstruct outdated finance models and introduce Systemic Investing, an approach that intentionally links financial returns with local realities. 
   
   Facilitators: Walid Bakr, Head of Strategy & Business Development, Middle East & Africa, Bühler Group and Jason Jay, Director of the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative   
   
   

2. WORKSHOP: THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN BUILDING INNOVATION CAPACITY AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL THROUGH DEEP TECH COMMERCIALIZATION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITY MOHAMMED VI POLYTECHNIC
   How can academic institutions become central nodes of IDE ecosystems across growth markets? We'll explore proven models for stimulating student entrepreneurship, commercializing research, forging industry partnerships, and creating a culture that celebrates venture creation. 
   
   

3. ROUNDTABLE: ENGAGING THE DIASPORA IN INNOVATION DRIVEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP GROWTH (By Invitation Only)
   The African diaspora holds immense financial power, yet remains the missing partner in Africa's growth story. This roundtable moves from identifying structural barriers to mapping a new path forward, exploring how we can strategically invest in the continent's most pressing opportunities.
   
   Facilitator: Ayo Sopitan, Founder & CEO, Metalex Commodities Inc 
   
   

4. ROUNDTABLE: THE NEW WORLD ORDER, BY GROWTH MARKETS, FOR GLOBAL PROSPERITY
   As old systems come into question, an opportunity arises for designing an economic system for and by the global majority. The transition into this new system requires a careful orchestration that learns from the past and intentionally designs for a better future. This workshop will move from diagnosis to design, focusing on the specific financial and monetary architectures growth markets can create together to secure inclusive, sustainable, and self-determined prosperity.
   
   Facilitators: Dr. Abla Abdel Latif, Chair of the Presidential Advisory Council for Economic Development and the Executive Director and Director of Research of The Egyptian Center for Economic Studies (ECES) and Mr. Marc Uzan, Founder & Executive Director, Reinventing Bretton Woods Committee
   
   

5. ROUNDTABLE: THE ROLE OF PHILANTHROPY IN BUILDING INNOVATION CAPACITY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAWIRIS FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (By Invitation Only)
   The traditional charitable model of making grants to alleviate immediate needs is no longer sufficient to ensure long-term resilience. This roundtable zooms in on the critical for philanthropy in moving the needle on systemic challenges by shifting its role as a provider of a social safety net to a frontrunner in building innovation capacity, and in turn addressing root causes to pressing challenges.
   
   Facilitators: Dr. Mona Atia, Professor, George Washington University and Dr. Munther Dahleh, Director of the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and William A. Coolidge Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

This panel will share stories of phenomenal founders who have built phenomenal organizations and contributed to the prosperity of entire communities, and in some cases entire economies, in the process.

Sayuri Sharper, CEO, Kuo Sharper Initiative
Ayo Sopitan, Founder and CEO, Metalex Commodities Inc
H.E. Dr. Sandiaga Uno, Prominent Indonesian Businessman and Politician
Daniel Castanho, Chairman of the Board, Anima Education

Moderated by: Dina H. Sherif, Executive Director, MIT KSC