Dr. Mamoun Taher is an award-winning deep-technology entrepreneur, materials science and technology innovator, founder of Graphmatech, Board Director, and Director of Research and Innovation at RIC2D. He has extensive experience in venture building, innovation management, commercialization, product development, fundraising, and technology scale-up, as well as transforming research findings into impactful startup companies.

Hisham is an ecosystem builder and innovation expert with extensive experience in the entrepreneurship and innovation sphere, having worked in top-tier entities across venture capital, corporate & government innovation and venture building throughout the GCC. He has advised founders across the venture life cycle on how to build, fund, launch and grow startups in different business verticals, and has also supported corporate & government entities in strengthening their innovation capabilities. He is passionate about helping startups achieve profitability and about building interconnected innovation ecosystems that create meaningful collaboration opportunities to advance technology development.

Fahad Al Absi serves as the Director of Commercialization and Special Projects at the Research and Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D) at Khalifa University, where he plays an instrumental role in shaping the commercialization strategy for groundbreaking technologies. With the resolute vision to catalyze the commercialization of 2D Materials, Fahad is entrusted with the planning and implementation of multi-faceted commercial strategies that drive investment, research, and industry collaboration.
A highly accomplished professional with over thirty-two years of diverse experience, Fahad has held key positions in government, semi-government, and private sectors. He has a rich history in pioneering commercial roles, notably as the CEO of Al Jasoor Heavy Vehicles, part of the EDGE Group, and as the Chief Commercial Officer at NIMR Automotive. Fahad was the first person to be recognized as the Official Honorary Advisor to ATLA MOD Japan globally, signifying his unparalleled expertise and contributions to industry growth.

Dr. Khalid Askar is the Director of Innovation and Scientific Research at the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, where he leads national strategies to strengthen the UAE’s research and innovation ecosystem. With over a decade of experience spanning academia, industry, and entrepreneurship, he has held faculty positions at Khalifa University and Masdar Institute and conducted research at MIT. He previously founded a renewable energy start-up focused on solar technologies tailored for desert climates. His expertise includes research strategy development, innovation leadership, and fostering partnerships between academia, industry, and government to drive impactful national R&D initiatives.

Pablo Olivera Brizzio is a Director of Corporate Innovation, a Technology Generalist and a Serial Inventor at heart, with 30 years of international experience in High Tech Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, GE and UTC, among other leading international organizations, across continents. He has a background in Electronics Engineering Technology (US), B.S. Engineering Management (UK), and holds a Master’s in Blockchain Technologies (Spain).
He is the author of several US and international granted patents on electrical gadgets and in 2015 he was recognized by the media in Uruguay to be the inventor of the first electric auto lacing shoes in 1998, inspired by the iconic film “Back to the Future II”.

Dr. Kari Hjelt holds a PhD in Engineering Physics from Helsinki University of Technology, as well as an Executive MBA from the London Business School. Dr. Hjelt has extensive experience in building up corporate research and venture activities. He has been the founder and CEO of several start-up companies, as well as worked as director at Nokia Ventures Organization and at Nokia Research Centre. Currently Kari leads the Industrialization Support work package and acts as vice director for the Swedish Chips Competence Center. He is also advisor and investor in several high-tech startups.