Tarek Fouad

Tarek Fouad led the Operations and Community at Hub71, a key driver of the Ghadan21 program and the catalyst to Abu Dhabi’s digital transformation. Tarek Fouad focused on developing Abu Dhabi’s community of startups, VCs and corporate partners through striking strategic partnerships, sourcing over 100 deep-tech startups and advising on policy changes. Prior to this, Tarek spearheaded the programs and operations for Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), a Sharjah government backed venture and entrepreneurship ecosystem builder, supporting them grow their portfolio to 72 startups, raise more than $15 million in funding and generate more than $12 million in revenue. Before that, Tarek was the UAE Country Manager at TechWadi in Silicon Valley, a non-profit organization that connects Silicon Valley to the Arab World to promote economic development by facilitating access to mentorship, capital and acceleration for high-impact entrepreneurs. During his time at TechWadi, Fouad sourced and selected startups for its accelerator program. In 2012, Tarek founded Lean International Group, first of its kind out of home media circuit at health clubs and a technology solutions provider for sports facilities. The company consisted of three business units and a headcount of 60 employees, ultimately bringing the company to exit at the value of $20 million in 2017. Tarek holds a master’s degree in control engineering from Khalifa University, an MBA from City University of London, Cass business School; and is a certified Neuro-linguistic programmer (NLP) and executive coach.