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A Misk session in progress

Misk concludes with call for 'generation solve'

RIYADH, October 20, 2020

After a successful fifth edition, the Misk Global Forum (MGF) concluded winding up two days of panels discussing The Ripple Effect - how individual actions can lead to global impacts that grow and inspire young people.
 
The Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) winner was also announced at the final session.
 
In his closing remarks, Dr Badr Al Badr, the Misk Foundation's CEO, said: "Despite the constraints of Covid-19, this year’s virtual gathering was bigger and better than before.
 
"At Misk we believe that immense difficulties present great opportunities, but only to those who are active and adaptive. We don’t see Generation X, Y, or Z, or 'millennials'; we see 'Generation Solve' – defined around young people’s potential to turn challenges into youth-led solutions. Misk and the Misk Global Forum are excited about the next chapter in building the capacity of young people to fulfil their destiny. We believe in you - show us what you can do!"
 
Earlier in the day, Christine Tsai, CEO and Founding Partner of 500 Startups, discussed how young people can drive change and seek impact.
 
She said: "With the impact of Covid-19 we’re seeing an acceleration in societal and cultural issues that have always existed.
 
"We try to source deals from networks that have access to under-represented deal flow, and target messaging for founders such as black CEOs, or founders from the Mena region and Latin America."
 
Speaking about the future of the tourism sector, Barry Sternlicht, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Starwood Capital Group, commented: "I think right now, it's survival for the industry, and we think the world may get back to normal in 2023.”
 
He continued: “The world has never needed to be more together than it is today and travel, I think, is maybe the most important industry in the world, because it breeds understanding between peoples and breaks down a lot of barriers and misconceptions.”
 
Other speakers during day two of the MGF included Eduardo Martinez, President, The UPS Foundation, UPS Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer; Philipp Mueller, CEO, BlueOrchard Finance Ltd; Anthony Joshua, boxer; Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO (Group),  OYO Hotels & Homes; and Jayren Teo, President & Co-Founder, Asean Youth Organisation, Singapore.
 
The MGF also hosted the second edition of the Global Finals of the Entrepreneurship World Cup, one of the world’s largest and most diverse pitch competition and support platform for entrepreneurs and startups of all stages.
 
The winners are:
TurtleTree Labs, from Singapore won the $500,000 first prize. TurtleTree Labs is the first biotech company to create milk sustainably using cell-based technology.
 
FLITE Material Sciences from Canada came second, winning $250,000. This startup uses lasers to change the surface of materials so they protect themselves from rust, ice, fouling and pathogens without toxic chemical coatings.
 
In third place was Genecis Bioindustries Inc, from Canada, who win a prize of $100,000. Genecis uses bacteria and synthetic biology tools to transform organic waste into high value materials and chemicals.
 
Over the course of 2020, 175,000 entrants from 200 countries were narrowed down through national and regional finals to 100 startups, who competed against each other during the MGF. -- Tradearabia News Service



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