Nearly 100 Female Business Leaders from Across 4 Continents Gather for "Women Connect to Innovate" to Develop Roadmap to Drive Collaboration in Regional Innovation

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May 09, 2023, 07:58 ET

MARRAKECH, Morocco, May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 100 female business leaders from across four continents gathered in Morocco this week for "Women Connect to Innovate" to forge new business collaborations and explore the role of innovation in empowering women to generate prosperity in the region. The event was co-organized by Start-Up Nation Central, a non-profit organization that promotes Israeli innovation around the world to help solve global challenges, and Morocco's Consensus Public Relations.

RoundTable session in the Moroccan desert, photo courtesy of Start-Up Nation Central (PRNewsfoto/Start-Up Nation Central (SNC))

The event, which brought together women from Bahrain, Benin, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, the United States, and others, focused on the shared challenges faced in the Middle East and Africa and how they are defined not just by geography, culture or religion, but also by how these impact women's access to financial security, education and the basic infrastructure that enable opportunities for women to lead.

Google, Women in Tech, CESE (Conseil Economique Social et Environnemental), Morocco's Ministry of Soldiery, FRDISI (Fondation de Recherche de Development et d'innovation en Sciences et Ingenierie), UM6P (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University), OMPIC,the Gulf-Israel Women's Forum, and Leaders on Purpose also joined as partners in the event.

The three-day gathering included a series of roundtables, workshops and panels focused on investments and funding, education and infrastructure. The event culminated in the unveiling of a graffiti wall in Marrakech, jointly created by three artists from Israel, Morocco and Senegal. The event ended with a gala dinner with government and business officials.

"The Middle East and Africa regions are growing at a rapid pace and innovation is a key component to that," said Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson. "Last year, we held the Connect to Innovate conference in Casablanca which brought together hundreds of Israeli and Moroccan business leaders. This gathering deepens the dialogue among professional networks from across the MEA region and recognizes the important role that women play in the innovation ecosystem. We are proud to provide a platform to encourage further collaboration."

"By bringing together prominent women in business, innovation and technology from the region, we are creating a cohort of women which will help propel our region forward," said Start-Up Nation Central Director of Innovation Diplomacy Aviva Steinberger. During the last three days, the groundwork for new collaborations has been laid and we look forward to seeing the partnerships evolve."

What emerged from the workshops and panel discussions was that the MEA countries are closely aligned in facing personal challenges such as empowering women to facilitate their passions and become leaders in their field. Equally, much of the innovation that is the output of these countries includes solutions in sectors such as water technology, renewable energy, ag-tech, human capital, health tech, etc., all of which are complimentary business opportunities to tackle challenges not only regionally, but worldwide.

About Start-Up Nation Central: Start-Up Nation Central is a non-profit organization that connects Israeli innovation to the world in order to help international entities solve global challenges. Immersed in the Israeli technology ecosystem, we provide a platform that nurtures business growth and generates partnerships with corporations, governments, investors, and NGOs to strengthen Israel's economy and society. For more information, visit: https://startupnationcentral.org/

About CPR: CPR is a public relations firm specializing in the creation and tailoring of high-level impactful events. CPR has a proven track record and is a trusted partner to both private sector and government in Morocco. CPR enables clients to seize opportunities, stand out and be renowned actors in the ecosystem.

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SOURCE Start-Up Nation Central (SNC)