Nidal Qanadilo has been a champion of the MENA region’s entrepreneurship sector, shaping ecosystems and helping thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs to build enduring companies. He has created acclaimed acceleration programs and invested in many startups at Oasis 500, the region's leading seed fund and business accelerator.

As managing partner at South Point, Nidal supports exceptional early-growth stage tech companies through his signature coaching approach, wide-reaching network, and securing funding. He also helps leading organizations with entrepreneurial-orientation in the telecom, healthcare, and Fintech sectors build their open-innovation systems.

In addition to dedicating a considerable amount of time mentoring startups, Nidal works with leading private and public organizations to develop an ecosystem approach to advancing entrepreneurship in Jordan and other MENA countries. He is engaged with the World Bank on large-scale projects aimed at accelerating SMEs' and tech startups' growth with a focus on increasing access to funding and markets.

Nidal led the development of Jordan’s national entrepreneurship policy that establishes the country as a startup engine, contributes to its economic growth and enhances its profile as a leader in the digital economy. Nidal sits on several boards and received his MBA from Lancaster University, UK.

In 2021, he launched UnleashNow, an innovative platform designed to bridge the knowledge gaps of MENA entrepreneurs and startups at various stages of development.

Previously, he was a director of investment at Jordan’s Ministry of ICT where he partnered with global technology firms. He was a pioneer in building the country’s booming tech sector and he helped establish Jordan as an offshore contact center hub.

Nidal believes deeply in the limitless potential of entrepreneurs and the virtue of social justice. He is known by his friends for his wry sense of humor. If you happen to call him after hours, you will be treated to the sounds of kids playing soccer, kickboxing, gymnastics, swimming and all the crazy stuff his three wonderful children rope him into.

Steve Finikiotis is a globally-minded strategy and business development specialist who has led projects for market-leading companies in over 35 countries on five continents. His career spans advanced technology, telecommunications and commercial aviation.

Steve’s mission is to support entrepreneurs who are expanding life’s possibilities through the creative application of technology. His background reflects an abiding interest in developing inventive solutions to daunting problems in global markets. His most recent work focuses on building relationships with capital and strategic partners across boundaries.

At South Point, an accelerator he co-founded, he helps high-potential ventures to scale their business and extend their reach to cross-border markets. He works closely with growth-stage founders on critical facets of business development, market entry and fundraising.

Previously, he co-founded a consultancy, Osprey, to assist international firms including AT&T, Adobe Systems and Federated Department Stores, and institutions with their market development projects. He previously consulted in the airline sector advising the International Air Transport Association, and advised both entrenched legacy carriers and innovative startups.

Earlier in his career, Steve was a managing director at Trans World Airlines when it served 93 markets worldwide, where his responsibilities included operations, IT/systems, revenue, planning and logistics. He managed 8 divisions and a $470 million budget in service of the carrier's performance turnaround.

One of Steve's inflection points came while working in Africa during the telecom boom over a decade ago when hundreds of millions of Africans became newly connected with each other and the rest of the world. Inspired by the breadth of the changes he observed, he began a quest to support entrepreneurs solving technical challenges in under-served markets.

Outside his strategic responsibilities, Steve is devoted to mentoring entrepreneurs which he views as "restorative." He has worked closely with institutions and universities that offer entrepreneurship education including Brown University’s lauded program where he supported fledgling entrepreneurs in a variety of global start-up ventures.

Steve sits on the boards of several tech companies in the USA and overseas. He speaks French, Spanish and Greek.

Samakie has been a tireless advocate for entrepreneurs who are building a better future in the Middle East through technology. He has served as an advisor to the World Bank Group on entrepreneurship and ecosystem development throughout the region including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Palestine.

Karim specializes in creating innovative entrepreneurial programs including setting up and managing impactful early-stage investment funds, angel investments and government-backed ventures.

He’s known for successes in analyzing investment opportunities, building investor relations and leading a string of impressive fund-raising campaigns. He is adept at optimizing funds through skillful financial modeling and forecasting.

Throughout his career, he has worked closely with companies at various growth stages to improve performance and accelerate investment readiness. He has helped early-stage companies understand and leverage the product-adoption curve.

Karim has had various roles supporting Jordan’s government in its quest to accelerate the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector as an engine for the country’s economic growth and stability.

He has also played a pivotal role in developing and implementing programs that create and leverage market linkages that improve the competitiveness of the Palestinian private sector.

Karim advised Monsha’at, the Saudi Arabian government authority aimed at bolstering the Kingdom’s SMEs to boost their productivity and contributions to the national economy.

He’s a member of the core design team of Jordan’s ambitious $110Mn five-year COVID-19 Private Sector Recovery and Resilience Project focused on the supporting the SME sector.

Karim is also a key advisor and trainer for Jusoor, a non-profit organization focused on developing the skills of displaced people from Syria, Lebanon and Iraq as they take on the rigors of building enduring technology businesses.

Prior to his Arc Capital and World Bank commitments, he was an investment manager for Oasis500, Jordan’s acclaimed pre-seed and seed fund manager and accelerator where he managed a portfolio of 120 startups. He helped aspiring entrepreneurs gain new skills, access funding, engage industry leaders and scale their businesses.

In the near term, Karim is slated to become the SME enablement manager with the Royal Commission of the Saudi City of Al Ula, a Saudi Arabian project with the goal of building a vibrant regional ecosystem where SMEs can thrive.

Karim holds a global masters in finance at IE Business School and a bachelor of commerce degree specializing in finance, international business, and entrepreneurship from the Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University

Outside of work, he enjoys hanging out with his family including his young daughter who may be having a tea party, singing or dancing, skills that he is working on but has not yet mastered. He loves going on short, unplanned family getaways and exploring new destinations.