Our Speakers
San Francisco

Chris Abdur-Rahman Blauvelt is a passionate Muslim American entrepreneur committed to building up the global Muslim community to reach its full potential.
Chris is the CEO & founder of LaunchGood.com, the world’s largest faith-inspired crowdfunding platform. Dedicated to uplifting the Ummah, LaunchGood has raised over $650 million for 104K campaigns across 154 countries from more than 2 million donors.

In addition to LaunchGood, Chris founded Patronicity.com, a crowdfunding platform that has raised over $50 million for public space initiatives.

Haseeb is the founder and CEO of MedSnapp, the EdTech platform combining medical education with gamification to help medical students pass their exams.

He qualified as a doctor from the University of Glasgow and completed his foundation training in the NHS. He has experience of teaching medical students in a full-time role as a Clinical Teaching Fellow and has previously held honorary positions at three UK medical schools. He has also previously worked as Head of Content for BiteMedicine, an online question bank for medical students.

Driven by his passion for improving education through innovation, Haseeb is on a mission to make high quality medical education enjoyable and accessible worldwide through MedSnapp.

Nourin Abu transitioned from a successful career in Big 4 Accounting to co-found Makani Homes, where she now serves as COO. Her corporate journey left her feeling unfulfilled due to the lack of diversity, particularly as a Muslim woman. Taking a bold leap of faith, Nourin left her 9-5 to dedicate herself fully to Makani. An avid traveler who has visited 19 countries and every continent except Antarctica, Nourin brings her passion for exploration to her work, helping to create culturally rich travel experiences for Muslims worldwide. She is also an active CPA with a background in International Tax at KPMG.

Yara Ourfali is a dynamic leader with a rich background in management consulting, having tackled challenges across various industries including mega-events like FIFA, banking, advertising, and logistics. Through her global consulting practice and entrepreneurial ventures, Yara has remained focused on serving Muslim businesses, countries, and communities worldwide. Now, as the CEO and Co-Founder of Makani Homes, she is transforming Muslim travel by creating meaningful, culturally enriched experiences for travelers.

Yasin Ali, Kaazim Zia, and Nour ZuraIki are the dynamic trio behind Impact Engine, a groundbreaking platform designed to revolutionize the charity sector. After their victory in the MTF Build Challenge in London, they are now poised to launch Impact Engine to transform how charities connect with communities and drive social impact on a global scale. Their mission is to empower charitable organizations with innovative tools and strategies to amplify their impact.

Yusuf Omar is a pioneering journalist and media entrepreneur, with a career that spans roles at CNN International and war zones across the globe. As Co-founder and CEO of Seen TV, a media tech company with over 8 million subscribers and backed by Snapchat, Yusuf continues to push the boundaries of storytelling and media. He is also a sought-after global speaker, sharing his insights at events in over 100 countries.

Aman Ibrahim is a seasoned entrepreneur with a passion for using AI to solve some of the world’s most complex challenges. As a two-time founder and former Machine Learning engineer at Cruise, Aman has spent years developing cutting-edge AI technologies. Now, as the CEO of DeepTrust, he continues his journey by creating impactful AI solutions that drive positive change.

Lama Ahmad is dedicated to making technology safer and fairer, with a particular focus on those who are most affected by its advancement. As part of OpenAI’s Trustworthy AI team, Lama leads efforts in research and partnerships to mitigate risks and ensure that Artificial Intelligence serves the broader good. Her work reflects a deep commitment to ethical innovation in the tech industry.

Raed Masri is a serial technology entrepreneur and the Managing Partner at Transform VC, a top-performing venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley. With three failed ventures and two 20x successes under his belt, Raed has a proven track record in the tech industry. At Transform VC, he focuses on identifying and funding transformative deep tech companies, five of which have reached unicorn status. Raed is committed to nurturing 1,000 mindful tech founders who use innovation to create significant social and climate impact while achieving exceptional returns.

Meryem Chin, through her work with TAKVA, designs innovative products that enhance the daily lives of Muslims globally. By identifying pain points and integrating psychological and behavioral design, she has created solutions recognized internationally, including being named among the ISLAMICA 500 Global Leaders in the Islamic Economy.

Gulrez Khan is a Data Science Leader with nearly two decades of experience, known for transforming complex data into compelling narratives. A father of three, Gulrez is passionate about fostering data literacy among children, as highlighted in his award-winning book, “Drawing Data with Kids.” He frequently delivers engaging keynotes and corporate workshops that make data both informative and entertaining.

Rama Chakaki is an impact-driven entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. As a partner at Transform VC, a Silicon Valley firm, she empowers tech founders to leverage deep technology for social and climate impact. Rama has played a key role in building the social entrepreneurship ecosystem in the Middle East and leads the edTech nonprofit VIP.fund, supporting youth affected by conflict. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, and other prestigious publications.

Mohamed Moussa is the co-founder and CTO of Tarteel, dedicated to creating products that bring meaningful value to communities on a global scale. With previous roles at Facebook and Coursera, Mohamed’s expertise spans both technology and education. He is also deeply involved in the Islamic open source software community, where his passion for impactful tech is evident.

Starting a new venture can be extremely daunting, but Afra Nehal explores how to overcome these challenges by building the muscle of execution through practice and iteration. Drawing from her personal entrepreneurial journey, she highlights how quickly turning ideas into reality can sharpen your skills and lead to successful startups. Afra emphasises the importance of taking the first step, continuously improving, and mastering the art of execution, providing valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to navigate the complexities of starting and scaling a business.

Haroon Mokhtarzada shares the invaluable lessons learned while building Truebill. His journey is a testament to resilience and innovation, having faced rejection from every investor, running out of funds, and nearly failing. Despite these challenges, he steered Truebill to rapid growth, culminating in a successful exit for over $1 billion just a few years later. Haroon’s experience provides a rich narrative of overcoming obstacles, strategic pivots, and the power of perseverance in the entrepreneurial world.