The 24six9 Chronicles, January 2025

Hello 24six9 fam!

Wow, can you believe January has flown by in the blink of an eye? Since we kicked off our activities on the 10th, the 24six9 community has been in full swing! It’s been a whirlwind of engaging with amazing people, exploring fresh ideas, and spreading our vision far and wide. As a not-for-profit community, we’re serious about giving back through collaboration, mutual support, and inclusivity. So, let’s dive into a quick recap of what we've accomplished this month!

The Return of Founder’s Talk

We jumped right in on January 10th with a fantastic new edition of Founder’s Talk. Hosted by AHOY’s Gerard M Sansoni, we were lucky to hear from the award-winning keynote speaker, Karl Lillrud. He took us through his remarkable journey with a thought-provoking talk titled “AI and How It Affects Our Lives.” Karl led us into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and challenged us to think critically about its impact on our everyday lives and future possibilities. His insights sparked some very lively debates during the Q&A session, nevertheless inspiring everyone to explore how they can leverage AI in their own ventures. A big thank you to Gerard and Karl for such an enlightening session that set a positive tone for the year ahead!

Live Podcast at 24six9

On January 17th, we hosted a live podcast featuring a powerhouse panel of industry leaders. Jamil Shinawi, the Founder of AHOY, moderated a captivating discussion on “What 2025 Will Look Like,” with insights from Saeed Alnofeli, Nader Albastaki, and Aaron Hsu. The conversation revved up quickly, as each panelist shared their thoughts on the shift from the “wild west” of hype to a new era focused on delivering real ROI and tangible value. One of the key takeaways was the importance of addressing critical risks like security and data accuracy. A huge thank you to the gentlemen for making the 24six9 audience smarter and more inspired!

Mystery Founder’s Talk

On January 24th, our community enjoyed a little suspense as we kept our Founder’s Talk guest a surprise until the night of the meet-up. We were thrilled to host the incredible Connor Glass, CEO & Founder of Phantom Neuro. Connor mesmerized us with his insights on merging human augmentation and IoT, showcasing the nuances of his groundbreaking technology that provides lifelike control of prosthetics. He also shared his inspiring entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing deep-tech as a way to advance humanity.

New Meet-up - Founder’s Workshop

To wrap up January, we introduced our first-ever Founder’s Workshop on the 31st, designed for hands-on learning within the 24six9 community. Jamil Shinawi led this workshop, joined by Samy Elsheikh, who equipped attendees with invaluable tools. The focus was on establishing parameters for Founders Agreements and key strategies to protect your business. Samy shared actionable tips that are especially beneficial for those just starting out on their entrepreneurial paths. We’re excited to host more workshops in the future to empower founders with the knowledge and tools they need to succeed at every stage of their journey.

January may have come to an end, but we’ve already got a roster of meet-ups lined up for Feb, starting with a goold ole Pitch Roast! Register to get your pitch heard on February 7th, by clicking here. Form closes for Pitchers by Thursday, February 6, 3pm.

Upcoming Meetups:

Dubai Chapter: Friday, February 7, 2025 - Pitch Roast

Dubai Chapter: Friday, February 14, 2025 - Stop it...it's Valentine's

Dubai Chapter: Friday, February 21, 2025 - Idea Lab

Dubai Chapter: Friday, February 28, 2025 - Founders Workshop

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24six9 - Share Your Stories and Innovations with Tech Revolt

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