Where Innovation Knows No Boundaries

Hello 24six9 fam!

Summer may be at its peak, but let’s not forget, the month of June started off with Eid celebrations! It has been an amazing month filled with festivities, activities and workshops for the global 24six9 community, and we’re here to take you through some of the highlights from across the world. Grab your cuppa, and let’s dig in.

Making Headlines with Zeena Zalamea

The 24six9 Dubai Chapter welcomed back its patrons on June 13th with a scintillating Founder’s Workshop. Hosted by Zeena Zalamea, broadcaster, media trainer and co-founder of Portal Productions, Zeena had everyone up on their feet, hooting and hollering about the realities of being seen and heard in this day and age. She taught the crowd what it means to truly sell your story, whether it’s to an investor, a podcast audience or your peers. One of the coolest tricks she taught the community was how to craft a compelling elevator pitch that captures attention in just seconds, ensuring your story sticks and resonates with any audience. Since it was a workshop, Zeena also made sure the audience got involved, as everyone split into groups for an interactive storytelling exercise. It was a great start to the month, and we can’t thank Zeena enough!

Turning Up the Heat in Riyadh

The 24six9 Riyadh Chapter kicked off earlier this year with its first session in May, and we’ve been energized ever since. On June 17th, we hosted a fresh round of Pitch Roast, Riyadh Edition, and it was a blast. Pitch Roast always brings out the most daring, innovative ideas, and the fierce competitive spirit. Held at جادة30 | Jada30, the event drew some incredible energy, judged by our own Adel Mazi, HASAN JABARTI, and Muath Bin Hussain. 10 pitches made the cut, each one receiving honest, unfiltered feedback on their product, scalability, presentation, and more. We’re fired up to organize more of these sessions in Riyadh and grow this vibrant community.

Cooking up more ideas in the Ideas Lab

On June 20th, the 24six9 Dubai Chapter hosted a lively new edition of Idea Lab, where everyone brought their freshest ideas to the table. This time, the ideas came from seasoned professionals to students and interns, everyone bringing a very contagious energy to the stage. Special shoutout to young-uns Sam ._. and Kazi Ikram who very bravely shared product ideas they had come up with during their classes [and bus rides from Abu Dhabi to in5 Dubai ]. We very graciously thank the very diverse crowd that shared valuable feedback and notes on said ideas. The session had a paternal energy this time, given how young our Idea Lab pitchers were, and it was heartening to see the back and forth of invaluable feedback from both sides. We love sessions that people take to so passionately, here’s to holding many, many more interactive sessions in the future!

24six9 kicks off in Athens

The excitement of launching a new global 24six9 Chapter is truly unmatched, and we’ve been thrilled to see the Athens Chapter grow so quickly! On June 24th, we kicked off the inaugural met-up at A Liar Man in Gazi, Athens, with so much energy and anticipation. Hosted by our Chapter Ambassador, Jarryon Paul, the session explored how to craft a compelling vision for your startup, one that drives growth and scalability while staying authentic to your true purpose. We’re ecstatic to see such enthusiasm for the 24six9 vision, and will soon be revealing more chapter openings around the world. Look out for news on that!

Whoever spread the rumor about summers not being very active was clearly wrong, as June has been bustling for the 24six9 community worldwide. We’re excited to see this momentum continue into the coming months, fueling innovation, collaboration, and growth across all our chapters. The energy and passion our members bring are inspiring - and there’s no doubt that summer is just getting started. See you at the next 24six9 meet-up!

Upcoming Events in July:

Save the date for 24six9’s upcoming community events!

Join the 24six9 Community

Connect with fellow 24six9 community members on our social media. Engage in tech-infused discussions, share your ideas and insights, find the best resources and mentors to collaborate with, and stay updated on the latest industry news. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn to be part of the thriving network that is 24six9.

For the full calendar across Chapters, click here

We look forward to bringing you the most exciting and meaningful events, opportunities, and connections, designed to help you thrive.

Have an excellent July!

Team 24six9

24six9 - Share Your Stories and Innovations with Tech Revolt

Are you driving the future of technology in the Middle East? Whether it’s a game-changing innovation, cutting-edge AI development, or a remarkable startup journey, Tech Revolt wants to spotlight your story! Share your news, insights, and achievements to inspire others and amplify your impact on the region’s growing tech ecosystem. Share you stories at: kasun@bellman.media