WEIF 2026 Topics & Panels

Aligned with the overarching theme of the Forum, WEIF will address key topics with special emphasis on the Arab World and Sub-Saharan Africa, while maintaining a global outlook.

In addition to promoting gender parity and encouraging the participation of entrepreneurs, each proposed panel will feature a lead technical organizing partner and ensure a balanced representation of speakers from both the Arab Region and Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

Fostering Entrepreneurship and Innovation through Enabling Ecosystems — Where Ideas Take Shape and Social Protection Ensures Inclusive Growth

Creating vibrant ecosystems that support entrepreneurship, and innovation is key to driving sustainable economic growth. These ecosystems thrive on access to finance, mentorship, infrastructure, and supportive policies that help ideas evolve into impactful ventures. However, innovation must be inclusive. Social protection systems—like healthcare, education, and income security—empower individuals from all backgrounds to participate and take risks. Together, these elements ensure that growth is not only dynamic but also equitable, where no one is left behind. This synergy fuels resilient economies and inclusive societies.

 

The Tri-Economy Advantage: Leveraging Green, Blue, and Orange Innovation for Sustainable Growth

As the world seeks new pathways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the convergence of three dynamic economic spheres—the Green Economy (environmental sustainability), the Blue Economy (marine and water-based innovation), and the Orange Economy (creative and cultural industries)—offers a transformative model for inclusive and resilient development. This panel explores how entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers can harness the synergies between these economies to unlock new markets, empower communities, and build a future rooted in creativity, sustainability, and innovation.

 

Rebuilding Futures: Empowering Women and Youth in Post-Conflict Economies

In post-conflict regions, women and youth often bear the brunt of economic disruption, displacement, and social fragmentation. Yet, they also hold the key to rebuilding resilient communities and driving inclusive growth. This panel explores how entrepreneurship, innovation, and targeted investment can empower women and youth to become agents of recovery and transformation.

 

Islamic Finance as a New Frontier for Global Development

This panel will focus on the outcomes and follow-up actions of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), held in Sevilla, Spain. Drawing from the Sevilla Commitment and the Sevilla Platform for Action, the panel will explore how Islamic finance—through instruments such as sukuk, risk-sharing models, and ethical investment frameworks—can contribute to closing the global $4 trillion annual financing gap for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It will examine the role of Islamic finance in blended finance structures, its alignment with ESG principles, and its potential to strengthen domestic financial markets, support SMEs, and promote financial inclusion through digital innovation. The session will also address the importance of regulatory coherence, international cooperation, and the catalytic role of multilateral development banks and national institutions in scaling Islamic finance for sustainable global impact.

 

Innovation at the Source: Empowering Entrepreneurship Education, Research, and Capacity Building

Universities, technical institutes, business hubs and research centers are more than just places of learning—they are engines of innovation and entrepreneurship. By fostering a culture of creativity, experimentation, and applied research, educational institutions can play a transformative role in shaping the next generation of entrepreneurs and startups. This panel explores how academia can bridge the gap between research and commercialization, and how partnerships with industry and government can accelerate entrepreneurial ecosystems.

 

AI for Development: Bridging the Digital Divide

Artificial intelligence holds the potential to address critical development challenges in underserved regions, offering new tools for growth and inclusion. This panel will examine both the ethical and practical implications of deploying AI in emerging economies, and explore how micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as startups, can leverage artificial intelligence to drive innovation, bridge the digital divide, and foster sustainable development.

 

Women-Led Innovation: Scaling Impact Across Borders

This segment focuses on highlighting women entrepreneurs who are driving innovation across sectors such as health, education, and sustainability. It raises key questions, including what specific barriers women encounter when attempting to scale their ventures, and how regional policies can be improved to offer stronger support for women-led startups.

 

Creative Economy 2030: Pioneering Growth for the Next Decade

As nations look toward the transformative goals of Vision 2030, the creative economy stands out as a central pillar for sustainable growth, job creation, and global competitiveness. This panel will explore how investing in creative sectors—ranging from the arts and media to design, technology, and cultural industries—can accelerate economic diversification and foster resilient, innovative societies. Discussion will focus on the policies and urban strategies that can unlock the full potential of the creative economy, and how cross-sector partnerships can drive inclusive prosperity across Africa, the Arab world, and beyond.

 

Panel: Inclusive Enterprise: Empowering Productive Families and Persons with Disabilities

Inclusive entrepreneurship is a key driver of sustainable development, especially when it empowers people with disabilities and productive families. Over 1.3 billion people, 16% of the global population, live with a disability, yet face persistent barriers to employment and enterprise. Meanwhile, family-based businesses contribute significantly to GDP and employment, particularly in developing economies. This panel highlights how inclusive investment, accessible technologies, and supportive policies can unlock the potential of these groups and build more resilient, equitable economies.

 

Panel: Voices of the Future - Youth Speak Out

Youth are driving innovation and social change across the globe, yet many still face barriers to entrepreneurship. In 2024, over 365,000 young people launched or expanded businesses, creating more than 328,000 jobs. However, nearly 1 in 2 youth cite fear of failure as a major obstacle to starting a business. This panel gives young entrepreneurs a platform to share their stories, challenge assumptions, and shape the future of inclusive economic policy through direct dialogue with global leaders to unlock the full potential of youth-led innovation.

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Date published : 17 December 2025