Grit Daily Sixth Annual Speakers & Media Dinner Recap: Networking and Innovation in Lisbon

Web Summit Lisbon is one of the most important technology conferences in the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from across the globe. However, some of the most important gatherings take place outside of the conference walls, bringing together like-minded individuals to network, collaborate, and innovate. The Grit Daily Sixth Annual Speakers & Media Dinner is one such event, returning for its sixth iteration along with featured guest Dr. Abdalla Kablan, who announced the launch of DELTA Wealth Partners (DWP).

Dr. Abdalla Kablan and DWP

Dr. Abdalla Kablan is a renowned expert in AI and machine learning, especially in financial systems. He is also a long-time participant and guest at Grit Daily’s live events, where he shares his insights and experience. This year, Dr. Kablan graced the event with the launch of his new venture capital fund manager, DELTA Wealth Partners (DWP). Licensed by the Financial Service Regulatory Authority and based in Abu Dhabi Global Market, DWP aims to revolutionize AI-focused venture capital investments.

The launch marked a significant milestone in AI venture capital, going far beyond a mere investment endeavor. It serves as a commitment to spearheading a new era of digital innovation systems, promising a transformative impact on the tech investment landscape.

A Melting Pot of Ideas and Innovations

The dinner, held at the scenic Monte Mar Lisboa, was a testament to the summit’s collaborative spirit, with more than 70 distinguished guests booking tickets for the event. Attendees included media personalities and investors from around the world, each bringing their unique perspectives and expertise to the table. These attendees, ranging from industry leaders to emerging entrepreneurs, played a pivotal role in enriching the discussions and collaborations at the event.

Attendees of Grit Daily’s Sixth Annual Lisbon Dinner

Among the guests who gathered together at Monte Mar Lisboa, we have highlighted a few below. From media and venture capital to AI and fintech, the event brought together major players for a night of networking and excitement. Not to mention good food. Some of the attendees included:

Dr. Abdalla Kablan: The guest of honor and a serial tech entrepreneur, investor, and technology expert. With his experience in AI and ML, the launch of DWP is an exciting next step worth keeping an eye on in the months and years to come.

Adnaan Hafiz: The founder and CEO of EQNX who is all about delivering game-changing outcomes. His company has a proven track record when it comes to innovative data solutions and strategies that drive success, and he has another stealth venture in the works.

Alisa Cohn: When it comes to startups, few are as knowledgeable. Fondly known as a top startup coach worldwide, her expertise has been honed while helping companies from Etsy to The Wirecutter. She even has a book, From Start-Up to Grown-Up, where she lays her insights out for all to see.

Bianca Zwart: Chief of Staff to the CEO at bunq, a Dutch fintech and neobank. Known as bunq — bank of The Free, it is licensed in the Netherlands within the European Union. It operates in 30 European countries and launched the world’s first open banking API in 2017.

Brett Martin: The president and co-founder of Kumospace, a virtual office platform. As a serial entrepreneur, he has spent his career building or investing in technology startups. He is also the co-founder and managing partner of Charge Ventures, a pre-seed-focused venture fund.

Bryan Talebi: In a world where AI is the center of many conversations, especially in the tech space, Bryan’s Ahura AI stands out. The AI and biometric data company has created tech to help people learn faster than traditional education, and they go even further by providing free licenses to underserved communities around the globe.

Carolin Wais: Passionate about entrepreneurship, Carolin is the first female partner at Plug and Play Ventures, where she is involved in investing in over 200 companies a year. She is also an advocate for diversity and loves supporting female-focused initiatives as a mentor.

Cesar Gon: The founder and CEO of CI&T, Cesar is heavily involved in the tech and digital space. His company provides digital services to large enterprises, helping them shift at scale. In addition, CI&T pushes for hyper-productivity and the integration of AI to accelerate growth.

Christian Kroll: Professor, advisor, expert, inventor. Christian holds a PhD and serves as a full professor of sustainability. He shares his expertise on sustainability and ESG with companies, governments, and organizations around the world.

Christina Kosmowski: Christina’s entire career has been about putting customers first, and this is something she currently does as the CEO of LogicMonitor. She is a driving force behind the company, which aims to help businesses expand by advancing the tech behind them.

Elena Poughia: With an entrepreneurial spirit that is hard to match, Elena serves as the managing director
of Dataconomy Media, a leading portal for news, events, and expert opinions. She is also the commercial director of The Europas Tech Startup Awards and the founder of Data Natives, a big data conference.

Gabriel Shin: Works alongside partners across the European and US venture capital ecosystem as a Partnership Lead at Carta. He is also involved in co-marketing & co-selling initiatives to support early-stage fundraising from investors.

Jennifer Strong: A multi-award-winning journalist, podcast virtuoso, and renowned moderator, Jennifer is well-known in the media realm. Among her many ventures, she is the host and creator of SHIFT Podcast, which focuses on topics like AI, automation, and emerging technologies.

John Koetsier: John wears many hats, but his role as Singular’s VP of Insights stands out. There, he helps the company tell stories with data, aiming to empower others to increase their growth exponentially. He is also a journalist, analyst, author, and founder experienced with raising angel and VC funds.

Jordan French: The founder and CEO of Grit Daily Group, consisting of a growing roster of six outlets, five podcasts, and a YouTube show. When not helping companies and brands tell their stories, Jordan is traveling to conferences around the world as a moderator and hosting events like the Speakers & Media Dinner.

Justin Jackson: A partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures, Justin has years of VC experience under his belt. The VC firm helps startups with strategic partnerships and global expansion. Outside of his role at Pegasus, he serves as a board member at the University of San Diego – Knauss School of Business.

Lauren Wright: As the founder and CEO of The Natural Nipple, Lauren is on a mission to revolutionize maternity. Currently, she is pioneering advancements to empower breastfeeding with an infant feeding system personalized to mimic a mother’s shape, feel, and flow.

Mathieu Flamini: From renowned athlete to innovative founder, Mathieu now sits as the CEO of GF Biochemicals, where he is taking on the role of pioneering sustainable practices and setting new standards in the industry. The company, founded in 2008, was the first company in the world able to mass-produce levulinic acid.

Melanie Samba: The founder and CEO of Sproxxy, an intelligence platform that proves the business impact of participating in conferences. Additionally, Melanie is a branding and corporate communications leader with 20 years of experience in developing and executing powerful strategic programs.

Owen Reynolds: Principal at Teklas Ventures, the VC arm of a family office associated with Teklas, and a seasoned venture investor. His focus is on automation, robotics, and automotive, among other areas. He also served as a venture partner at Expon Capital.

Rebecca Parsons: Technologist, author, speaker. Rebecca started as the CTO of Thoughtworks in 2007, only transitioning to the CTO Emerita in June. She is also an advocate for diversity and inclusion, with a passion for ushering more women into coding and STEM.

Rhett Power: People are the foundation of all ventures (for now), and Rhett Power is a coach experienced in working with executives, teams, and founders to elicit positive change. His approach focuses on accountability and feedback, even dubbed “the accountability coach.”

Rob Pegoraro: A tech writer with a mission to make sense of the digital world through his work. Offering his expertise as a freelancer, he has worked with USA Today, Yahoo, and The Washington Post. His work often goes beyond the written word, extending to radio, TV, podcasts, and live appearances.

Robert Bianco: The founder of Bianco Advisory, which offers a full suite of advisory services that include valuations, business planning, the raising of finance, and transaction services. He has a passion for facilitating connections and unlocking opportunities.

Sam Eshrati: Serving as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Engagement Officer of TechBBQ, Sam has his finger on the pulse of technology and startups. He is also an experienced individual with a talent for eradicating inefficiencies and building financial and accounting procedures.

Stephan Morais: The founder and Managing General Partner of Indico Capital Partners, one of the top institutional and independent venture capital firms in the world. Indico’s focus is on SaaS, AI, Web3, climate tech, fintech, cybersecurity, and digital startups.

Conclusion

Web Summit Lisbon and the Grit Daily Sixth Annual Speakers & Media Dinner provided a fertile ground for technological advancements and strategic partnerships. DELTA Wealth Partners stands as a highlight, symbolizing the evolving landscape of AI and venture capital, while the various guests brought innovative ideas and perspectives to an event that might be the spark for the next major tech undertaking.