WORLDEF DUBAI 2026

AGENDA

* Only VIP, Guest, Speaker, Press, Investor ticket holders can enter the VIP Connect Event

Dubai Commercity

Registration & Welcoming

18:30 - 19:00

Dubai Commercity

Opening Remarks

19:00 - 19:15

Dubai Commercity

Welcome Note

19:15 - 19:25

Dubai Commercity

Welcome Note

19:25 - 19:35

19:35 - 20:00

COFFEE BREAK

Dubai Commercity

Speed Networking

20:00 - 22:00

Dubai Commercity

Closing Ceremony

22:00 - 22:15

* Only VIP, Guest, Speaker, Executive, Press, Investor ticket holders can enter the Future Commerce Stage

Future Commerce Stage

Registration & Networking

08:00 - 09:00

Future Commerce Stage

Welcome by Master of Ceremony

10:00 - 10:05

Future Commerce Stage

Opening Remarks

10:05 - 10:15

Future Commerce Stage

Welcome Note

10:15 - 10:25

Future Commerce Stage

Welcome Note

10:25 - 10:35

Future Commerce Stage

Welcome Note

10:35 - 10:45

Future Commerce Stage

Dubai: The Startup Capital of the World

10:45 - 11:05

11:05 - 11:15

COFFEE BREAK

Future Commerce Stage

Shaping the New Trade Order: EU–World Bank–UNCTAD Dialogue on Digital Commerce in the UAE

11:15 - 11:45

Future Commerce Stage

Dubai Commercity: Integrating E-Commerce, Logistics and Global Trade

11:45 - 12:05

Future Commerce Stage

The Future of Logistics: Delivering Speed and Sustainability Across Borders

12:05 - 12:25

Future Commerce Stage

Retail Modernization in GCC: Bridging Tradition with Digital Innovation

12:25 - 12:55

Future Commerce Stage

Empowering Digital Growth: Early-Stage Investment Opportunities in MENA

12:55 - 13:15

13:15 - 13:45

LUNCH BREAK

Future Commerce Stage

The 10-Minute Economy: Can Quick Commerce Stay Profitable?

13:45 - 14:05

Future Commerce Stage

From Clicks to Customs: Frictionless Cross-Border Trade in a Digital World

14:05 - 14:35

Future Commerce Stage

The Future of E-Commerce in the GCC: Trends, Innovation, and Growth Drivers

14:35 - 14:55

Future Commerce Stage

Green is the New Growth: The Sustainability Imperative in Digital Commerce

14:55 - 15:25

Future Commerce Stage

Balancing Speed and Security: The Future of Digital Payment Solutions

15:25 - 15:45

Future Commerce Stage

Scaling on Shopify: Building Global E-Commerce Brand

15:45 - 16:15

Future Commerce Stage

E-Commerce 2030: Technology, Consumer Shifts, and the Road Ahead for Global Marketplaces

16:15 - 16:35

Investment Stage

Registration Opens

10:30 - 11:30

Investment Stage

MENA Tech Unfiltered: Progress, Pitfalls, and the Road Ahead

11:30 - 12:15

Investment Stage

Comparing the notes: Regional vs. International expansion playbook

12:15 - 13:00

13:00 - 14:00

LUNCH BREAK

Investment Stage

Fireside Chat with a Featured Guest (TBA)

14:00 - 14:45

Investment Stage

AI’s next bet: where MENA VCs are placing chips

14:45 - 15:15

Investment Stage

What’s Next for IPOs and Exits: Navigating 2026 and Beyond

15:15 - 15:45

Investment Stage

How Today’s MENA LPs are thinking about venture

15:45 - 16:15

Investment Stage

Venture Debt in MENA's VC Stack: Where It Works - and Where It Doesn't

16:15 - 16:45

Investment Stage

Oraseya Capital Mixer

Location: To be announced soon!

17:30-19:30

Case Study Stage

The Marketplace Mindset: Winning Where Everyone’s Selling the Same Thing

11:00 - 11:30

Case Study Stage

Clicks, Carts and Commercial Sense: Turning Ad Spend Into Real Profit

11:30 - 12:00

Case Study Stage

New Market Development : Extending Beyond Your Market

12:00 - 12:30

Case Study Stage

Work With & What’s Next: The Reality of Being a Woman in E-Commerce

12:30 - 13:00

13:00 - 13:30

LUNCH BREAK

Case Study Stage

Fast, Reliable, Scalable: Logistics Success Stories in E-Commerce

13:30 - 14:00

Case Study Stage

Success Stories: Enabling Seamless E-Commerce Transactions

14:00 - 14:30

Case Study Stage

Vendor Central (1P) 2026 Playbook: Scaling Profitably in a Changing Marketplace

14:30 - 15:00

Case Study Stage

How to Protect and Grow Your Profit Margins on Vendor Central in 2026 and Beyond

15:00 - 15:30

Case Study Stage

AI, ERP & E-Commerce: Integrating Efficiency into Business Operations

15:30 - 16:00

* Only VIP, Guest, Executive, Speaker, Press, Investor ticket holders can enter the Future Commerce Stage

Future Commerce Stage

Welcome by Master of Ceremony

10:00 - 10:05

Future Commerce Stage

The Marketplace Multiverse: From Products to Services, Experiences, and Beyond

10:05 - 10:25

Future Commerce Stage

From Paper to Platforms: How Automation, AI, and Data Are Redefining Customs Operations

10:25 - 10:55

Future Commerce Stage

Recommerce and Retail Circularity: Tech-Driven Paths to Sustainability

10:55 - 11:15

11:15 - 11:25

COFFEE BREAK

Future Commerce Stage

The Future of Cashless: Trends in Digital Payments

11:25 - 11:55

Future Commerce Stage

Commerce Without Borders: The Next Decade of Digital Trade

11:55 - 12:15

Future Commerce Stage

The Rise of Conversational Commerce 2.0: Shopping Inside ChatGPT

12:15 - 12:45

Future Commerce Stage

Entrepreneurial Branding: How Founders Shape the Future of Marketing?

12:45 - 13:00

12:15 - 13:00

LUNCH BREAK

Future Commerce Stage

Smart Stores and Phygital Retail: The Blended Shopping Experience

13:40 - 14:00

Future Commerce Stage

Ethics, Accuracy, and Algorithms: Can We Trust AI in Commerce?

14:00 - 14:30

Future Commerce Stage

The Attention Economy: Winning Mindshare in a World of Scrolls and Swipes

14:30 - 14:50

Future Commerce Stage

Connected Retail: Blurring the Lines Between Online and Offline

14:50 - 15:20

Future Commerce Stage

Born in Chaos: How Great Startups Emerge from Uncertainty

15:20 - 15:40

Future Commerce Stage

The Future of HR in E-Commerce: Building Talent-Driven Growth in the Digital Economy

15:40 - 16:10

Future Commerce Stage

The Founder Code: What Defines the Entrepreneurs Who Build the Future

16:10 - 16:25

Future Commerce Stage

Closing Ceremony: Note of Thanks

16:25 - 16:30

Investment Stage

Registration & Breakfast

09:00 - 10:00

Investment Stage

Startup competition finals (10 participants)

10:00 - 11:00

Investment Stage

Fireside chat: Pivot, fundraising, and expanding. Interview with a Series-B founder

11:00 - 11:30

Investment Stage

11:30 - 12:30

Investment Stage

Award Ceremony

12:30 - 13:00

13:00 - 14:00

LUNCH BREAK

Investment Stage

14:00 - 17:00

VC workshops

-The Fund Journey Map: navigating a full 15-year fund journey
-LP fundraising: the good, the bad, and the ugly
-Portfolio construction: sketch & financial model
-Post-investment value creation: how do you actually “add value”?
-Portfolio outcome: from investing to returning back $$$ to your LPs
-Exits, liquidity strategy & value realization: how to do it better

Investment Stage

Event closing

17:00

Case Study Stage

E-Commerce Without AI: Is That Still an Option?

11:00 - 11:30

Case Study Stage

Performance Marketing in 2026: What’s Still Working, What’s Not?

11:30 - 12:00

Case Study Stage

Cross-Border Selling via Marketplaces: Opportunities and Risks

12:00 - 12:30

Case Study Stage

Cross-Border Payments and Fintech Innovations: How to Simplify Global Transactions

12:30 - 13:00

13:00 - 13:30

LUNCH BREAK

Case Study Stage

Breaking Borders: Brands That Successfully Expanded Globally

13:30 - 14:00

Case Study Stage

AI in Action: Success Stories from Predictive Analytics to Personalization

14:00 - 14:30

Case Study Stage

Influencer Marketing in Action: How to Manage Influencer Marketing Campaign for E-Commerce?

14:30 - 15:00

Case Study Stage

TIME REMAINING FOR THE EVENT:

AGENDA

* Only VIP, Guest, Speaker, Press, Investor ticket holders can enter the VIP Connect Event

Registration & Welcoming

18:30 - 19:00

Opening Remarks

19:00 - 19:15

Orxan Isayev

Welcome Note

19:15 - 19:25

Omar Nart

Welcome Note

19:25 - 19:35

By a DCC

19:35 - 20:00

COFFEE BREAK

Speed Networking

20:00 - 22:00

Orxan Isayev

Closing Ceremony

22:00 - 22:15

Orxan Isayev

* Only VIP, Guest, Speaker, Executive, Press, Investor ticket holders can enter the Future Commerce Stage

Registration & Networking

08:00 - 09:00

Welcome by Master of Ceremony

10:00 - 10:05

Shereen Mitwali

Opening Remarks

10:05 - 10:15

Omar Nart

Welcome Note

10:15 - 10:25

By a Protocol Speaker

Welcome Note

10:25 - 10:35

By a Protocol Speaker

Welcome Note

10:35 - 10:45

By a Protocol Speaker

Dubai: The Startup Capital of the World

10:45 - 11:05

By a Protocol Speaker

11:05 - 11:15

COFFEE BREAK

Shaping the New Trade Order: EU–World Bank–UNCTAD Dialogue on Digital Commerce in the UAE

11:15 - 11:45

Grigore Varanita

Lucie Berger

Iva Hamel

Dubai Commercity: Integrating E-Commerce, Logistics and Global Trade

11:45 - 12:05

Mitch Bittermann

The Future of Logistics: Delivering Speed and Sustainability Across Borders

12:05 - 12:25

Retail Modernization in GCC: Bridging Tradition with Digital Innovation

12:25 - 12:55

Vishal Kapil

Marcin Pawel Piekarczyk

Anass Boumediene

Empowering Digital Growth: Early-Stage Investment Opportunities in MENA

12:55 - 13:15

Amal Dokhan

13:15 - 13:45

LUNCH BREAK

The 10-Minute Economy: Can Quick Commerce Stay Profitable?

13:45 - 14:05

MODERATORShereen Mitwali

Faraz Khalid

From Clicks to Customs: Frictionless Cross-Border Trade in a Digital World

14:05 - 14:35

MODERATORRengin Alan Gültekin

Hazal Maraş

Vidmay Naini

Miquel Pancorbo

The Future of E-Commerce in the GCC: Trends, Innovation, and Growth Drivers

14:35 - 14:55

Ronaldo Mouchawar

Green is the New Growth: The Sustainability Imperative in Digital Commerce

14:55 - 15:25

MODERATOR

Shereen Mitwali

MODERATOR

Rengin Alan Gültekin

MODERATOR

Rengin Alan Gültekin

Oraseya Capital Mixer

Location: To be announced soon!

MODERATOR

Robert Indries

MODERATOR

Burak Yalım

MODERATOR

Martin Heubel

MODERATOR

Bruno Ferreira