The new term will introduce TiE Fellows, reshape youth entrepreneurship support and deepen mentor and investor engagement
TiE Dubai, the regional chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), the global network fostering entrepreneurship, has announced the appointment of its new board for 2026 – 2027 and new plans to give founders across the UAE and wider MENA region more structured support. The term will prioritise mentoring, learning and growth, backed by a community that remains engaged as businesses develop.
The board includes Bashar Kilani as President, Shameema Parveen as President-Elect, Prashant (PK) Gulati as President Emeritus, Bianca Gracias as Event Director, Deepak Padmanabhan as Director of Finance, Kushal Shah as Membership Director, Ramit Harisinghani as Director of Marketing, Piero Ricotti as Mentorship Director, and Anastasiya Golovatenko as Director of Partnerships & Sponsorship. TiE Youth will be co-chaired by Sashikanth Ramakrishnan and TiE Women by Carlina Marani and Shameema Parveen.
Established in 2003 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and supported by Dubai Internet City, TiE Dubai has contributed to the region’s entrepreneurial landscape for more than 23 years. It is part of a global network of 20,000+ members and 3,500+ Charter Members across 65+ chapters in 15 countries, bringing experienced mentors and partners into closer reach for local founders.
The new plans respond to an ecosystem rich in entrepreneurial ambition, where founders still need practical support to turn early traction into scalable businesses. OECD research identifies networks as strategic assets that improve SME access to finance while strengthening skills and digital capabilities. This is particularly relevant for the region, where the UAE alone houses 1.33 million SMEs, representing nearly 95% of all companies and more than 85% of private-sector jobs.
Bashar Kilani, President of TiE Dubai, said: “TiE Dubai’s new board brings together experienced leaders with deep sector knowledge, firsthand experience of building businesses and strong relationships across the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. They share TiE’s commitment to giving back and supporting the next generation of founders. Our priorities for this term are to deepen mentorship, strengthen partnerships and build programmes that remain relevant as founders move from early traction to scale. Through TiE Fellows and our renewed youth initiatives, we want entrepreneurs to gain the expertise, investor access and long-term support needed to build enduring companies from this region.”
TiE Fellows will be the first major initiative introduced during the term. The exclusive, invite-only programme will support full-time founders building scalable regional ventures. Its debut cohort will focus on execution-driven entrepreneurs beyond the idea stage, including invited alumni from various TiE programmes. Participants will be matched with TiE Dubai Charter Members for closed-door mentorship, exclusive sessions and tailored support.
TiE Dubai will also reshape TiE U into TiE Youth, marking a new chapter after eight years of expansion across the Middle East and Africa. As universities seek stronger industry-academia partnerships that give students practical exposure and real-world value, TiE Dubai will serve as a bridge between academia and entrepreneurship. Through its network of 70+ Charter Members, many of whom are serial entrepreneurs, TiE Youth will bring direct industry knowledge into the university environment and help young founders turn promising ideas into scalable ventures.
Building on a programme that has supported more than 1,000 students across 50+ universities in the GCC and MENA region, the new model will provide sustained mentorship and guidance while encouraging innovations that strengthen the region’s long-term growth and resilience.
TiE Women MENA, powered by our partner Nokia this year, supports women entrepreneurs in the region as they build and scale businesses, with its popular Open Pitch Night providing a forum to present ventures and meet mentors and investors. Across previous editions of TiE Women, part of a global initiative and one of the largest platforms for women founders globally with a global pitch competition, the program has reached 11000+ women founders across 62 countries, with 1000s receiving 1:1 mentoring and more than $350K in equity-free prize money.
The chapter will also deepen its Mentorship Program, which connects early-stage and emerging entrepreneurs with industry professionals for one-to-one guidance. TiE Dubai will strengthen mentor-founder matching and investor introductions while expanding regional partnerships. It will track outcomes after its programmes and design experiential events around practical business needs, measuring impact through founder progress rather than attendance alone.
Prashant (PK) Gulati, President Emeritus of TiE Dubai, said: “TiE has always been built on giving back and creating a community where experienced leaders support the next generation. Over more than two decades, this consistent commitment has helped entrepreneurs build companies, expand opportunities and contribute to economic growth across the UAE and wider region. This term, we will deepen mentor-founder relationships and connect TiE programmes more closely with national priorities reflected in the National Youth Agenda 2031 and the National Agenda for Entrepreneurship and SMEs. By opening stronger routes to investors and strategic partners, we want every initiative to move founders closer to building resilient businesses that support the UAE’s long-term economic priorities.”
Since March 2026, TiE Dubai has delivered multiple events spanning seven distinct sectors, including AI & Tech Integration, Finance, Risk Management & Operations, Brand Strategy & PR and Founder Resilience & Leadership etc. These sessions drew 1,800+ total registrations, with over 60% returning attendees and 40% new to the community – a clear sign that the chapter’s reach continues to expand rather than circulate within the same core group. TiE Dubai has continually adapted its programming to address founders’ immediate needs through relevant guidance, peer support and experienced business leaders.
TiE Dubai continues to work closely with various accelerators, incubators, universities, and government entities to support entrepreneurs at various stages of their journey – from idea to scale. This includes Dubai Internet City, in5, Dubai Business Women’s Council, the US Mission to the UAE, Sheraa, Wamda, Flat6Labs, Astrolabs, Female Fusion Network and many more.
TiE Dubai’s charter members come from prominent regional and international organizations such as Google, DET, Amazon MENA, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Google, Accenture, Citibank, Noon.com, BECO Capital, Chalhoub Group, FIVE Group, Wio Bank, Jacky’s Group and many others.