The Agenda
Astar Growth Summit 2026
The agenda has been curated to create a cumulative “unforgettable” learning experience. Each week focuses on a specific persona. Both weeks cater to innovation managers. Each day is a combination of different mini-formats creating a variable tempo, and participants are carried throughout with beacon Emcees guiding them at every step.
Week 1 focuses on the Executive leadership Persona and cultivating the growth mindset, while week 2 focuses on the Entrepreneurial Builder Persona and transforming theory to practice.
05 – 14 October 2026, 15+ Online Sessions · 6 Days over 2 Weeks
07:00 – 09:30 PM KSA time
Day 1
Monday, October 05, 2026
19:00
Why Six Nights and Not a Webinar: What You Walk Out With, and The Key Open Ended Growth Question
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Opening
19:15
The Dual Mindset and Business Model Innovation
Speaker: Alexander Osterwalder – CEO, Strategyzer
Keynote
20:15
Bridging the Global Perspective with the Regional Context
Speaker: Ghassan Al-Safi
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Fireside
20:30
Partner Note
Speaker: Dr. May Taibah
PARTNER
20:45
Rethinking Business Growth: What an Investor Here Actually Funds
Speaker: Emad Kashgari
Host: Faisal Alqethami
Spotlight
21:10
Day 1 Closing Remarks
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
CLOSING NOTES
Day 2
Tuesday, October 06, 2026
19:00
Nightly Intro: Connecting the Journey and Introduce Tonight’s Voices
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Welcome
19:10
Revenue Resilience: Why the engine you are protecting is the One at Risk
Speaker: Michael N. Wilkins – Executive Advisor, Strategyzer
Keynote
20:10
Revenue Resilience: Local Case Study
Speaker: Lujain Nassif
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
FIRESIDE
20:25
Introducing the Breakout Rooms
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
BreakER
20:30
Networking Breakout Rooms
All attendees
Breakout SESSIONS
20:45
The Connection Between Entrepreneurship and Business Model Innovation
Speaker: Arwa Shafi – Managing Director, The Prosperity Institute (TPI)
Host: Dr. Hashim AlZain
Spotlight
21:10
Day 2 Closing Remarks
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
CLOSING NOTES
Day 3
Wednesday, October 07, 2026
19:00
Nightly Introduction
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Welcome
19:10
From Disruption to Upruption: Lifting the Whole Ecosystem
Speaker: Greg Bernarda – Founder, Upruption
Keynote
20:10
From An Ecosystem Idea to a Saudi Institution
Speaker: Motaz Hajaj
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Fireside
20:25
Connecting Innovation and Growth with Societal Impact
Speaker: Dr. Bandar Arab – Founder, Choralla Group
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami
Spotlight
20:50
Day 3 Closing Remarks
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Closing Notes
21:00
Ecosystem Deep-Dive with Keynote Speaker
Host: Greg Bernarda – Founder, Upruption
Exclusive Access: Executive Tier Only
Roundtable
Day 4
Monday, October 12, 2026
19:00
Nightly Introduction:
The MCs Connect the Journey and Introduce Tonight’s Voices
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Welcome
19:10
Testing Business Ideas For Evidence
Speaker: Jonas Mosse – Program Director, Strategyzer
Keynote
20:10
How Ideas Pivot Based on Testing: Relate to Local Case
Speaker: Eman Katouri
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
FIRESIDE
20:25
Building the Next Generation of Innovators
Speaker: Mohamed Milyani – Founder & CEO, Nqdoolet
Host: Faisal Alqethami
SPOTLIGHT
20:50
Day 4 Closing Notes For All Attendies
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Closing Notes
Day 5
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
19:00
Nightly Introduction
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Welcome
19:10
The Nine Faces of Transformation:
Enabling Organizational Change Through Buy-In
Speaker: Tendayi Viki – Senior Partner, Strategyzer
Keynote
20:10
Storytelling and Innovation
Speaker: Ahmed Basingab – Wadi Jeddeh
Host: Dr. Hashim AlZain
SPOTLIGHT
20:35
Segue Into The Breakout Rooms
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
BREAKER
20:40
Networking Breakout
All attendees
BREAKOUT
20:55
Day 5 Closing Remarks
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
CLOSING NOTES
21:00
Transformation Deep-Dive with Keynote Speaker
Host: Tendayi Viki – Senior Partner, Strategyzer
Exclusive Access: Executive Tier Only
ROUNDTABLE
Day 6
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
19:00
Nightly Introduction
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Welcome
19:10
Institutional Innovation: Making it Systematic
Speaker: Leonardo Varella-Cid – CEO & Co-Founder, InnovationCast
Keynote
20:00
From One Organization Making It Systematic to a Country Doing It
Speaker: Ibraheem Alsaab
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
Fireside
20:15
Creating an Innovation Ecosystem within a Large Organization
Speaker: Usamah Ahmed Jan – Partner, Hued
Host: Dr. Hashim AlZain
Spotlight
20:40
Summit Closing: Journey Recap, What You Built, and Key Takeaways
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Dr. Hashim AlZain
CLOSING Finale