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.
Astar × Strategyzer
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Opening
19:15
The Dual Mindset, and Business Model Patterns
Speaker: Alexander Osterwalder,
CEO, Strategyzer
Keynote
20:15
Bridging the Global Perspective with the Regional Context
Speaker: To Be Announced
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Fireside
20:30
Sponsor Session
Speaker: To Be Announced
Sponsor
20:45
Rethinking Business Growth: What an Investor Here Actually Funds
Speaker: To Be Announced
Host: Faisal Alqethami
Spotlight
21:10
Day 1 Closing Remarks
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
CLOSING NOTES
Day 2
Tuesday, October 06, 2026
19:00
Nightly Intro: The Emcees Connect the Journey and Introduce Tonight’s Voices
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Welcome
19:10
Revenue Resilience: Why the engine you are protecting is the One at Risk
Seven Characteristics of Companies With Higher Resilience
Speaker: Michael N. Wilkins, Coach, Strategyzer
Keynote
20:10
Revenue Resilience: Local Case Study
Speaker: To Be Announced
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
FIRESIDE
20:25
Introducing the Breakout Rooms: Structure, Timeframe, Self Introductions, Top Challenges and Key Takeaways
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
BreakER
20:30
Networking Breakout Rooms
All attendees
Breakout SESSIONS
20:45
The Connection Between Entrepreneurship and Business Model Innovation
Speaker: To Be Announced
Host: Hashim Alzain
Spotlight
21:10
Day 2 Closing Remarks
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
CLOSING NOTES
Day 3
Wednesday, October 07, 2026
19:00
Nightly Intro: The Emcees Connect the Journey and Introduce Tonight’s Voices
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Welcome
19:10
From Disruption to Upruption: Lifting the Whole Ecosystem
Speaker: Gregory Bernarda – Initiator, Upruption
Keynote
20:10
From An Ecosystem Idea to a Saudi Institution
Speaker: To Be Announced
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Fireside
20:25
Connecting Innovation and Growth with Societal Impact
Speaker: To Be Announced
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami
Spotlight
20:50
Day 3 Closing Remarks
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Closing Notes
21:00
Ecosystem Deep-Dive with Keynote Speaker
Host: Gregory Bernarda – Initiator, Upruption
Exclusive Access: Executive Tier Only
Roundtable
Day 4
Monday, October 12, 2026
19:00
Nightly Intro: The Emcees Connect the Journey and Introduce Tonight’s Voices
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Welcome
19:10
Testing Business Ideas
Speaker: To Be Announced
Keynote
19:55
How Ideas Pivot Based on Testing: Local Case Studies
Speaker: To Be Announced
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
FIRESIDE
20:10
Building the Next Generation of Innovators
Speaker: To Be Announced
Host: Faisal Alqethami
SPOTLIGHT
20:35
Design Your First Experiment
Trainer: To Be Announced
WORKSHOP
21:20
Day 4 Closing Remarks
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Closing Notes
Day 5
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
19:00
Nightly Intro: The Emcees Connect the Journey and Introduce Tonight’s Voices
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Welcome
19:10
Enabling Organizational Change Through Momentum and Buy-In
Speaker: Tendayi Viki — Author, Associate Partner, Strategyzer
Keynote
20:10
Introducing the Breakout Rooms: Structure, Timeframe, Self Introductions, Top Challenges and Key Takeaways
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
BREAKER
20:15
Networking Breakout Rooms
All attendees
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
20:30
Story Telling & Innovation
Speaker: To Be Announced
Hosts: Hashim Alzain
SPOTLIGHT
20:55
Day 5 Closing Remarks
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
CLOSING NOTES
21:25
Transformation Deep-Dive with Keynote Speaker
Host: Tendayi Viki — Author, Associate Partner, Strategyzer
Exclusive Access: Executive Tier Only
ROUNDTABLE
Day 6
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
19:00
Nightly Intro: The Emcees Connect the Journey and Introduce Tonight’s Voices
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Welcome
19:10
Institutional Innovation – Making It Systemic – Local Case Study
Speaker: Leonardo Varella-Cid – CEO & Co-Founder, InnovationCast
Keynote
20:00
From One Organization Making It Systemic to a Country Doing It
Speaker: To Be Announced
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
Fireside
20:15
Creating an Innovation Ecosystem within a Large Organization
Speaker: To Be Announced
Host: Hashim Alzain
Spotlight
20:40
Summit Closing: Journey Recap, Key Takeaways,
Launch Announcement: Astar: the Community – Innovation Cohort
Hosts: Faisal Alqethami and Hashim Alzain
CLOSING Finale
21:00
Systemic Deep-Dive with Keynote Speaker
Host: Leonardo Varella-Cid – CEO & Co-Founder, InnovationCast
Exclusive Access: Executive Tier Only
Roundtable