Research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world
A book talk with Christopher Schroeder, entrepreneur, venture capitalist and author of Startup Rising: The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East.
Despite the world's elation at the Arab Spring, shockingly little has changed politically in the Middle East; even frontliners Egypt and Tunisia continue to suffer repression, fixed elections, and bombings, while Syria descends into civil war. But in the midst of it all, a quieter revolution has begun to emerge, one that might ultimately do more to change the face of the region: entrepreneurship.
Please join us to hear Christopher Schroeder, entrepreneur, venture capitalist and author, discuss his latest book: Startup Rising: The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East. The event will be followed by a book signing at the Harvard COOP (1400 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge) at 7:30pm.
About Christopher Schroeder:
Having run three internet companies (LegiSlate.com; washingtonpost.newsweek interactive, HealthCentral.com); having invested in dozens more individually and through leading venture capital funds; having travelled extensively around the world; having outsourced technology from South America to India -- Christopher M. Schroeder should not have been surprised by the impact of technology on emerging growth markets.
But in November 2010, when asked to speak at one of the first mass gatherings of startups in the Middle East, he was stunned by what he saw. Over 2,000 entrepreneurs and investors were solving local and regional problems through their companies, and building world-class products accessible anywhere in the world. This began his journey to Amman, Beirut, Dubai, Doha, Cairo, even Damascus to find out more. His reporting on what he found in The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Fortune Magazine, AllthingsD, Pando Daily, TechCrunch among others became the basis for his first book, Startup Rising.
In addition to his work investing and advising US-based startups, Schroeder serves on the advisory boards of the American University of Cairo School of Business, the Jordanian incubator Oasis500, the Middle East entrepreneurial platform wamda.com, The American University School of International Service and board of directors of The American Council on Germany. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and French American Foundation. He graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Business School.