EXCLUSIVE Interview With: Valentina Primo, Founder & CEO “Startups without Borders” Summit

Startups without Borders summit kicked off today in Cairo, under the theme “Beyond Boundaries, Building Global Horizons,” with the participation of 5000 investors, innovators, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders from the startup sector worldwide.

On the sidelines of the summit, we met Valentina Primo, Founder and CEO, Startups Without Borders (SWB) summit, we had an exclusive interview with her, and below is what she said…

CMOs: How did the idea of Startups Without Borders summit come out?

Valentina Primo: The idea came out when I was living in Egypt, I was very inspired by the Egyptian startups that were really changing the world and creating amazing things. Back then there was very little support and little resources. Yet, they were managing to do incredible things really disruptive and innovative. I was very inspired and I felt this is a story that needs to be told to the world.

Then I traveled through Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, and I met more and more there. Many actually were refugees or migrants. Then I thought we need a startup ecosystem for all entrepreneurs, an ecosystem for them without borders, no matter where they come from, because we need more diversity which brings more innovation. So that’s how the idea of the event came out.

CMOs: Startups without Borders Summit has been held in some other countries around the world, like Italy, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Netherlands, and London. What is different in the Egyptian Edition than other ones?

Valentina Primo: The energy. Actually, the energy of people here is amazing. When we hold the event in Egypt it seems like a festival. There are a lot of talents and young people who may not have startups yet, but they are taking steps to change their future, taking steps to change the reality and this is really very inspiring.

CMOs: Talking about startups, what is your message to them?

Valentina Primo: As a founder, there’s two elements when you’re building a business… your startup and your journey as a founder. Both need to be growing, not just the startup. If you don’t grow as a founder, the startup will not grow. So, you need to reinvent yourself as a founder as well, you need to evolve and learn.

There’s a constant learning journey which is exciting and the most rewarding part, but also challenging, you know, entrepreneurship is not a straight journey, it is full of ups and downs, you can have huge success and the next day, you can fail, because there’s so many factors in business journey. The business has its own life. So, you as an entrepreneur need to be ready for all the challenges that may come or arise and be ready to learn in the way as well in the journey.

CMOs: What are your plans for the remaining half of this year?

Valentina Primo: We have a summit for the Mediterranean coming up in Sicily in September. We are also doing a mentorship program for women entrepreneurs in 15 countries including Middle East and Africa. We have also another big program for women entrepreneurs coming up towards the end of the year. These are some of the biggest plans we currently have.