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Kanessa Muluneh champions fearless future in gaming and Web3
Kanessa Muluneh champions fearless future in gaming and Web3

Tahawul Tech

time2 days ago

  • Business
  • Tahawul Tech

Kanessa Muluneh champions fearless future in gaming and Web3

The founder of Rise of the Fearless discusses empowering women in tech, gaming for social good, and why Dubai is the perfect launchpad for emerging markets. Kanessa Muluneh, founder of Rise of the Fearless, brings a bold and purposeful perspective to the intersection of gaming, Web3, and social impact. Muluneh's journey—from Ethiopia to the Netherlands, and now Dubai—reflects a deep commitment to creating opportunities for women and underrepresented communities in the digital economy. In this conversation with Muluneh shares how the UAE's proactive tech environment is enabling visionaries like her to reshape the gaming industry and foster innovation across emerging markets. Interview Excerpts: What are your thoughts on the UAE gaming industry and where do you see it heading, especially given the government's proactive efforts in launching it as a full-fledged sector? What I'm about to say isn't necessarily to promote the UAE—it's simply an observation. I think it's very smart of the government to focus on building a gaming ecosystem. Right now, Silicon Valley is hard to access, and frankly, I don't want them on board in my case. I'm focused on emerging markets—Africa and Asia—which are often overlooked or misrepresented. The UAE, however, is creating the next Silicon Valley, with global access and fewer limitations. It's not just for one group or nation. Considering the global gaming industry had a dip recently, primarily due to the US economy, it's vital to look beyond the traditional powerhouses. The UAE government has the foresight—just like it did with crypto and Web3—by allowing innovators to build freely. 'If you have a good product, you know exactly who to reach out to. That access and openness make the UAE a smart hub for the gaming industry.' What inspired you to start Rise of the Fearless? What was the trigger behind its inception? I approached it from a business mindset. I was born in Ethiopia and decided to return to my roots with the intent of creating something meaningful. I realised that for a business to survive in Africa, it must address a widespread problem, not just cater to a niche. During the NFT boom, I started a TikTok channel in my native language, discussing NFTs as a way to practise the language and educate others. I then launched my own NFT project as an informal online class. The game-changer was when someone from rural Africa bought my NFT using crypto. It showed me how digital products and decentralised finance could empower underserved communities. We initially considered launching a marketplace like Amazon but quickly realised logistics were a nightmare. That's when I turned to gaming, inspired by Axie Infinity's impact in the Philippines. The youth in Africa needed hope and opportunity. Gaming could give them both—a new industry and a financial future. How would you encourage more women in the UAE to consider gaming as a career, especially in light of initiatives like the Dubai Programme for Gaming (DPG) under the Dubai Future Foundation? This applies not only to gaming but to all areas of tech. I don't believe women should compete directly with men in male-dominated sectors. Instead, they should find niches where their strengths are most valued. For example, women tend to excel in marketing due to our emotional intelligence, and in management or HR roles where interpersonal dynamics matter. In my own team, it's 95% men—not because I exclude women, but because it's difficult to find female candidates. Rather than trying to prove we're better or equal to men, women can strategically enter the industry in roles where we bring unique value—whether it's marketing, community building, operations, or even as investors. These entry points give us power and influence, and from there, we can grow. How many daily active users currently play Rise of the Fearless? When can we expect the next version of the game? We currently have 3,000 daily active users. Marketing has been paused as we're preparing to launch a new version. The deadline was set for the 20th, but as is common in gaming, deadlines are often missed. So, I would say it should be out within the next two weeks—but to stay safe, let's just say the next update is expected soon.

AI Appreciation Day 2025 celebrates a smarter, safer, and more ethical future
AI Appreciation Day 2025 celebrates a smarter, safer, and more ethical future

Tahawul Tech

time16-07-2025

  • Business
  • Tahawul Tech

AI Appreciation Day 2025 celebrates a smarter, safer, and more ethical future

Tech leaders across industries explore how AI can drive innovation while staying anchored in inclusivity, transparency, and trust AI Appreciation Day on 16 July offers a moment to acknowledge the extraordinary advancements artificial intelligence has brought to our world—streamlining operations, enhancing security, improving decision-making, and opening up new frontiers of creativity. However, this celebration also comes with a shared responsibility: ensuring that innovation is pursued in an ethical and inclusive manner. Across the Middle East and beyond, industry leaders are reimagining how AI is built and deployed. From advocating for diverse datasets and explainable algorithms to enforcing data security and environmental accountability, the consensus is clear: AI must serve people, protect privacy, and foster trust. In this exclusive feature, Tahawultech curates expert perspectives on how AI leaders are aligning innovation with purpose, building a future where intelligent systems are not only powerful but principled. spoke to leading industry experts who agree that AI must be driven by trust, ethics, and inclusivity. Innovation is meaningful only when paired with transparency, diverse data, human oversight, and accountability. The future of AI lies in building systems that are not just smart but also fair, secure, and human-centric. Industry voices: Rahul Misra, SVP & Managing Director – Middle East and Africa, IFS To lead in AI, we must align profit with principles. At IFS, we believe innovation is most powerful when human-centred, intentional, and deployed responsibly. augments human creativity and judgement ethically. AI leaders must design with transparency, ensure decisions are explainable, and embed inclusivity from data to deployment. This is not only ethical—it is smart business. Trust drives adoption, inclusion fuels relevance, and ethics ensure resilience. The future belongs to those who scale innovation and responsibility as twin engines of progress, not trade-offs. Rob T. Lee, Chief of Research, SANS Institute Businesses are under pressure to adopt AI rapidly. Speed is vital for survival, but it brings risks—many AI tools lack mature security safeguards. Racing ahead without protection is reckless. Organisations must assess AI capabilities swiftly without compromising security—much like F1 racing combines speed with safety. Executives should establish clear security guidelines, such as the SANS AI Security Controls, to enable safe adoption. Speed without safety undermines trust and leads to failure. Speed + Safety = Success; anything less leads to collapse. Joanna Mainguy, Sustainability Accelerator Director, AVEVA AVEVA, a recognised industrial AI leader for over 20 years, actively develops standards and solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of digital technologies. We collaborate with the Green Software Foundation to lower emissions and with ITU's Green Digital Action to shape AI software measurement standards. Our focus is on reducing energy usage and enhancing environmental impact. AI is vital in decarbonisation, integrating renewables, and supporting complex data flows within green energy systems. Ezzeldin Hussein, Regional Senior Director, Solution Engineering – META, SentinelOne AI must be developed with inclusivity, transparency, and ethics embedded throughout. Fair AI starts with diverse data and representative teams to avoid bias. Transparent and explainable systems build trust with users and regulators, particularly in critical applications. Ethical innovation creates long-term value, protects reputation, and ensures compliance. Internally, all staff—from executives to engineers—must understand AI's societal impact and be empowered to speak up. External partnerships further align AI with shared social values. The future of AI depends not just on what is possible, but on what is right. Ramprakash Ramamoorthy, Director of AI Research, ManageEngine Integrating innovation and profit with ethics, transparency, and inclusivity is essential. AI leaders can achieve this by embedding ethical principles and human oversight across all development stages. While automation boosts efficiency, it cannot replace human creativity or fairness. Responsible AI requires clear guidelines, continuous upskilling, and viewing employees as partners in change. Balancing automation with ethics and transparency supports human potential and fosters trust and resilience. Mohit Bector, Commercial Head – UAE & GCC, ASUS Business True progress demands innovation rooted in ethics. Transparency in AI decision-making is essential to earn user trust. People will not trust what they do not understand. Diverse teams help identify design flaws and mitigate bias. Ethics must be built into every step of the AI lifecycle, with clear rules, regular reviews, and accountability. When AI supports rather than controls, it fosters trust—translating into long-term profitability. Subho Halder, Co-founder & CEO, Appknox Mobile remains at the forefront of digital business—and among the most targeted. In the Middle East, 53% of organisations are most concerned about attacks on connected devices, including mobiles. At Appknox, we use AI to test, secure, and monitor mobile apps at scale, helping businesses stay ahead of threats while meeting compliance. From real-time checks to automated threat detection, AI enables security at the pace of innovation. On AI Appreciation Day, we recognise how automation enhances both protection and competitive edge. Salah Suleiman, Managing Director – South Gulf, Trend Micro AI is now indispensable for tackling modern cyber threats—analysing billions of signals, detecting patterns, and enabling proactive defence. At Trend Micro, AI powers the Trend Vision One™ platform, offering real-time threat intelligence and cross-layer protection. On AI Appreciation Day, we celebrate how AI has shifted cybersecurity from reactive to proactive, matching the speed and complexity of today's digital landscape. Abdullah Alsaeed, Co-founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Mozn AI Appreciation Day prompts us to reflect on the responsibility behind technological progress. At Mozn, we believe AI must be built with purpose, transparency, and an understanding of local and regional contexts. As we embrace AI's transformative power, we remain committed to solutions that empower industries, honour cultural values, and uphold the highest ethical standards. Dinesh Varadhrajan, Chief Product Officer, Kissflow AI has democratised access to knowledge and creativity—but now we must democratise AI development itself. Too often, digital solution creation is limited to a select few, leaving business teams sidelined and innovation stuck in 'AI pilot purgatory.' At Kissflow, we believe combining AI with low-code/no-code platforms unlocks this potential for everyone. The future belongs to those who empower people to build—not just consume—AI-driven solutions. Levent Ergin, Chief Strategist for Climate, Sustainability and AI, Global Head of ESG Strategic Alliance Partnerships, Informatica AI's potential is increasingly evident in the MENA region, addressing urgent challenges like climate change and economic diversification. Agentic AI enhances decision-making in energy, finance, and infrastructure, while Generative AI empowers youth and businesses to innovate without deep technical expertise. With its unique position, the MENA region can lead in using AI to drive inclusive innovation, sustainability, and global impact. Matt Cloke, Chief Technology Officer, Endava AI should not be defined by one 'killer app'—its true power lies in incremental improvements. Like Valentine's Day celebrates everyday gestures, AI's value comes from enhancing daily operations across fraud detection, billing, reporting, and customer experiences. Leaders should embed AI into everyday workflows, focusing on consistency and integration rather than hype. On AI Appreciation Day, let's celebrate AI as a continual enabler of smarter, faster businesses. Assim Khedr, Engineering & Training Manager – Middle East, Axis Communications AI Appreciation Day is a moment to reflect on how AI is reshaping security, safety, and performance. Axis research shows 34% of customers believe AI and GenAI will significantly influence future business. Responsible and ethical use is key to realising AI's benefits. AI should augment human intelligence—driving smarter, safer, and more sustainable operations. Inna Weiner, AVP Product, AppsFlyer GenAI demos may be flashy, but lasting impact comes from strong use cases and execution. The future is not about automating for appearances but making impactful, data-driven decisions. Agents learn by doing—requiring iteration, speed, and resilience. This growth mindset era rewards those willing to build fast, learn quickly, and evolve continuously. Ziad Nasr, General Manager – Middle East, Acronis AI is reshaping real-time decision-making and data security. At Acronis, we use AI for threat analysis, incident prioritisation, and agentic systems that enhance cyber resilience. But with power comes responsibility—ethical, transparent use is essential. Cybersecurity leaders must ensure AI balances innovation with core values to protect what matters most. Johnny Karam, Managing Director & VP, International Emerging Region, Cohesity The UAE is a global leader in AI-driven transformation, appointing Chief AI Officers and launching the world's first AI university. At Cohesity, we echo this vision—AI must be secure, resilient, and trusted. With a strong focus on digital sovereignty, AI can boost government efficiency and national security. But this potential is only realised through responsible deployment, grounded in governance, transparency, and trust. Naji Atallah, Head of Construction & Manufacturing – EMEA Emerging, Autodesk The UAE has set a global benchmark for ethical and inclusive AI, supported by its AI Strategy 2031 and dedicated university. At Autodesk, we align with this vision, using AI to promote sustainable design and construction. Our Trusted AI framework ensures transparency, security, and ethical use, while reducing environmental impact. On AI Appreciation Day, we celebrate AI's role in shaping a more resilient and equitable future. Philippe Deblois, VP, Global Solutions Engineering, Dynatrace AI reduces complexity and drives innovation, but its real value lies in building long-term business resilience. Many organisations fail due to a gap between ambition and execution. The most successful treat AI as a strategic enabler—grounded in trusted data, clear goals, and a sharp focus on measurable outcomes. Agentic AI holds vast potential, but its success depends on starting with purpose and transparency. Nader Paslar, General Manager at CODE81 On AI Appreciation Day, we at CODE81 recognize the vital role of Machine Learning (ML) in elevating safety and trust within finance. ML drives real-time fraud detection and empowers financial institutions to counter threats swiftly and accurately. By decoding complex transactional patterns, ML minimizes risk and fortifies customer confidence. Serving from within Ghobash Group's technology cluster, we're dedicated to delivering secure, AI-driven solutions through automation and low-code innovation. Today, we're proud to showcase how ML is transforming finance across our region, making it smarter, safer, and more resilient for all.

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