Straight questions, straight answers.
What funders, investors, and partners usually ask about the forum, its governance, and its opportunities — answered directly. Reputation is our capital, and candour is part of it.
The forum & its principles
Is the forum political?
No. The forum is strictly economic, independent, and non-political; it takes no political positions, and its name and resources are never used for any partisan or sectarian purpose. We speak in numbers and mechanisms, not slogans.
Are you a for-profit organization? Do you distribute profits?
No. The forum is a non-profit institution; it distributes no profits or returns to its members or those who run it — every resource goes to the mission and the programs.
Do you take equity in the projects you support?
No. Ownership stays entirely with the founders; we grow ventures, we don't own them. We support with grants, mentorship, and capacity-building, with no stake and no control.
Who is behind the forum, and is it officially registered?
It was founded by Zaher Saadeldin and Tawfik Houboubati, and is registered with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor under the Associations and Private Institutions Law No. 93 of 1958 (Decision No. 5287). Its board is fully constituted, its advisory council is being formed, and we list only real names.
Governance & funding
How can we be sure that funding is spent with integrity?
All funds are subject to an independent annual financial audit covering resources and expenditures, overseen by an independent audit committee. No profit is distributed, and audit results and annual reports are published here over time.
How do you avoid conflicts of interest?
Through a written conflict-of-interest policy and a register of interests, and a clear separation of roles: board and committee members take no benefit from the programs or beneficiaries, and project selection is handled by an independent team using announced criteria and documented decisions.
Where does funders' money go?
To the programs and their outputs: founding grants to ventures (an indicative range of $10–25k each), plus training, mentorship, and empowerment. The lending capital that reaches enterprises is separate and larger, handled by financial institutions, and sits outside the programs' budget.
Do you lend money to enterprises directly?
No. The forum facilitates, it does not lend; we prepare enterprises and connect them to suitable finance, and the lending capital stays with the financial institutions, separate from the forum's budget.
Investment opportunities
How do you select the opportunities you list, and what do you guarantee?
We review each opportunity's data for completeness and the sponsor's seriousness before listing it, and present it on a standard, transparent card. But we do not verify the commercial or financial data provided, and listing an opportunity is not a recommendation; due diligence remains the investor's responsibility.
What returns can I expect?
We present the return profile as a qualitative level, not as guaranteed numeric rates; any figures in an opportunity are indicative, and the forum guarantees no return. Investment carries risk.
Is what you present investment advice?
No. The information shown is for information only and is not an offer, a recommendation, or investment advice. (Final wording is subject to counsel review.)
Do you hold investors' funds?
No. Our role is to connect the investor with the sponsor through structured contact; we hold no funds and do not intermediate their transfer.