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THE MIT SANDBOX MENTORS
JINANE ABOUNADI
Jinane Abounadi is Executive Director of the MIT Sandbox Innovation Fund Program. She brings a unique combination of experiences, from academic research to senior operational and strategic roles in start-up companies and large businesses. After completing her graduate work, she worked as a research scientist at BBN and as a postdoctoral lecturer at MIT, and advised undergraduate and graduate students. She held
leadership roles in two of the most successful local Boston area start-ups, ITA Software and Kayak, where she gained deep knowledge about the travel technology sector. Most recently, she ran a global portfolio of 3rd party products for Travelport, giving her the opportunity to establish partnerships with companies across the globe and to advise and evaluate a number of start-ups in the travel sector.
leadership roles in two of the most successful local Boston area start-ups, ITA Software and Kayak, where she gained deep knowledge about the travel technology sector. Most recently, she ran a global portfolio of 3rd party products for Travelport, giving her the opportunity to establish partnerships with companies across the globe and to advise and evaluate a number of start-ups in the travel sector.
RICHARD AMSTER
Richard is a solutions oriented cross-cultural coach/trainer whose solutions are based on 30+ years experience managing multi-cultural and distributed, application development, IT operations, and service management projects and divisions. For 10 years, his passion has been helping individuals and teams meet the challenges of globalization
AFARIN BELLISARIO
Afarin's professional life has revolved around commercializing nascent technologies in a variety of roles: as a technologist (MIT, BBN), strategist (Analog Devices, Intel, Shawmut), investor (Intel Capital), evaluator (Transtrategy), licensee (Intel) and licensor (MIT TLO), teacher (Madrid and IAP workshops), as well as through nurturing startups as a catalyst/mentor/advisor (Deshpande, VMS, TLO, Sandbox, MIT Water Prize). This lifetime of experiences along the technology development and distribution pipeline has shaped her understanding of the commercialization process and what affects its success or failure.
OTHMAN BENKIRAN
Transformation engineer
Othman builds transformational tools and strategies using game design, developmental psychology, systems engineering, and hypnotherapy. He developed a reflection practice that blends dialogue and mind-mapping, and consults with companies on their flexibility and self-transformation.
Othman builds transformational tools and strategies using game design, developmental psychology, systems engineering, and hypnotherapy. He developed a reflection practice that blends dialogue and mind-mapping, and consults with companies on their flexibility and self-transformation.
MAUREEN BOYCE
Maureen has 25 years of experience developing strategies for early stage tech companies and new business units within Fortune 100 companies. She created strategies for seven start-ups while Partner at Ignition Ventures, enabling Series A funding or acquisition. Created Asian market entry strategies for SABMiller while living in Hong Kong. Built internet strategies for 20+ companies while Associate Partner in IBM’s Strategy & Change practice and at Mainspring, an internet strategy consulting firm. Led IBM’s Institute for Business Value Strategic thought leadership for four industries. Early career at Bain & Company in strategy consulting provided analytical toolkit, financial framework, and capability to operationalize strategy. International experience working and living in HK, Australia, Fiji, and England. Since 2016 she has been a cofounder and managing partner at Good Growth Capital Investing in 30 early stage technology-based startups.
She is a mentor for MIT’s Sandbox Fund.
She is a mentor for MIT’s Sandbox Fund.
MARILYN DAVISON
consulted with teams based throughout Europe the Middle East, and in China. Her areas of specialization were large-scale change management programs (ERP), Team Mediation and the introduction of Organizational Learning into executive teams. As a French Business Angel she coached entrepreneurs, making them investment ready as well as judging competitions. As an adjunct professor in three MBA Entrepreneurial programs in France she taught Leadership courses, coached students in business plan development, and judged student competitions. Marilyn’s current entrepreneurial coaching projects include serving as MIT Sandbox Mentor, Tufts Fletcher School of Diplomacy Entrepreneurial Coach, ChangeLabs Egyptian Accelerator Mentor and Hult Prize Global Competition,Team Wellness Coach.
THE MOROCCO MENTORS
MAROUA AMEZIANE
Chargée de Projet - Développement durable - UM6P / OCP SA & Présidente de World Merit Rabat et LCFSR
ABDELHAQ AMMANI
IP manager & Valorization -MAScIR - Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research. Patent drafting, patent prosecution, international filing. Valorization & technology transfer. Training.
ADIL BELKHADIR
Senior Operations Officer au Bureau de l'Ombudsman chez OCP SA
Former Sustainability Analyst, Contrôleur pour le Ministère des Finances and Controle – OCP SA
Former Sustainability Analyst, Contrôleur pour le Ministère des Finances and Controle – OCP SA
YASSIR BOUX
Project Manager (OCP SA) - Managing staff at 1337
NABIL TAZI CHIBI
Directeur des Systèmes d'Information
ABDERRAHMAN HASSI
Associate Professor of Management, Al Akhawayn University
Abderrahman has taught various management courses in Morocco, Canada and Germany. He has also consulted various corporate clients such as Pearson Education (UK), SIETAR Europa, Public Service Canada, Algonquin College (Canada), and Intel Corporation.
Abderrahman has taught various management courses in Morocco, Canada and Germany. He has also consulted various corporate clients such as Pearson Education (UK), SIETAR Europa, Public Service Canada, Algonquin College (Canada), and Intel Corporation.
THE EXPLORER TEAM
ADNANE ALAOUI SOULIMANI
U-Founders Program Manager
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University
MARWAN HASSOUN
Executive Director
Explorer Program
Explorer Program
JINANE ABOUNADI
Executive Director
MIT Sandbox Innovation Fund Program
MIT Sandbox Innovation Fund Program
LOUBNA FATINE
Program Manager, Explorer
Program Analyst at
U-Founders, UM6P
Program Analyst at
U-Founders, UM6P
IKRAM LABTAINI
R&D Analyst
UM6P Ventures
UM6P Ventures
SOULAYMANE EZZOUBDAOUI
Webmaster, IT Specialist
Explorer Program
Explorer Program
UM6P Ventures
YASSER BIAZ
General Manager
UM6P Ventures
UM6P Ventures
SARA ZOUAHER
Deputy General Manager
OTHMAN CHRAIBI
Chief Financial Officer
IKRAM LABTAINI
R&D Analyst
UM6P Ventures
UM6P Ventures
KAOUTAR SELLAMI
Entrepreneurship Generalist
UM6P Ventures
UM6P Ventures
BADR LAMRAOUI
Deputy Finance Manager
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