Hana Barakat

Associate Director at startAD

Hana is a dynamic and highly driven individual who has worn many hats in her 15 years of academic and professional experience as a scientist, psychologist, startup coach and accelerator director. Over the last seven years Hana contributed to the acceleration of entrepreneurial economies in the MENA region by managing acceleration programs in Lebanon, UK and the UAE focusing particularly on early stage startups, SMEs and research commercialization.

As the Associate Director of startAD, the startup accelerator powered by Tamkeen and anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi, she leads the team that has designed and delivered over 100 high-quality and impactful programs enabling corporations and government entities to successfully work with startups in furthering digital transformation.

She’s a certified Innovation Practitioner and a sought-after expert affiliated with local and international startup initiatives such as Seedstars, FrenchTech, FoodTech Challenge, ArabHealth and Ibtikari. Hana holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial and Behavioral Psychology from Mid Sweden University and has worked in various countries such as Spain, Sweden, Lebanon and the UAE. She is committed to nurturing relationships that lead to impactful long-term collaborations