In today’s episode, I speak with my special guest – Sleem Hasan – about how blockchain and Defi impacted investment; the risks involved when investing in entrepreneurial ventures; whether art, technology, and interfaith dialogue can be combined under a single entrepreneurial venture; and a few tips for early stages start-ups seeking funding.  

Sleem is a Financial Entrepreneur with an interesting wide global background. Born in Fiji to Pakistani parents, raised in Nigeria, Oxbridge educated, worked with the Japanese at Nikko, and is now resident in Dubai, UAE.

He is passionate about technology, art & interfaith dialogue. His professional background includes working in Venture Capital and the Japanese Capital Markets. He is skilled in Investor Relations, Securities, Asset Management, Investment Advisory, and working with Technology Entrepreneurs. He is the CEO of Privity which he founded back in 2004 – an independent Dubai-based, early-stage venture-focused firm that seeks entrepreneurs with interesting and unique ideas and helps them develop and grow. I met Sleem on my second trip to Dubai and we have had interesting conversations about how he discovers startups and his views on the recent peace agreement which was long overdue.