The Story of MENA & Building What Doesn’t Exist Yet | A Conversation with Noor Sweid

In this episode of A Legacy of Purpose, Executive Director Dina H. Sherif is joined by Noor Sweid, Founder and Managing Partner of Global Ventures, former Chief Investment Officer of The Dubai Future Foundation, and the first woman to lead an IPO in the MENA region.

With a career spanning biotechnology, government innovation, and now one of the most active venture capital firms in emerging markets, Noor shares her candid thoughts on what conviction looks like in the face of uncertainty, why capital is never the full story, and how growth markets must build not just for scale—but for sovereignty.

Together, they explore the future of venture through the lens of courage, community, and complexity, delving into topics such as:

• Why “venture isn’t about capital, it’s about conviction”
• What founders in growth markets need beyond funding
• The danger of extractive capital and how to build sovereign innovation ecosystems
• Noor’s personal journey as a founder, mother, and Arab woman navigating global entrepreneurship
• The role of trust, discipline, and storytelling in driving prosperity

Whether you’re a builder, investor, or entrepreneur, this conversation will leave you reflecting on how growth markets can lead the way in reimagining prosperity on their own terms.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

Host: Dina Sherif
Produced by Donovan Beck

For Media Inquiries:
Donovan Beck

Communications and Storytelling Coordinator

Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship

Sloan School of Management
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
292 Main St, E38, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02142
don_beck@mit.edu