Nidal Qanadilo has been a champion of the MENA region’s entrepreneurship sector, shaping ecosystems and helping thousands of aspiring entrepreneurs to build enduring companies. He created acclaimed acceleration programs and invested in many startups at Oasis 500, the region's leading seed fund and business accelerator. Nidal is currently launching Arc Capital, an early-stage VC fund.
As managing partner at South Point, Nidal supports exceptional early-growth tech companies through his signature coaching approach, wide-reaching network, and securing funding. He is also an expert in developing open-innovation systems for leading organizations with entrepreneurial-orientation in the telecom, healthcare, Fintech, and public sectors.
Nidal is engaged with the World Bank on large-scale projects aimed at creating digitally-enabled economic opportunities (through a supply/demand lens), SME development, and advancing entrepreneurship ecosystems.
With almost three decades of experience across key business aspects, he held executive positions at private & public sector organizations such as director of investments at the Ministry of ICT, Jordan, where he forged partnerships with global technology firms and helped establish Jordan as an offshore contact center hub.
Nidal is also an entrepreneur who established successful (and failed) businesses in Canada & MENA. He advises leading local and global private sector and developmental organizations and sits on several boards. He received his MBA from Lancaster University, UK.
Nidal is leveraging his expertise and experience in driving companies' growth to launch UnleashNow, a platform that aims at bridging the knowledge gap of entrepreneurs and startups at different stages of development across MENA.
Nidal believes deeply in the limitless potential of entrepreneurs and the virtue of social justice. He is known by his friends for his wry sense of humor. And if you happen to call him after hours, you will be treated to the sounds of kids playing soccer, kickboxing, gymnastics, swimming and all the crazy stuff his three wonderful children rope him into.