Rama Chakaki is the founder of VIP Fund, a venture philanthropy fund using technology to invest in Arab youth. With 25 years’ experience in the finance and tech industries, she currently oversees edSeed, a crowdfunding platform for refugee students to seek funding and mentorship to advance their higher education goals. Rama is also the COO of aixplain, inc, and has served on the board of a number of organizations including TechWadi, PCRF, PACES and The Impact HUB – UAE. She currently serves on the board of the Syrian International Business Association and co-leads Syria Digital Lab, a technology ecosystem for Syrian entrepreneurs. Previously, Rama ran Baraka Ventures, investing in a portfolio of social impact and tech startups in the Middle East. Among the portfolio were Tawasul, a youth education and adventure company, BarakaBits, the first publishing platform for positive news from the region and Baraka Advisors, a cause-focused communications agency.