New Dawn for Entrepreneurship?
22 Jan 2026 14:00h - 14:45h
New Dawn for Entrepreneurship?
Session at a glance
Summary
This World Economic Forum panel discussion explored the future of innovation and entrepreneurship in the AI era, featuring LinkedIn’s editor-in-chief Dan Roth alongside government ministers and business leaders from Germany, Bahrain, India, and the United States. Roth opened by presenting LinkedIn data showing a 60% global increase in people adding “founder” to their profiles, suggesting AI tools are reducing barriers to entrepreneurship by enabling faster prototyping, easier customer reach, and competition in previously capital-intensive industries. The panelists debated whether AI merely changes entrepreneurship or fundamentally expands who can become an entrepreneur.
German Minister Dorothee Bär emphasized her government’s focus on six key technologies including AI and quantum computing, while acknowledging Germany’s cultural challenge where failure is stigmatized rather than celebrated as a learning experience. Bahrain’s Finance Minister Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa outlined three pillars for fostering entrepreneurship: world-leading regulation (including pioneering data sovereignty laws), world-class infrastructure, and skilled people with upskilling opportunities. Williams-Sonoma CEO Laura Alber cautioned against superficial AI adoption, emphasizing that successful entrepreneurs must solve real problems and possess genuine expertise rather than simply using AI as a buzzword.
The discussion revealed that while AI enables new possibilities, fundamental entrepreneurial success still depends on traditional factors like resilience, implementation skills, and the ability to connect with people. Several panelists noted the importance of creating supportive ecosystems through policy changes like bankruptcy laws, reducing bureaucracy, and establishing mentorship programs. The conversation concluded with recognition that fostering entrepreneurship requires building fertile ground through connections, soft skills development, and reduced barriers—elements that transcend any specific technology and remain essential regardless of AI’s role.
Keypoints
Major Discussion Points:
– AI’s Impact on Entrepreneurship Barriers: The discussion explored whether AI merely changes entrepreneurship or fundamentally expands who can become an entrepreneur, with evidence showing a 60% global rise in people adding “founder” to their LinkedIn profiles and entrepreneurs hiring based on prototypes rather than traditional resumes.
– Government’s Role in Creating Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Panelists emphasized that governments must create “fertile soil” for entrepreneurs through world-leading regulation, infrastructure, and upskilling programs, with examples from Germany’s high-tech agenda and Bahrain’s data sovereignty laws and bankruptcy reform.
– Cultural Attitudes Toward Failure and Risk-Taking: A significant focus on how different societies handle entrepreneurial failure, contrasting the German tendency to view failure negatively with the American “badge of honor” approach, and the need to “decriminalize failure” both legally and socially.
– The Importance of Foundational Skills Over Technology Hype: Laura Alber’s perspective that many companies incorrectly use “AI” as a buzzword, emphasizing that expertise, proven track records, and problem-solving abilities remain crucial, while warning against superficial adoption of AI terminology.
– Soft Skills and Human Connection in an AI-Driven World: Discussion of the “loneliest generation” challenge and the critical need for entrepreneurs to develop empathy, communication skills, and real human connections, with practical advice about reducing phone dependency and improving listening skills.
Overall Purpose:
The discussion aimed to examine how AI is transforming entrepreneurship and innovation, specifically whether it democratizes access to entrepreneurship or simply changes existing patterns. The panel sought to understand what governments, companies, and individuals should do to foster successful entrepreneurship in the AI era.
Overall Tone:
The discussion began with a technology-focused, optimistic tone about AI’s transformative potential but gradually shifted to a more pragmatic, human-centered perspective. The tone became increasingly focused on fundamental entrepreneurial principles rather than AI-specific innovations. The conversation maintained an encouraging but realistic outlook, acknowledging both opportunities and challenges, with panelists sharing practical experiences and actionable advice. The moderator noted this shift in his closing remarks, observing that the conversation ultimately centered on creating fertile ground for entrepreneurship regardless of technology.
Speakers
– Daniel Roth – LinkedIn’s editor-in-chief, moderator of the session, oversees all content and creators on LinkedIn
– Dorothee Bär – Federal Minister for Research, Technology, and Space in Germany
– Sanjiv Bajaj – Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj FinServ (one of India’s largest wealth management companies), member of the International Business Council
– Laura Alber – CEO of retailer Williams-Sonoma, longest standing female CEO on the Fortune 500 (15 years as CEO, 30 years with the company)
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa – His Excellency Sheikh, Minister of Finance and National Economy of Bahrain, graduate of Babson College
– Audience – Various audience members asking questions during the Q&A session
Additional speakers:
– Delfina – Global Shaper from Buenos Aires Hub (audience member)
– Rashid Oblea – Leads a construction talent creation company in Ghana (audience member)
– Hani Abdel Hadi – From Bahrain, co-founder of Ninja (described as one of the fastest growing unicorns in Saudi Arabia, audience member)
Full session report
The Future of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the AI Era: A World Economic Forum Panel Discussion
Introduction and Context
This World Economic Forum panel discussion brought together global leaders to examine how artificial intelligence is transforming innovation and entrepreneurship. Moderated by Daniel Roth, LinkedIn’s editor-in-chief, the 45-minute session featured government ministers and business leaders from Germany, Bahrain, India, and the United States, with 10 minutes dedicated to audience Q&A from various emerging markets.
The discussion was prompted by compelling LinkedIn data showing a 60% rise in people adding “founder” to their profiles—a rate three times higher than previously observed. This statistical foundation set the stage for exploring whether AI merely changes entrepreneurship or fundamentally expands who can become an entrepreneur.
Panel Participants
The distinguished panel included:
– Dorothee Bär, Germany’s Federal Minister for Research, Technology, and Space
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Minister of Finance and National Economy (Babson College graduate)
– Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj FinServ, India
– Laura Alber, CEO of Williams-Sonoma and longest-standing female CEO on the Fortune 500, with 30 years at the company and 15 as CEO
AI’s Impact on Entrepreneurship Barriers
Democratizing Business Creation
Daniel Roth opened by presenting evidence that AI is reducing traditional entrepreneurship barriers through faster prototyping, easier customer reach, and enabling competition in previously capital-intensive industries. He highlighted a striking trend: entrepreneurs increasingly hire based on prototypes rather than traditional CVs, suggesting a fundamental shift toward performance-based evaluation.
Sanjiv Bajaj emphasized that AI allows small businesses to bypass scale limitations through digital reach and agent-based models. He noted that AI tools can “look into past data to generate for the future,” enabling entrepreneurs to leverage historical insights for innovation. Bajaj argued this technological revolution is particularly significant because it transforms an already connected world, enabling global application of ideas from inception.
A Cautionary Perspective
Laura Alber, despite acknowledging AI as “the biggest technological change in our lifetime,” provided crucial skepticism about superficial adoption. She warned that “a lot of people are using this popular word AI incorrectly” and that it has become merely “the tagline” for many companies. Her perspective emphasized that successful entrepreneurship still requires solving real problems rather than simply using AI as a buzzword.
Government Strategies for Entrepreneurship Ecosystems
Germany’s Targeted Technology Approach
Dorothee Bär described Germany’s focused strategy targeting six key technologies, including AI and quantum computing, with implementation across multiple ministries. Germany emphasizes human-centered AI development, reflecting a philosophical approach prioritizing ethical considerations alongside technological advancement.
Bär highlighted the creation of a Sprint company with sandbox laws allowing faster experimentation and seed funding, demonstrating Germany’s attempt to balance regulatory oversight with innovation flexibility. However, she candidly acknowledged significant cultural challenges: “German society punishes failure while other cultures treat multiple failures as valuable experience.”
Bahrain’s Three Pillars Framework
Al Khalifa presented a broader foundational approach centered on three pillars: world-leading regulation, world-class infrastructure, and skilled people development. Rather than targeting specific technologies, this framework aims to create optimal conditions for any entrepreneur to succeed.
Bahrain’s most significant innovation involved “decriminalizing failure” through bankruptcy law reforms. As Al Khalifa explained: “It used to be the case that if you had a failed company, you would end up having criminal action against you… There was no bankruptcy. In countries where there are no bankruptcy law, you are personally liable for a business failure.”
The infrastructure pillar encompasses both physical and digital capabilities, while people development includes programs like free cloud certification classes through Bahrain’s Labor Fund (Temkine). The country also requires business plan submission for business college graduation.
Cultural Barriers and Failure Stigmatization
The German Challenge
Bär provided frank insights into cultural obstacles: “German DNA lacks entrepreneurial mindset, with most startup ideas coming from international exposure.” She noted that while business failure doesn’t result in imprisonment, “you still get killed by society,” creating cultural barriers that discourage risk-taking.
This cultural challenge extends beyond legal frameworks to deeply embedded social attitudes, highlighting how societal perspectives can either foster or inhibit entrepreneurial activity.
Legal and Social Reform
Both ministers agreed on addressing failure stigma through comprehensive reform. Al Khalifa focused on legal changes removing criminal liability for legitimate business failures, while Bär emphasized broader cultural transformation recognizing that legal reforms alone are insufficient without corresponding social attitude shifts.
Skills and Education for the AI Era
Fundamental Educational Philosophy Shift
Al Khalifa articulated a transformative educational vision: “The transition from graduating job seekers into graduating a significant proportion of job creators… So out of a graduating class of 100, you’d have 30 job creators or people that have created jobs for 30 people and 70 become job seekers.”
This represents a fundamental shift from preparing students for employment to preparing them for job creation, requiring integration of entrepreneurship into core curriculum rather than treating it as marginal activity.
The Resilience Imperative
Bär identified resilience as “the most important skill to teach, as career paths are no longer predictable.” This emphasis on adaptability reflects the reality that traditional career security has largely disappeared, requiring individuals to develop psychological and practical skills for navigating uncertain professional landscapes.
Addressing Social Connection Challenges
An audience member, Delfina from Buenos Aires, raised concerns about young people being “the loneliest generation” despite technological connectivity. She emphasized that young entrepreneurs need “soft skills, empathy, and real human connection” to succeed in entrepreneurship, which fundamentally depends on building relationships and understanding customer needs.
Access, Equity, and Inclusion Challenges
The Connection Problem
Hani Abdel Hadi, co-founder of Ninja (described as “one of the fastest growing unicorns in Saudi Arabia” and a “two and a half years old…billion-dollar company”), raised critical questions about supporting entrepreneurs with “great ideas but limited resources” when established companies prefer working with proven entities.
Divergent Approaches to Support
Al Khalifa emphasized Bahrain’s commitment to “merit-based, open-access programs” including monthly pitching competitions and startup weekends with transparent selection criteria, aimed at identifying talent based on capability rather than connections.
However, Laura Alber represented the practical constraints of large corporations, arguing for working “only with proven entrepreneurs who have demonstrated success with major clients.” This reflects risk management imperatives while potentially limiting opportunities for emerging talent.
Implementation Wisdom and Practical Advice
Beyond Buzzwords
Alber’s warning about superficial AI adoption provided crucial reality checks: successful entrepreneurship requires “expertise, proven track records, and solving real problems rather than just using AI as a buzzword.” This perspective emphasizes substance over hype, reflecting lessons from previous technological bubbles.
The Action Imperative
Al Khalifa offered practical advice: “At some stage, the overthinking needs to stop. Your business idea will not be the best business idea. The group of people that you’re gonna start it with will not be the best group of people. And they shouldn’t be. Just do it. Start.”
Identifying Internal Entrepreneurs
Alber shared wisdom from her mentor about organizational entrepreneurship: “It’s about hiring entrepreneurs. Your job is to go find them. Find the people who have ideas who you cannot stop and who will do it no matter what someone says.” This reframes internal innovation from creating entrepreneurial culture to identifying naturally entrepreneurial individuals.
Key Areas of Consensus
Despite representing different sectors and regions, panelists demonstrated remarkable agreement on several principles:
– Cultural barriers to entrepreneurship, particularly failure stigmatization, must be addressed
– Government’s primary role should focus on creating enabling conditions rather than direct intervention
– Skills development and upskilling are critical for AI-driven economy success
– Human connections and soft skills remain essential despite technological advancement
– AI represents significant disruption requiring adaptive strategies
Significant Disagreements
Support Strategy Approaches
A fundamental tension emerged between Alber’s preference for working with proven entrepreneurs and Al Khalifa’s emphasis on open-access, merit-based programs. This reflects competing priorities between risk management and inclusion.
Government Strategy Philosophy
The ministers presented contrasting approaches: Germany’s targeted technology investments versus Bahrain’s broad foundational conditions. This disagreement reflects different philosophies about government’s role in innovation—whether to make strategic sector bets or create general enabling conditions.
The Discussion’s Evolution
From Technology to Human Fundamentals
Daniel Roth observed in his closing remarks that the conversation had evolved unexpectedly. Despite beginning with AI’s transformative impact, the discussion shifted toward fundamental human elements. As Roth noted, “almost the entire conversation here was about putting together fertile ground for just making entrepreneurship happen”—focusing on “connections, soft skills, reducing bureaucracy” rather than technology itself.
This evolution suggests that while technology provides new tools, essential entrepreneurial success elements remain fundamentally human. The most impactful insights consistently returned to human fundamentals, indicating that successful entrepreneurship depends on supportive environments created through human connections and reduced barriers.
Conclusion
The World Economic Forum discussion revealed that while AI is transforming entrepreneurship by reducing barriers and enabling new possibilities, fundamental requirements for entrepreneurial success remain largely unchanged. Technology provides powerful tools, but success still depends on identifying real problems, building expertise, developing resilience, and creating meaningful human connections.
The conversation highlighted government policy’s critical importance in creating enabling environments through legal reform, infrastructure development, and educational transformation. However, it emphasized that successful entrepreneurship cannot be manufactured through policy alone—it requires identifying and supporting individuals with inherent entrepreneurial drive while removing systemic barriers.
Most significantly, the discussion demonstrated that fostering entrepreneurship in the AI era requires a holistic approach combining technological enablement, cultural change, institutional support, and human skill development. The moderator’s closing observation that the conversation focused on creating “fertile ground” rather than AI capabilities itself suggests that while tools evolve, the essential human elements of entrepreneurship remain constant.
Session transcript
Hello, everyone on the stream, hello, everyone in the room. This is a very exciting session that we have planned here on the future of innovation and entrepreneurship in the era of AI. So we’ve got a great panel here.
First I want to introduce myself, if that’s all right. My name is Dan Roth, I’m LinkedIn’s editor-in-chief, so I oversee all the content and creators on LinkedIn. We have a billion members, over a billion members in over 200 countries.
One of the exciting things about this role is I get to have a front row seat to the world of work, how the world of work is changing. So we see incredible data from our members as they add skills to their profile and change jobs and connect with each other and post and share, and all of that turns into a roadmap for where the world of work is going and where entrepreneurship is going.
So I want to just call out some of the things that we have been seeing on the platform globally that I hope will be kind of a base for what we talk about here today. First is that entrepreneurship is no longer limited to certain cities or certain degrees or certain types of people. We are seeing a broad range of people becoming entrepreneurs and of adding new skills and new tools to their profile.
They’re doing this at an incredible pace. Two is that those tools are reducing the barriers to becoming a founder. So globally, year over year, we’ve seen a 60% rise in people adding the word founder to their profile.
That is 3x what we had seen since 2021. This is a, there is a huge increase in people starting new businesses, and a lot of that is coming from these tools. You’re able to prototype faster, reach customers easier, compete in industries that used to require deep capital or long timelines, and we’re hearing from entrepreneurs that they are hiring differently.
It is changing how people get jobs and how they get hired for jobs. So an example of that is entrepreneurs often now are not putting job titles, explicit job titles down, job titles that we would have recognized coming up. instead of being a designer, or an engineer, or a marketer.
These are combined titles because you can use AI to do all of that. And they’re not asking for resumes, they’re asking for prototypes. Come in and show me what you’ve built.
Build something for me to prove that you should get this job. That is a total change. All of this means that how companies compete, how you start these companies is changing.
Everything’s getting faster. And the question I have for this panel is, does AI merely change entrepreneurship, or does it also expand who gets to be an entrepreneur? And what does it mean?
What are you seeing in your countries, in your industries? So we have got an incredible panel here. First, some housekeeping.
We’re, it’s a 45-minute session. We’re going to save the last 10 minutes at the end for questions. If you are on the stream and you want to post about this, use the hashtag WEF26 for posting.
All right, so I’m going to kick it off with some introductions. Let’s start with Laura. Laura is the CEO of retailer William Sonoma.
Sanjiv Bajaj is the Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj FinServ, one of India’s largest wealth management companies, also a member of the International Business Council. Dorothy Barr, Minister Barr, is the Federal Minister for Research, Technology, and Space in Germany, and is Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy of Bahrain, and a graduate of Babson College, which is known for its entrepreneurship.
All right, Minister Barr, maybe we would start with you. You know, Germany is known for its deep technological and its kind of leadership in the world when it comes to technology and sort of deep understanding of building machinery. As AI enables more entrepreneurs to start companies that could compete with the vast range of these deep tech companies in Germany, how do you think about staying competitive?
How do you encourage entrepreneurship? What does innovation look like in Germany?
Thank you so much, Dan. Thanks for having us and thanks for the opportunity to introduce the new government in Germany and our new topics because as you pointed it out correctly, everyone has to change and so the governments have to change too and if you always ask the people, is change important?
Everyone says yes. Do you want to change? Everyone says no.
So for our new government, it was very important that we not only that we are going to change but that we implement everything very quickly. So we started the government at the 6th of May last year and only 80 days later, we adopted in the cabinet our high-tech agenda Germany and we figured out what are the six key technologies, what is the most important thing and the most important thing is that not only the Ministry of Commerce is working on that but the Ministry of Science, that is very important.
So our big key technologies are of course artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, biotechnology and microelectronics and then climate neutral energy fusion and climate neutral mobility. And so we are working on that not only in my ministry but from the chancellery with all our 17 ministries and that means combining economy and science and this is something new because all the years when the economy was way better, back then it was not as important as is it, does something come out here from science or is it important or not and now the new combination is very important and we are very fast now.
So one third of our goals we already adopted last year and we already reached last year and we need way more speed, I think that’s the most important thing.
So and maybe this is a question for you and your excellency, how do you think about the role of government policy then? You’re talking about very serious, these are the six areas we want to win in, those are very explicit. AI is…
is enabling people to be able to start companies at the fringe, maybe combine some of those areas. For both of you, what’s the role of policy here in a world that’s moving so fast?
So I think that in Germany and in Europe as a whole, we always think it human-centered. Human-centered AI is very important that not the government says, so we have all the right solutions and not big tech companies rule the world, but we make it out of the society for the society.
Thank you very much, Dan. And it’s a pleasure to be here with you today. And we view the role of government as being critical to create the fertile soil into which entrepreneurs can plant their seeds.
And when it comes to technology and the changes that we’re seeing in technology and the transformational changes with the vision of His Majesty the King, with the day-to-day follow-up from His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, we put in place very clear government strategies that are focused on creating that fertile soil.
For technology, you need three main pillars, the three main ingredients of spurring technology investments. Number one, you have to have world-leading regulation. And Bahrain has led the world in regulation.
We are the only country in the world with a data sovereignty law, which has allowed for data centers to be established for a German company to host data in Bahrain for example, and that data would be subject to German law and only accessible by a German court order.
This is groundbreaking stuff. And we issued it in 2017, and we continue to be the only country in the world with a data sovereignty law. So you need to have laws and regulations that are ahead and a regulatory environment where it’s easy to do business.
You can get a commercial registration in Bahrain today in minutes. Go online, fill in the form, press enter, you get your commercial registration. You can get a building permit in a couple of days.
So we really accelerated the pace, so world-leading regulation and friendly business environments, the first pillar. The second pillar is you need to have world-class infrastructure. For technology, it’s extremely important.
So we are linking Bahrain with dark fiber cables from Bahrain to Singapore, from Bahrain to Marseille, really moving the global data highway and make it run through Bahrain and make sure that the internal infrastructure and externally linked infrastructure is world-class.
So first, regulation, second, infrastructure, and third, people. Extremely important to have people with the right skills and, very importantly, give people the ability to upskill. And His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Salman is with us here today.
He’s the chairman of the Labor Fund in Bahrain. He was also Bahrain’s signatory for the Board of Peace today, Charter, so we’re proud for that. But Sheikh Isa chairs the Labor Fund.
What does the Labor Fund do? It funds upskilling opportunities for Bahrainis. Why is it so effective?
Over 90% of Bahrainis in the private sector have received some sort of support from Temkine, either wage support or an opportunity to upskill themselves. And I’ll give you an example. When we worked with Amazon Web Services to establish the data region in Bahrain, Temkine, the Labor Fund, provided free cloud certification classes to any Bahraini.
So instead of a group of friends getting together at a coffee shop in the evening, the social activity for that year and a half became, let’s go do a cloud certification course. That put a lot of focus on the technology sector into this ecosystem. It led later to today for AI, you have AI-ready technologists in Bahrain ready to work, and we have met the three pillars.
And as a government, it’s our job to continue to expand those pillars and continue to provide the opportunities around the three pillars and ensure that we have the fertile soil in which entrepreneurs can thrive.
All right, and I want to get back to this because there’s some difference between what you’re talking about It sounds like one is lay a foundation for anyone and you’re sort of saying in Germany We have these bets.
These are the areas where we want to see growth So I’d love to hear how that changes how people start new companies and become entrepreneurs But first Laura, Sanjiv, I’d love to hear from you both on what you’re seeing when it comes to AI created businesses or new Entrepreneurs that you might not have seen before so particularly in India We’re seeing incredibly fast growth and people starting new companies at a rapid pace and then in your world Seeing so many different companies across, you know Small businesses in design in areas that you might not have reached before for Williams The Williams-Sonoma might not have partnered with before.
Are you starting to see me? We start with you or are you starting to see a Difference and the companies that are bringing ideas to you has AI changed at all the partners that the people you’re partnering with?
I mean, I think that a lot of people are using this popular word AI Incorrectly, okay, and it’s become you know The tagline on you sit you walk down the promenade and AI everything companies are trying to reinvent themselves They think that we’re gonna not realize the difference And so you have to be very careful But what do you we’re not gonna realize it?
Well, I mean, there’s a lot of people trying to sell you things that don’t work, right? Right, they may have an idea they want me to be the one who figures it out with them and frankly, we’re too big I’m not interested. So we’re working with people who actually have already proven that they are leaders in the area and Then making it specific to Williams-Sonoma versus some small startup now I have taken a few meetings at Davos with very cool companies robotics I’m very interested in robotics and what that might do in manufacturing and in warehousing logistics But even still when I took those meetings, I knew that they were already working with some very big clients so So, you know, I think there’s always amazing entrepreneurs, right?
It is really hard to compete, I think, against the big tech. And so my suggestion would be, you know, you don’t have to just connect yourself to this new buzzword called AI, right? I think you have to have a great idea and solve a real problem and be an expert in what you’re doing, versus just call it AI for the sake of calling it AI.
I mean, you know, you watched whether it was the dot-com boom, and everybody thought all the brick and mortar stores would go away. And I’m here to tell you that is so not true. Shoppers around the world love stores, women love to shop.
We love to go into all the beautiful stores around the world, and that is not changing with your technology. I’m so sorry, I’m going shopping, and that’s what we’re doing. And that may sound shallow, but you have to realize, like, what stays the same?
And technology at its best solves our problems and makes things easier in the real world. And so I’m all about IRL, as the kids say, in real life, and how you make your IRL better, and how do we live longer.
But you’re saying that expertise, yes, the technology is interesting, but expertise still matters. A proven track record. The argument with AI is it gives people answers that they wouldn’t have had before.
I know Mark Cuban, U.S. Shark Tank fame, Broadcast.com, other companies, has said, you know, you can ask AI anything you want. You get the answers right away.
You don’t know how to do a business plan, it tells you how to do a business plan. So people can start these companies faster, and I’d be curious to hear, are you seeing this where younger people are starting companies, and is Laura right that we shouldn’t take everything that they say and say this is like this, they still need to learn how to create these companies first, and how to, you know, learn this industry?
So the short answer there, Dan, is yes. And like an AI tool that looks into past data to generate for the future. Let me answer using history to think about the future.
Each time when we’ve seen significant discontinuity through innovation, right from the industrial age, moving to automotive, moving from steam to electricity, internet, digital and now AI, we have seen significant discontinuities.
If you’re a horse carriage driver and Ford introduced the Model T, you’re out of a job unless you re-skilled yourself to drive a car. If you were used to being a traditional accountant that worked on a normal worksheet to doing accounts, and once the computer came, you lost your job unless you learned how to re-skill. The same is happening with every time there’s discontinuity in technology.
Yes, some jobs get lost, many new jobs get created. And history tells us, eventually, productivity, prosperity increases. The world has always become a better place.
But it’s important for us to take conscious decisions to see that those jobs that are going away, or there’s a threat of them going away, they are re-skilled, we provide opportunities to the same individuals.
They happen to be doing those jobs, they can do the next set of jobs. Coming more to AI and today and at least what we see in financial services, I think in financial services, if you don’t adopt AI, both at the front end, engaging with customers at the back end for productivity and efficiency, you’re going to be dead in five years’ time.
We are early adopters, we can see tremendous benefits. And that’s when you come to AI entrepreneurism. You can be a large established company like the big tech companies.
You need internal entrepreneurism even there, cutting through your bureaucracy so that you can leverage AI for the future. If you’re a small business, you’re very often lost out because of scale. AI in at least certain businesses allows you to bypass the lack of scale because it gives you reach, the digital world gives you access.
You can be an architect, you can be a lawyer, you can be an accountant, you can create a hundred agents and you can then be a single founder company but with a hundred agents using your experience, which is effectively your own small language model, your data.
with LLMs to create a 100-agent company and work with a, compete with a 100-man law firm. So there is significant change that’s happening. How do we adopt, how do we adapt, will make the difference to us as individuals, whether are we in the success camp or the failure camp.
Well, I guess this is then a question for all of you, which is, is this time different? Is this, are we just repeating the same excitement that we heard during the dot-com boom? And oh my God, the world’s totally different now, anyone can create anything.
Or do you feel, and are you seeing in your economies, in your companies, anything that this time changes how people start companies or how they compete with some of the large companies?
Let me jump in quickly over there. Big difference of what’s common dot-com time and now, differentiate value from valuation. Valuation can go crazy and sometimes much ahead because everybody’s trying to be the first in the race.
But if you are focused on creating value, you will make sure that you’re creating a lasting opportunity.
I would definitely say it’s different this time. And it’s different this time because the technology and dot-com boom connected the world. This time, there’s a transformation happening in a connected world.
And therefore, when we are looking at fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and building that culture of entrepreneurship, we are doing it at a time where people are feeding ideas off each other on a global level.
An idea that’s good in Japan, is good in South America, is good in Bahrain. And that means that today we are working on fostering entrepreneurship and having young entrepreneurs, older entrepreneurs, whatever the age they may be, starting companies that are good ideas, not just in Bahrain, but good ideas for a global application.
But one of the things that’s important here is that what we should not forget is that we have to foster that culture of entrepreneurship. We always think of entrepreneurship as a very organic. thing.
And yes, that is important, but you have to create the culture and environment. That does not happen organically. And first, you have to check the laws and make sure that the laws work.
We had to work a lot with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, for example, to decriminalize failure. Because it used to be the case that if you had a failed company, you would end up having criminal action against you. Now, you can have criminal behavior in a company that should be prosecuted.
Do that. But the fact that you have a bad idea that goes under is not a crime.
And you used to go to jail if your company failed?
Absolutely. There was no bankruptcy. In countries where there are no bankruptcy law, you are personally liable for a business failure.
So think of that. You are held criminally accountable for a failed business idea because you don’t have a bankruptcy law. So in Bahrain, we had to introduce a bankruptcy law.
That was a very important step in fostering a culture of entrepreneurship. But then we did more. We worked with the labor fund Temkin.
We worked with the private sector. And we said, you know what we’re going to do? We’re going to start monthly pitching competitions for the whole country.
And we do a monthly pitching competition. And the finalists from those monthly pitching competitions go to the final pitching competition at the end of the year. And the winners of that get seed funding from our sovereign wealth fund.
And now this year, we said, let’s build a bigger pipe. And we went into Bahrain University. And I was at Babson College.
Our minister of commerce was also at Babson College. So the entrepreneurship runs deep in Bahrain. We went into the university.
And we said, we will make it, and we announced this, we will make it a college requirement for the college of business, a graduation requirement for the college of business to submit a business plan. And we said, we’re going to get a lot of business plans. Some of them are going to be quite good, but all of them will go into the monthly pitching competitions.
And then we, so you have to, you have to kickstart. and entrepreneurship culture. But the difference this time is that the ideas that are being generated are not just ideas that are local in their application.
They are global from their inception.
So they could compete, say, with incredible companies in Germany. So how do you think about this?
I think that the point is really great because in Germany you still get killed, but not by the government or by law, but by society. If you have a failure, because a failure, it always means, oh my goodness, he tried to establish a new company and then there’s a failure, or you put all your effort in one of your key technologies and then, let me take the example, fusion.
So we have so many experts in the society, they all tell you it will never work. So there are two possibilities. Either you say, oh, I believe you because you are the expert of everything, or you say, just give it a try because if you don’t do it, then on the other side, other countries are winning the race or are not winning the race.
And I’m always wondering, what’s the worst thing what can happen? The worst thing is it’s not going to work. So what?
And so we have so many different societies in other countries of the world that they think if someone failed like three times, oh, he has to have a really good experience. So that’s a great, yeah, totally.
It has to be a badge of honor, of entrepreneurship. And we really have to foster that, yes.
So I think that’s a really important point. And your question, just to answer your question, I would say it depends. Is it a big success?
Is it just a big bubble? The most important thing is how to use it and where to use it. And everyone can use it, but not everyone is using it smartly.
So it’s not a new Google. It’s not that you put the same questions in there. And when I see how kids are prompting now, it’s unbelievable.
So I know it’s not a very sufficient answer, but it really depends. And not the one wins who has the best ideas. Ideas are great, but only the ones who implement it.
They are going to be the big winners.
Do you think, are there things that you feel that? that you and the government are doing to protect industries, middle stock companies from AI driven, AI powered entrepreneurs? Are you trying to empower these companies or is that not even a fair question?
We are very good in protection. I think we need less protection and we need more sandboxes and let them try. So in my ministry we have our own company called Sprint and they are allowed to do everything.
So they are faster, they are not thinking in years or in months, they are thinking in days and that’s working. It’s working only for really small and fast creating industries, of course not with billions and billions of money, but to get them started, seed funding and then going from start-ups to scale-ups. But I think…
This is a program that exists that funds all this?
It’s like one of our own government companies and they are allowed to do different things. They have their own law and it’s the Sprint law and that’s why… It’s like a sandbox law and that’s working very good.
Interesting. All right, Laura, you’re hearing all this, it sounds like you’re very dubious.
No, no, no, I am not. I don’t know where you get this from. You’re wrong.
I think this is the biggest technological change that we’re ever going to see in our lifetime. I think that .com was the same. I’m just saying don’t fake it, right?
You got to know what you’re doing and I think, I mean, I’m American, let me just claim that proudly. Doesn’t matter. The great place of entrepreneurship where failure is every day for so many people and I think…
So we have a boldness, a courage to start new things in the United States. I’m very lucky to live very close to Silicon Valley, I see it all the time and people have no money, people have lots of money, starting new things. I think that it’s about the person mostly and I have been very lucky.
I’ve been at Williamson. for 30 years, okay? I’ve been CEO for 15.
Longest standing female CEO on the Fortune 500, okay? I’ve started a lot of the companies in Williams-Sonoma. Thank you, but I’m a survivor.
You can see. And so, you know, I worked for a wonderful man who is now dead, and he was the company’s leader. Founder wasn’t what he called himself, but I call him our founder even though he…
So anyway, when he was dying, I was so… It was like, you know, that book, Tuesdays with Morrie? Yeah, sure.
Anyone read it, yeah? I was going to him and saying, what do I need to know? What am I missing?
What is important? And most importantly, my question almost every time I met with him was, how do you create a culture of entrepreneurship? And he would just change the subject and, you know, talk about something else, latest business issue, whatever.
And got, by the time, I don’t know how many times I’ve asked this question, he got so frustrated with me and said, Laura, it is not about that. You know what it’s about? It’s about hiring entrepreneurs.
Your job is to go find them. Find the people who have ideas who you cannot stop and who will do it no matter what someone says. In your company.
And then make sure that they can flourish in this company. And so you talk about fertile ground, right? And I think, well, ideas and entrepreneurship can come because both hostile environment, like job loss, AI taking out young people’s jobs, no one knows where their kids used to, you want to make some money, you sure thing have a job, you become an engineer.
Well now, better not become an engineer. You might want to learn how to, you know, be an electrician. Yeah, dentist.
Right? Or something, I don’t know, maybe a psychiatrist But even that Could be AI’d out. So there’s no answer to what you should be when you grow up, right?
That’s very confusing for people And then when they can’t find jobs and we’re all like well I thought if my kid went to this great school and did this and this they’d have this job. Well, maybe not I I think the most so maybe they start companies. Yeah, because They see an opportunity.
Maybe they’re better. Maybe there’s more entrepreneurs now not because of the good but because it’s tough out there to get a job And they think well, you know, I’m not working for you. I’m gonna start my own company, right and That’s exciting, but it’s not exciting for you as a parent or the kid at the moment But I think if you look around the corner and you see the whole thing for what it is It is a great time of disruption and potentially distraction.
But if you can stay very focused on solving problems, I Think we’re gonna see a lot of incredible companies come of this and amazing people Who find their way and you know, I think you put me in this box of I don’t think it’s about young people It’s always about young people by the time you get here You’re like been there done that and that’s not gonna work.
That’s not like the freedom of a young mind The beginner’s mind is the most amazing thing and that’s why we need them around us all the time Talking to people who have not had the failure or the success for that matter and they they just have that raw courage
You’re gonna say something
I just wanted to say because that’s a very important point Laura made that Resilience is the most important thing to teach them because you can’t tell them study this do this And if you teach them do whatever you like Because it doesn’t matter if you’re unemployed in a job you like or in a job you and you are not liking I think that’s the most important thing and I think it’s very interesting the perspective like from the Silicon Valley because in Germany it’s not in the German DNA that you really want to become an entrepreneur and When I’m in a school and I ask 100 kids, do you think you can build your own company?
Do you think with your own vision, with your own ideas, you can become an entrepreneur? Maybe one out of 100 says, yeah, I can imagine that. It’s the same when you ask them, do you want to be a politician?
But that’s just the other case. And that’s what I’m really admiring, that most of the people who are doing a startup in Germany, they had the idea when they were abroad, when they had their year in the United States or in the United Kingdom, then they think, oh yeah, I can do that.
And that is some mind shift we still need to there.
I love this point that AI driven change in entrepreneurship might not come because AI enables you to be an entrepreneur. AI might be pushing you to have to be an entrepreneur. It’s a really interesting point.
If I may, I just want to touch upon some things mentioned earlier about job creation. One of the things that we’ve been focusing on is that through education systems for decades, and it’s been a graduation of job seekers that has been the aim. And one of the things that we have really been working on, Bahrain, has been that you should be graduating job creators alongside job seekers and bring the entrepreneurship into the core.
So entrepreneurial support and entrepreneurial development is not something at the margin of the economy that is done as a social good to empower. No, take entrepreneurial development into the core of economic planning. Put it into your job creation aims and targets.
This year, for example, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince meets the top 100 employers of Bahrainis in Bahrain. And it was wonderful to see that of the top 100, 15 of them were established in the last five years. And they’re already significant players in job creation.
So it is important that when you are graduating college students, that you are really ensuring that entrepreneurship is there early and that they’re graduating with an idea of starting a business early.
whether that business fails or succeeds matters less. But they will have learned how to ask for resources, how to put a plan in place, and that will then serve them whether they go into the corporate world or will have to… And then those job creators will create jobs for people with them in class.
And so out of a graduating class of 100, you’d have 30 job creators or people that have created jobs for 30 people and 70 become job seekers. So the transition from graduating job seekers into graduating a significant proportion of job creators is an extremely…
That’s big. All right, I want to ask one more question. We’re going to turn it over to audience questions.
If you have them, start getting ready. Get your hands almost raised. In past technological revolutions, we have seen a widening gap.
It is not… Not everyone has benefited. Global North, Global South, big gap.
Male, female, big gap. Are you seeing any signs? Do you believe that this time will be different?
AI-driven entrepreneurship will enable all boats to rise? Or are the things that you were worried about as this new breed of entrepreneurs starts launching businesses?
Clearly, yes, for at least some attributes. As you said, scale…
Yes, you’re worried. Clearly, yes, you’re worried.
Yes, yes, there is going to be this discontinuity. One, scale is no longer holding you back. Second, capital is no longer holding you back.
So, I am worried because if you’re a large established company or a nation with a large established way of doing things, AI can dramatically change that. On the other hand, if you’re a company or a country or a set of people who were not part of that large ecosystem, AI can be a very positive difference. I think the challenge and the discontinuity as I see over here is if you’re in a country with very strong social security systems, like, say, Germany, people are not used to being entrepreneurial because they get their three meals a day.
If you’re in a country like India, you don’t get your three meals a day. So, when you’re a kid, you start the equivalent of throwing newspapers and getting that, what Buffett used to do and get his 10 cents on his morning paper route. You become entrepreneurial.
You start doing various activities, so it becomes a part of your DNA. And then if educational institutions like Babson, I went to another one next door called HBS, keep inculcating that spirit of entrepreneurism with you, you can change. If you’re a country like the US, large established companies, hundreds of thousands of employees, if you’re doing a mundane day-to-day job, your job is a threat.
But if you’re in Silicon Valley, if you’re in the right pockets, where your brain is working, that is driving change. That’s the entrepreneurism we are talking about. You are going to succeed.
Your chances of success are significantly higher. So I do see this discontinuity over here.
Got it. Location and hunger. What do you think?
I wouldn’t agree actually, because I think that the countries who are already our enablers, our creators, it’s easier for them. And the other ones who were consumers all the years before, I’m not sure. I wish it would be like you called it, but I doubt it actually.
Any other thoughts? Otherwise, we’re going to turn it up. Okay.
Questions from anyone here? You want to start here?
Hi, everyone. I’m Delfina Global Shaper from Buenos Aires Hub. I want to go back to Laura’s point.
And you were saying that the young people will be more encouraged to go run a business because it’s very tough out there. Actually, it is. My question would be, according to the Youth Pulse report from the World Economic Forum that was released two weeks ago, I think, it stands that we are the loneliest generation in the world.
And to build a business, we need soft skills. We need to have empathy. We need to connect with people.
So how can we ensure that we are equipping the young people with the right skills to have a business, not only for the technical and business skills, but also the social skills?
It’s a great question. Thank you for asking that. I mean, you hope people like us recognize that as a problem and are doing all that we can, whether it’s internships, forums where you’re bringing people up who are not experienced, as I said, like realizing the beginner’s mind is so valuable that you want to make sure you’re talking not just to the people who report to you or your board or investors, but people have ideas.
And so how do you create sessions for that, whether it’s an idea day or however you’re going to do it, or just walking around the hallway of your company and asking questions? Because oftentimes those people are not in the same meetings with you, right? Meetings are overrated.
You must talk to people. And I’d say for you guys, put your phones down. You know, don’t bring them to dinner with me.
I don’t want to see your phone at all. And I have kids, 27, 25, 21, and it is a hard thing to have, you know, it’s easier for someone else to say that to them than it is for the mother to say during dinner, no phones, right? But you have to train yourself to be able to communicate without a phone and without a crutch.
And to really listen, because I think so many times no one’s listening to each other. It’s just like even I’m practicing that when he’s talking, I’m not thinking about what I’m saying next. In fact, I have no idea what I’m saying.
I’m thinking about what he’s saying. And that is a really different thing than what we are being programmed to do, always in this performative state or like, you know, there’s a lot of things to work on meditatively to be present and to be, you know, really work on your empathy and your communication, your clear messaging.
And I think also you have to find people who do it well. and study them. Because you can’t, like, they don’t have time to talk to you that long, but you can watch how they do it and how they connect and what is the difference between someone who connects and someone who doesn’t.
You know, no notes, no scripts, right? And a little risky. It’s interesting, right?
I am completely unhinged. I am. Makes it more interesting.
We have a whole government strategy versus loneliness because it’s really a big disease, not only for young people, for elderly people too. And I mean, you are in a generation who really got screwed up during COVID that was really harmful too. And that’s why I totally agree.
And home office is a big problem too. So not only in my ministry, but I think everywhere in the companies. So yeah, go to work.
Don’t stay at home.
I’d like to say something to Lufine. You mentioned quite a few important things. And one of the things that is important is that at some stage, the overthinking needs to stop.
Your business idea will not be the best business idea. The group of people that you’re gonna start it with will not be the best group of people. And they shouldn’t be.
Just do it. Start. Start the best idea you have, do it with the best people you can find, and it will figure itself out.
But you have to stop the overthinking at some stage, close your eyes, and jump. And you’re gonna land well. But do that.
That’s great. All right, let’s take another question. Question’s back here.
I can’t see back here anyone. If not, we’ll go here. Oh, all right, way back here.
Sorry. We’ll come next. If you mind just introducing yourself also.
My name is Rashid Oblea. I lead a construction talent creation company in Ghana. But in fact, I’m not going to talk about Ghana.
I have a question about Germany. I had the luck to work with the German organization. I wouldn’t name the company.
But what I realized in terms of innovation and bringing ideas into established organization, you mentioned a little bit about the German culture. And in addition to that, there’s almost established institution where there’s this union. If you’re going to bring in a new technology, somehow you need to justify to a support what the technology is going to do.
So it’s almost like an inbuilt resistance to this change. If you could just comment on how would your government approach that? Because this is something that’s been very intrinsic in your system.
Well, yeah, that’s very important. And as I said, when I was asked before, that we are very good in protecting things and bureaucracy really hits hard. I mean, you need some bureaucracy, but now bureaucracy, it’s eating its own kids.
So we have a new ministry established really fighting bureaucracy and modernizing our state. And sometimes we pass laws even before a new technology has the chance to rise. So you’re totally right.
So we try, as I mentioned at the beginning, with our high tech agenda to be faster, to try out more things and then allow failure without being killed. But I hope when you come back next time that your experiences are more modern and more new. And thank you so much that you have maybe good memories too.
I think we have time for one last question here.
This is for Laura. Thank you. I agree with a lot of what you said.
But I think, first of all, I’m Hani Abdel Hadi. I’m from Bahrain and I’m co-founder of Ninja, one of the fastest growing unicorns in Saudi Arabia. I think that there’s a challenge with people at the top, dismissing a lot entrepreneurs.
I know you talked about not taking meetings and all of that. We’re an example. We’re two and a half years old.
We found it very hard to raise funding, but after two and a half years, we’re a billion-dollar company right now in revenue. And we’ve been turned out by every VC. Government entities did not support us, but we found a way.
So I agree that strong entrepreneurs will find ways, but not every entrepreneur has that capability, and I think some of them have great ideas. Support and helping them maybe couple with other entrepreneurs is quite essential, and I think that’s a role for the government, and I think Bahrain is doing a great job. Saudi Arabia is the same.
But again, there’s a challenge. If you’re not a known person, it’s hard. No matter what?
Known or if you’re not connected, it’s really hard. So that’s my point of view. I’d like to hear how you look at this.
No, I completely agree with you. So don’t mistake what I was saying about… I mean, everybody has the thing that they focus on at work, right?
And great ideas come from all sorts of places. I’m just saying implementation at Williams-Sonoma for a POS system is not going to be from someone who’s never run a POS system, right? Because I have to take your credit card and do it fast, right?
But that doesn’t mean that there’s not great ideas, and you have to find ways without spending too much time. You can meet with so many people and get nowhere. You have to figure out what are you looking for, and then how do you create space to be creative?
And I think at Davos, people walk around so scheduled. But the most valuable time I have found is the unscheduled time where you’re waiting for something, you’re uncomfortable, you’re freezing, you’re starving, and you talk to the person next to you and you find out what they do.
And that’s, I think, how the magic happens. You have to show up in the environment. But, you know, I mean, you figured it out.
Look at you, you figured it out. So probably, to her point, you have more… And you have a better idea, and you’ve got it done.
I agree, but again, I think I was fortunate because I’ve had multiple failures before, and I was somehow connected. When everyone declined me, I went to families I knew, and I actually forced them to support us. But again, not everyone has that, so that’s what I’m trying to say, is basically…
If I may, I think that’s one of the things that’s important. It’s great, I think resilience and stubbornness is actually the greatest trait of entrepreneurship, and that’s important to continue with, and that’s what really drives entrepreneurial success. But it’s also important that we continue to create channels that are not linked, so that you gather as many people as you can.
And that’s why we created, for example, the monthly pitching competitions in Bahrain. The idea behind the monthly pitching competitions in Bahrain was to have access to anybody who can access it, merit-based selection, and then start it from the universities. And we do the two big startup weekends, which I’m sure you’re familiar with, that are just open application startup weekends, because the idea was you want to cast the net as wide as possible to build those supports, and some great ideas have come out of them, and continue to come out of them.
And we’ve had some wonderful companies. And the cool thing with it, the coolest thing about this, is that in less than two years of running these pitching competitions, the winners of last startup weekend were all winners, were all companies that were using other companies from the ecosystem.
That’s cool.
That had won. So it’s already turning into that multiplier effect, and you’re seeing it be transformational to the ecosystem in Bahrain and the wider region. But it is important to cast the net as wide as possible, and keep it very merit-based, and open to applications.
This has been a great conversation. I’m sorry, we’re out of time. We could keep going on here.
I do want to just sort of summarize this conversation. I will say that going into it, we expected this to be a conversation about AI and AI-driven innovation, and almost the entire conversation here was about putting together fertile ground for just making entrepreneurship happen.
connections, soft skills, reducing bureaucracy, all of those things are just required for entrepreneurs no matter what they are doing, technology, non technology related. I just think it’s super interesting to hear that from all of you deep thinkers, people with deep connections, that that’s how you’re considering making entrepreneurship grow in this world. Has nothing to do with AI, has to do with allowing people to go after what they see as big ideas.
So thank you for this really terrific session.
Daniel Roth
Speech speed
192 words per minute
Speech length
1676 words
Speech time
521 seconds
AI enables faster prototyping, easier customer reach, and competition in capital-intensive industries
Explanation
Roth argues that AI tools are reducing barriers to entrepreneurship by allowing founders to prototype faster, reach customers more easily, and compete in industries that previously required significant capital or long development timelines. This is evidenced by a 60% year-over-year increase in people adding ‘founder’ to their LinkedIn profiles globally.
Evidence
60% year-over-year rise in people adding ‘founder’ to their LinkedIn profiles, which is 3x the rate since 2021. Entrepreneurs are hiring differently, combining job titles, and asking for prototypes instead of resumes.
Major discussion point
AI’s Impact on Entrepreneurship and Business Creation
Topics
Economic | Future of work
AI-driven change may force people into entrepreneurship due to job displacement rather than just enabling it
Explanation
Roth suggests that AI’s impact on entrepreneurship might be driven by necessity rather than opportunity, as people who cannot find traditional employment may be pushed to start their own companies. This represents a shift from AI simply enabling entrepreneurship to AI creating conditions that require entrepreneurial thinking for survival.
Evidence
Discussion about young people facing uncertainty about career paths, with traditional jobs like engineering becoming less secure due to AI automation.
Major discussion point
Access and Equity in Entrepreneurship
Topics
Economic | Future of work
Sanjiv Bajaj
Speech speed
162 words per minute
Speech length
801 words
Speech time
295 seconds
AI allows small businesses to bypass scale limitations through digital reach and agent-based models
Explanation
Bajaj argues that AI enables small businesses and individual entrepreneurs to compete with larger companies by creating multiple AI agents that can perform various functions. A single founder can effectively operate like a 100-person company by leveraging AI agents trained on their expertise and data.
Evidence
Example of an architect, lawyer, or accountant creating 100 agents using their experience and small language models to compete with a 100-person firm. In financial services, companies must adopt AI for customer engagement and productivity or risk becoming obsolete within five years.
Major discussion point
AI’s Impact on Entrepreneurship and Business Creation
Topics
Economic | Digital business models | Future of work
Traditional social security systems may reduce entrepreneurial drive compared to environments requiring self-reliance
Explanation
Bajaj suggests that countries with strong social safety nets may produce less entrepreneurial individuals because basic needs are guaranteed, while countries where people must be self-reliant from a young age naturally develop more entrepreneurial mindsets. This creates a cultural difference in risk-taking and business creation.
Evidence
Comparison between Germany’s strong social security system and India where people don’t get guaranteed meals, leading to early entrepreneurial activities like newspaper delivery routes that become part of one’s DNA.
Major discussion point
Government’s Role in Fostering Entrepreneurship
Topics
Economic | Sociocultural
Scale and capital barriers are reduced by AI, but established companies and countries may struggle with disruption
Explanation
Bajaj warns that while AI removes traditional barriers for new entrepreneurs, it creates significant challenges for established entities. Large companies, countries with established systems, and people in routine jobs face threats, while those in innovative environments have higher chances of success.
Evidence
Historical examples of technological disruption from horse carriages to Ford Model T, steam to electricity, and traditional accounting to computerized systems. Mentions that jobs in mundane activities are threatened while brain-driven work in places like Silicon Valley will succeed.
Major discussion point
Access and Equity in Entrepreneurship
Topics
Economic | Future of work
Agreed with
– Laura Alber
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Agreed on
AI represents significant technological disruption requiring adaptation
Disagreed with
– Dorothee Bär
Disagreed on
Impact of AI on entrepreneurial accessibility and equity
Focus should be on creating value rather than just valuation, learning from dot-com era mistakes
Explanation
Bajaj emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between actual value creation and inflated valuations during technological booms. While valuations can become excessive due to competitive rushing, sustainable success comes from focusing on creating lasting value and opportunities.
Evidence
Reference to dot-com era when valuations went ahead of actual value creation, with everyone trying to be first in the race.
Major discussion point
Implementation and Practical Considerations
Topics
Economic | Digital business models
Laura Alber
Speech speed
184 words per minute
Speech length
1774 words
Speech time
578 seconds
AI represents the biggest technological change in our lifetime, but expertise and proven track records still matter
Explanation
Alber acknowledges AI as a transformative technology comparable to the dot-com revolution, but warns against companies that misuse the AI label without substance. She emphasizes that successful partnerships require working with proven leaders who have already demonstrated success with major clients, rather than startups expecting others to figure out their ideas.
Evidence
Examples of taking meetings with robotics companies that were already working with big clients for manufacturing and warehousing logistics. Mentions companies trying to reinvent themselves with AI buzzwords without actual capability.
Major discussion point
AI’s Impact on Entrepreneurship and Business Creation
Topics
Economic | Digital business models
Agreed with
– Sanjiv Bajaj
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Agreed on
AI represents significant technological disruption requiring adaptation
Disagreed with
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Disagreed on
Approach to supporting entrepreneurs – selectivity vs. openness
Hiring entrepreneurs within companies is more important than trying to create entrepreneurial culture
Explanation
Alber shares advice from Williams-Sonoma’s founder that the key to fostering innovation is not creating an entrepreneurial culture, but rather identifying and hiring people who are naturally entrepreneurial. These are individuals with unstoppable ideas who will pursue their vision regardless of obstacles, and then providing an environment where they can flourish.
Evidence
Story of conversations with Williams-Sonoma’s dying founder who repeatedly emphasized that the job is to ‘find the people who have ideas who you cannot stop and who will do it no matter what someone says’ and ensure they can flourish in the company.
Major discussion point
Cultural and Structural Barriers to Innovation
Topics
Economic | Future of work | Sociocultural
Young people need soft skills, empathy, and real human connection despite being the loneliest generation
Explanation
Alber addresses the challenge of young entrepreneurs lacking social skills needed for business success. She emphasizes the importance of face-to-face communication, active listening, and putting away phones to develop genuine connections and empathy, which are crucial for entrepreneurial success.
Evidence
Advice about not bringing phones to dinner, training oneself to communicate without technological crutches, and practicing active listening by focusing on what others are saying rather than preparing responses. Mentions having children aged 27, 25, and 21.
Major discussion point
Skills and Education for Future Entrepreneurs
Topics
Sociocultural | Future of work
Agreed with
– Audience
Agreed on
Human connections and soft skills remain essential despite technological advancement
Many companies incorrectly use AI as a buzzword without solving real problems
Explanation
Alber warns that numerous companies are attempting to rebrand themselves with AI terminology without having functional solutions, expecting potential partners to help them figure out their technology. She advocates for focusing on solving real problems rather than simply attaching the AI label to products or services.
Evidence
Observation of companies ‘walking down the promenade’ with AI everything, trying to reinvent themselves, and expecting Williams-Sonoma to figure out their ideas with them, which she rejects due to company size.
Major discussion point
Implementation and Practical Considerations
Topics
Economic | Digital business models
Dorothee Bär
Speech speed
169 words per minute
Speech length
1295 words
Speech time
457 seconds
Germany focuses on six key technologies with fast implementation across 17 ministries, emphasizing human-centered AI
Explanation
Bär describes Germany’s strategic approach to technology leadership through rapid government action and cross-ministerial coordination. The government identified six key technologies and implemented their high-tech agenda within 80 days, combining economic and scientific ministries for the first time to ensure human-centered AI development.
Evidence
High-tech agenda adopted 80 days after government formation on May 6th. Six key technologies: artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, biotechnology, microelectronics, climate neutral energy fusion, and climate neutral mobility. One-third of goals already achieved in the first year.
Major discussion point
Government’s Role in Fostering Entrepreneurship
Topics
Legal and regulatory | Infrastructure | Economic
Disagreed with
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Disagreed on
Government’s role in entrepreneurship – targeted vs. broad approach
German society punishes failure while other cultures treat multiple failures as valuable experience
Explanation
Bär identifies a cultural barrier in Germany where business failure is stigmatized by society, unlike other countries where multiple failures are seen as valuable experience. This cultural attitude, combined with expert skepticism toward new technologies, creates resistance to entrepreneurial risk-taking and innovation.
Evidence
Comparison with other societies where someone who failed three times is considered to have valuable experience. Example of fusion technology where experts claim it will never work, creating societal pressure against trying new approaches.
Major discussion point
Cultural and Structural Barriers to Innovation
Topics
Sociocultural | Economic
Agreed with
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Agreed on
Cultural barriers to entrepreneurship must be addressed
Disagreed with
– Sanjiv Bajaj
Disagreed on
Impact of AI on entrepreneurial accessibility and equity
German DNA lacks entrepreneurial mindset, with most startup ideas coming from international exposure
Explanation
Bär observes that entrepreneurship is not naturally ingrained in German culture, with only 1 out of 100 students expressing interest in starting their own company. Most Germans who do start businesses get their inspiration while studying or working abroad, particularly in the United States or United Kingdom.
Evidence
Survey results showing only 1 out of 100 German students want to become entrepreneurs (similar to those wanting to become politicians). Most German startups originate from ideas developed during international experiences abroad.
Major discussion point
Cultural and Structural Barriers to Innovation
Topics
Sociocultural | Economic
Resilience is the most important skill to teach, as career paths are no longer predictable
Explanation
Bär argues that traditional career guidance is obsolete because it’s unclear what jobs will exist in the future due to technological disruption. Instead of directing students toward specific careers, education should focus on building resilience and encouraging students to pursue their interests, as unemployment in a field you enjoy is preferable to unemployment in a field you dislike.
Evidence
Recognition that traditional advice about studying specific subjects for guaranteed jobs no longer applies due to AI and technological change affecting career predictability.
Major discussion point
Skills and Education for Future Entrepreneurs
Topics
Future of work | Online education | Sociocultural
Agreed with
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Agreed on
Skills development and upskilling are critical for AI-driven economy
Government needs faster decision-making processes and sandbox environments for experimentation
Explanation
Bär advocates for reducing bureaucratic protection and creating more experimental spaces for innovation. She describes Germany’s Sprint program, which operates under special laws allowing faster decision-making measured in days rather than years, providing seed funding and helping startups transition to scale-ups.
Evidence
Sprint program – a government company with its own law (Sprint law) that operates as a sandbox, thinking in days rather than months or years, providing seed funding for small and fast-creating industries.
Major discussion point
Implementation and Practical Considerations
Topics
Legal and regulatory | Economic
Agreed with
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Agreed on
Government role should focus on creating enabling conditions rather than direct intervention
Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Speech speed
173 words per minute
Speech length
1830 words
Speech time
633 seconds
Governments must create fertile soil through world-leading regulation, infrastructure, and people development
Explanation
Al Khalifa outlines three essential pillars for government support of entrepreneurship: advanced regulatory frameworks, world-class infrastructure, and skilled human resources. He emphasizes that governments should focus on creating optimal conditions rather than directly managing entrepreneurial activities.
Evidence
Bahrain’s data sovereignty law from 2017 (only country in the world with such law), allowing German companies to host data in Bahrain under German law. Commercial registration available online in minutes, building permits in days. Dark fiber cables connecting Bahrain to Singapore and Marseille.
Major discussion point
Government’s Role in Fostering Entrepreneurship
Topics
Legal and regulatory | Infrastructure | Economic
Agreed with
– Dorothee Bär
Agreed on
Government role should focus on creating enabling conditions rather than direct intervention
Disagreed with
– Dorothee Bär
Disagreed on
Government’s role in entrepreneurship – targeted vs. broad approach
Legal systems must decriminalize business failure and establish bankruptcy laws to encourage risk-taking
Explanation
Al Khalifa explains that many countries criminalize business failure by holding entrepreneurs personally liable without bankruptcy protections, which severely discourages entrepreneurship. Bahrain had to introduce bankruptcy laws and work with various ministries to separate criminal behavior from legitimate business failures.
Evidence
Previously in Bahrain, failed business owners faced criminal action due to lack of bankruptcy law and personal liability for business debts. Introduction of bankruptcy law was essential step in fostering entrepreneurial culture.
Major discussion point
Cultural and Structural Barriers to Innovation
Topics
Legal and regulatory | Economic
Agreed with
– Dorothee Bär
Agreed on
Cultural barriers to entrepreneurship must be addressed
This technological revolution is different because it transforms a connected world, enabling global idea application
Explanation
Al Khalifa distinguishes the current AI revolution from the dot-com boom by noting that this transformation occurs in an already connected world, allowing entrepreneurs to develop globally applicable ideas from inception rather than local solutions that might later expand internationally.
Evidence
Contrast with dot-com era which connected the world, while current transformation happens in a connected world where good ideas in Japan, South America, or Bahrain can have immediate global application.
Major discussion point
AI’s Impact on Entrepreneurship and Business Creation
Topics
Economic | Digital business models
Agreed with
– Laura Alber
– Sanjiv Bajaj
Agreed on
AI represents significant technological disruption requiring adaptation
Educational systems should graduate job creators alongside job seekers, making entrepreneurship core to economic planning
Explanation
Al Khalifa advocates for fundamentally changing educational outcomes from producing only job seekers to graduating a significant proportion of job creators. He suggests that entrepreneurial development should be central to economic planning rather than a marginal social good, with the goal of having job creators employ their classmates.
Evidence
Bahrain University business college requirement for students to submit business plans as graduation requirement. Vision of graduating classes where 30 people become job creators employing 30 others, while 70 become job seekers. Top 100 employers meeting showed 15 companies established in last 5 years.
Major discussion point
Skills and Education for Future Entrepreneurs
Topics
Online education | Economic | Future of work
Upskilling programs and practical certifications are essential for preparing workers for AI-driven economy
Explanation
Al Khalifa describes comprehensive upskilling initiatives that provide both wage support and education opportunities to prepare workers for technological changes. These programs create social momentum around technology adoption by making skill development a community activity.
Evidence
Temkine Labor Fund supporting over 90% of Bahrainis in private sector with wage support or upskilling. Partnership with Amazon Web Services providing free cloud certification classes, turning evening social activities from coffee shops to certification courses, creating AI-ready technologists.
Major discussion point
Skills and Education for Future Entrepreneurs
Topics
Capacity development | Future of work | Online education
Agreed with
– Dorothee Bär
Agreed on
Skills development and upskilling are critical for AI-driven economy
Merit-based, open-access programs are needed to support entrepreneurs who lack connections
Explanation
Al Khalifa acknowledges that not all entrepreneurs have access to networks and connections, emphasizing the importance of creating merit-based selection processes and casting wide nets to identify talent. These programs should be accessible to anyone and focus on creating multiplier effects within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Evidence
Monthly pitching competitions open to all, startup weekends with open applications, university-based business plan requirements feeding into competitions. Winners of recent competitions were using services from previous competition winners, showing ecosystem development.
Major discussion point
Access and Equity in Entrepreneurship
Topics
Economic | Inclusive finance | Capacity development
Disagreed with
– Laura Alber
Disagreed on
Approach to supporting entrepreneurs – selectivity vs. openness
Overthinking must stop at some point; entrepreneurs need to start with their best available idea and team
Explanation
Al Khalifa advises against perfectionism in entrepreneurship, encouraging people to begin with their current best idea and available team rather than waiting for optimal conditions. He emphasizes that business ideas and teams will evolve through execution rather than planning.
Evidence
Direct advice to audience member about stopping overthinking and starting with best available resources, emphasizing that ideas and teams don’t need to be perfect to begin.
Major discussion point
Implementation and Practical Considerations
Topics
Economic | Future of work
Audience
Speech speed
173 words per minute
Speech length
543 words
Speech time
187 seconds
Strong entrepreneurs will find ways despite rejection, but support systems are essential for those with great ideas but limited resources
Explanation
An audience member from a successful unicorn company argues that while resilient entrepreneurs will eventually succeed despite initial rejections, many potentially great entrepreneurs lack the connections and resources needed to persist. Support systems and government programs are crucial for identifying and nurturing talent that might otherwise be overlooked.
Evidence
Personal example of Ninja company becoming billion-dollar revenue company in 2.5 years after being rejected by every VC and government entity, succeeding only through personal connections and family funding that not everyone has access to.
Major discussion point
Access and Equity in Entrepreneurship
Topics
Economic | Inclusive finance | Capacity development
Agreed with
– Laura Alber
Agreed on
Human connections and soft skills remain essential despite technological advancement
Agreements
Agreement points
Cultural barriers to entrepreneurship must be addressed
Speakers
– Dorothee Bär
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Arguments
German society punishes failure while other cultures treat multiple failures as valuable experience
Legal systems must decriminalize business failure and establish bankruptcy laws to encourage risk-taking
Summary
Both speakers recognize that societal and legal systems that punish business failure create significant barriers to entrepreneurship. They agree that failure should be treated as valuable experience rather than stigmatized, and that legal frameworks must protect entrepreneurs from criminal liability for legitimate business failures.
Topics
Legal and regulatory | Sociocultural | Economic
Government role should focus on creating enabling conditions rather than direct intervention
Speakers
– Dorothee Bär
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Arguments
Government needs faster decision-making processes and sandbox environments for experimentation
Governments must create fertile soil through world-leading regulation, infrastructure, and people development
Summary
Both ministers agree that governments should create optimal conditions for entrepreneurship through regulatory frameworks, infrastructure, and skill development rather than trying to directly manage entrepreneurial activities. They emphasize the need for faster, more flexible government processes.
Topics
Legal and regulatory | Infrastructure | Economic
Skills development and upskilling are critical for AI-driven economy
Speakers
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
– Dorothee Bär
Arguments
Upskilling programs and practical certifications are essential for preparing workers for AI-driven economy
Resilience is the most important skill to teach, as career paths are no longer predictable
Summary
Both speakers emphasize that traditional career paths are obsolete and that continuous skill development and resilience are essential for navigating an AI-driven economy where job security is uncertain.
Topics
Future of work | Online education | Capacity development
AI represents significant technological disruption requiring adaptation
Speakers
– Laura Alber
– Sanjiv Bajaj
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Arguments
AI represents the biggest technological change in our lifetime, but expertise and proven track records still matter
Scale and capital barriers are reduced by AI, but established companies and countries may struggle with disruption
This technological revolution is different because it transforms a connected world, enabling global idea application
Summary
All three speakers acknowledge AI as a transformative force that fundamentally changes business and entrepreneurship, though they emphasize different aspects of this transformation and the need for adaptation strategies.
Topics
Economic | Digital business models | Future of work
Human connections and soft skills remain essential despite technological advancement
Speakers
– Laura Alber
– Audience
Arguments
Young people need soft skills, empathy, and real human connection despite being the loneliest generation
Strong entrepreneurs will find ways despite rejection, but support systems are essential for those with great ideas but limited resources
Summary
Both emphasize that technological advancement cannot replace the fundamental human skills needed for entrepreneurship, including empathy, communication, and the ability to build genuine connections with others.
Topics
Sociocultural | Future of work | Capacity development
Similar viewpoints
Both speakers recognize that comfortable, protected environments may actually inhibit entrepreneurial thinking, while challenging conditions or exposure to different cultures can foster innovation and risk-taking behavior.
Speakers
– Sanjiv Bajaj
– Dorothee Bär
Arguments
Traditional social security systems may reduce entrepreneurial drive compared to environments requiring self-reliance
German DNA lacks entrepreneurial mindset, with most startup ideas coming from international exposure
Topics
Sociocultural | Economic
Both emphasize the importance of action over planning and the need to identify and work with naturally entrepreneurial individuals rather than trying to artificially create entrepreneurial environments.
Speakers
– Laura Alber
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Arguments
Hiring entrepreneurs within companies is more important than trying to create entrepreneurial culture
Overthinking must stop at some point; entrepreneurs need to start with their best available idea and team
Topics
Economic | Future of work
Both speakers warn against superficial adoption of new technologies and emphasize the importance of substance over hype, drawing lessons from previous technological bubbles.
Speakers
– Sanjiv Bajaj
– Laura Alber
Arguments
Focus should be on creating value rather than just valuation, learning from dot-com era mistakes
Many companies incorrectly use AI as a buzzword without solving real problems
Topics
Economic | Digital business models
Unexpected consensus
AI may force entrepreneurship through job displacement rather than just enabling it
Speakers
– Daniel Roth
– Laura Alber
Arguments
AI-driven change may force people into entrepreneurship due to job displacement rather than just enabling it
AI represents the biggest technological change in our lifetime, but expertise and proven track records still matter
Explanation
This represents an unexpected shift in framing AI’s impact on entrepreneurship – rather than viewing AI purely as an enabler of new opportunities, there’s consensus that AI may create necessity-driven entrepreneurship as traditional employment becomes less secure. This reframes entrepreneurship from opportunity-driven to survival-driven behavior.
Topics
Economic | Future of work
Government ministers advocating for reduced bureaucracy and faster experimentation
Speakers
– Dorothee Bär
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Arguments
Government needs faster decision-making processes and sandbox environments for experimentation
Governments must create fertile soil through world-leading regulation, infrastructure, and people development
Explanation
It’s unexpected to hear government ministers explicitly advocating for reducing their own bureaucratic processes and creating experimental spaces that bypass traditional regulatory approaches. This suggests a significant shift in governmental thinking about innovation policy.
Topics
Legal and regulatory | Economic
Established business leader acknowledging the need for unstructured, risky interactions
Speakers
– Laura Alber
Arguments
Hiring entrepreneurs within companies is more important than trying to create entrepreneurial culture
Explanation
As CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Alber’s emphasis on hiring ‘unstoppable’ entrepreneurs and creating unstructured environments for innovation represents an unexpected acknowledgment that large corporations need to embrace chaos and risk-taking typically associated with startups.
Topics
Economic | Future of work | Sociocultural
Overall assessment
Summary
The speakers demonstrated strong consensus on fundamental principles of entrepreneurship support: the need to remove cultural and legal barriers to failure, the importance of government creating enabling conditions rather than direct intervention, the critical role of human skills alongside technological advancement, and the recognition that AI represents a transformative force requiring adaptive strategies. There was also agreement on the need for practical action over theoretical planning and the importance of substance over technological buzzwords.
Consensus level
High level of consensus on foundational principles, with speakers from different sectors (government, business, finance) and regions (Germany, Bahrain, US, India) agreeing on core approaches to fostering entrepreneurship in the AI era. The consensus suggests a mature understanding that successful entrepreneurship requires a combination of technological enablement, cultural change, institutional support, and human skill development. This broad agreement across diverse stakeholders indicates potential for coordinated global approaches to entrepreneurship policy and support systems.
Differences
Different viewpoints
Impact of AI on entrepreneurial accessibility and equity
Speakers
– Sanjiv Bajaj
– Dorothee Bär
Arguments
Scale and capital barriers are reduced by AI, but established companies and countries may struggle with disruption
German society punishes failure while other cultures treat multiple failures as valuable experience
Summary
Bajaj argues that AI will create discontinuities where countries with strong social security systems may struggle because people aren’t naturally entrepreneurial, while those in self-reliant environments will benefit. Bär disagrees, believing that countries already positioned as enablers and creators will find it easier to adapt, while consumer countries will struggle more.
Topics
Economic | Sociocultural | Future of work
Approach to supporting entrepreneurs – selectivity vs. openness
Speakers
– Laura Alber
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Arguments
AI represents the biggest technological change in our lifetime, but expertise and proven track records still matter
Merit-based, open-access programs are needed to support entrepreneurs who lack connections
Summary
Alber advocates for working only with proven entrepreneurs who have demonstrated success with major clients, avoiding unproven startups. Al Khalifa emphasizes the need for open-access, merit-based programs to support entrepreneurs who lack connections, acknowledging that not everyone has access to networks.
Topics
Economic | Inclusive finance | Capacity development
Government’s role in entrepreneurship – targeted vs. broad approach
Speakers
– Dorothee Bär
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Arguments
Germany focuses on six key technologies with fast implementation across 17 ministries, emphasizing human-centered AI
Governments must create fertile soil through world-leading regulation, infrastructure, and people development
Summary
Bär describes Germany’s targeted approach focusing on six specific key technologies with explicit government bets on where to win. Al Khalifa advocates for a broader foundational approach, creating general fertile conditions (regulation, infrastructure, people) for any entrepreneur to succeed rather than picking specific sectors.
Topics
Legal and regulatory | Economic | Infrastructure
Unexpected differences
Skepticism about AI’s transformative impact on entrepreneurship
Speakers
– Laura Alber
– Daniel Roth
Arguments
Many companies incorrectly use AI as a buzzword without solving real problems
AI enables faster prototyping, easier customer reach, and competition in capital-intensive industries
Explanation
Despite being a Fortune 500 CEO in a technology-adjacent industry, Alber shows notable skepticism about AI’s immediate impact on entrepreneurship, warning against companies misusing AI buzzwords. This contrasts with the moderator’s data-driven optimism about AI enabling new entrepreneurs, creating an unexpected tension between practical business experience and market trend analysis.
Topics
Economic | Digital business models
Social safety nets as barriers to entrepreneurship
Speakers
– Sanjiv Bajaj
– Dorothee Bär
Arguments
Traditional social security systems may reduce entrepreneurial drive compared to environments requiring self-reliance
German DNA lacks entrepreneurial mindset, with most startup ideas coming from international exposure
Explanation
Bajaj’s argument that strong social security systems reduce entrepreneurial drive creates an unexpected policy dilemma for Bär, who represents a government committed to both social welfare and innovation. This disagreement reveals a fundamental tension between social protection and entrepreneurial motivation that wasn’t anticipated in the discussion setup.
Topics
Economic | Sociocultural
Overall assessment
Summary
The discussion revealed moderate disagreements primarily around three areas: the equity impact of AI on entrepreneurship, the appropriate level of government selectivity in supporting entrepreneurs, and whether targeted or broad government approaches work better. Most disagreements were constructive and focused on implementation approaches rather than fundamental goals.
Disagreement level
The disagreement level was moderate and constructive. Speakers generally agreed on the importance of fostering entrepreneurship and the transformative potential of AI, but differed on methods and priorities. The disagreements reflect different national contexts, cultural perspectives, and organizational roles rather than fundamental ideological conflicts. This suggests that while implementation strategies may vary, there’s broad consensus on the need for systemic changes to support AI-era entrepreneurship.
Partial agreements
Partial agreements
Similar viewpoints
Both speakers recognize that comfortable, protected environments may actually inhibit entrepreneurial thinking, while challenging conditions or exposure to different cultures can foster innovation and risk-taking behavior.
Speakers
– Sanjiv Bajaj
– Dorothee Bär
Arguments
Traditional social security systems may reduce entrepreneurial drive compared to environments requiring self-reliance
German DNA lacks entrepreneurial mindset, with most startup ideas coming from international exposure
Topics
Sociocultural | Economic
Both emphasize the importance of action over planning and the need to identify and work with naturally entrepreneurial individuals rather than trying to artificially create entrepreneurial environments.
Speakers
– Laura Alber
– Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Arguments
Hiring entrepreneurs within companies is more important than trying to create entrepreneurial culture
Overthinking must stop at some point; entrepreneurs need to start with their best available idea and team
Topics
Economic | Future of work
Both speakers warn against superficial adoption of new technologies and emphasize the importance of substance over hype, drawing lessons from previous technological bubbles.
Speakers
– Sanjiv Bajaj
– Laura Alber
Arguments
Focus should be on creating value rather than just valuation, learning from dot-com era mistakes
Many companies incorrectly use AI as a buzzword without solving real problems
Topics
Economic | Digital business models
Takeaways
Key takeaways
AI is fundamentally changing entrepreneurship by reducing barriers to entry, enabling faster prototyping, easier customer reach, and allowing small businesses to compete with larger companies through digital tools and agent-based models
Government’s primary role is creating ‘fertile soil’ for entrepreneurship through three pillars: world-leading regulation and business-friendly environments, world-class infrastructure, and people development with upskilling opportunities
Cultural attitudes toward failure are critical – societies that treat business failure as learning experience foster more entrepreneurship than those that criminalize or stigmatize failure
Educational systems must shift from graduating only job seekers to graduating job creators, making entrepreneurship core to economic planning rather than a marginal activity
This technological revolution is different from previous ones because it transforms an already connected world, enabling ideas to have global application from inception
Success in AI-driven entrepreneurship still requires expertise, proven track records, and solving real problems rather than just using AI as a buzzword
Young entrepreneurs need both technical skills and soft skills (empathy, communication, human connection) to succeed, despite being the ‘loneliest generation’
AI may force people into entrepreneurship due to job displacement, not just enable voluntary entrepreneurship
Resilience and the ability to adapt are the most important skills for future entrepreneurs, as traditional career paths are no longer predictable
Resolutions and action items
Germany implementing high-tech agenda across 17 ministries focusing on six key technologies with faster decision-making processes
Bahrain continuing monthly pitching competitions and startup weekends with merit-based, open-access selection
Bahrain making business plan submission a graduation requirement for business college students
Germany establishing Sprint company with sandbox law allowing faster experimentation and seed funding
Bahrain’s Labor Fund (Temkine) providing upskilling opportunities including free cloud certification classes
Germany creating new ministry specifically to fight bureaucracy and modernize the state
Unresolved issues
Whether AI-driven entrepreneurship will reduce or increase inequality between Global North/South, male/female, and other demographic gaps
How to balance protecting established industries and workers while enabling disruptive AI-driven innovation
How to effectively teach and develop soft skills and human connection in an increasingly digital world
How to support entrepreneurs who have great ideas but lack connections or access to traditional funding networks
Whether countries with strong social security systems can maintain entrepreneurial drive compared to those requiring self-reliance
How to distinguish between legitimate AI innovations and companies using AI as a buzzword without real value creation
How to scale successful entrepreneurship programs and cultural changes across different national contexts
Suggested compromises
Combining economic and science ministries to bridge the gap between research and commercial application
Creating sandbox environments and special laws that allow experimentation while maintaining necessary regulations
Establishing merit-based, open-access programs alongside traditional networking to support both connected and unconnected entrepreneurs
Focusing on creating value rather than just valuation to avoid dot-com era mistakes while still encouraging innovation
Balancing human-centered AI development with competitive technological advancement
Maintaining physical presence and in-person collaboration while leveraging digital tools and remote capabilities
Thought provoking comments
I mean, I think that a lot of people are using this popular word AI incorrectly, okay, and it’s become you know the tagline… there’s a lot of people trying to sell you things that don’t work, right? They may have an idea they want me to be the one who figures it out with them and frankly, we’re too big I’m not interested.
Speaker
Laura Alber
Reason
This comment was particularly insightful because it challenged the entire premise of the discussion by questioning the authenticity of AI-driven entrepreneurship claims. Alber’s skepticism about AI being used as a buzzword rather than genuine innovation forced the conversation to move beyond surface-level excitement about AI to focus on substance and proven expertise.
Impact
This comment immediately shifted the discussion from celebrating AI entrepreneurship to examining what truly matters in business success. It led Daniel Roth to probe deeper about whether expertise still matters over technology, and influenced the entire panel to focus more on fundamental entrepreneurship principles rather than AI-specific advantages.
We had to work a lot with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, for example, to decriminalize failure. Because it used to be the case that if you had a failed company, you would end up having criminal action against you… There was no bankruptcy. In countries where there are no bankruptcy law, you are personally liable for a business failure.
Speaker
Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Reason
This revelation was shocking and transformative because it exposed a fundamental barrier to entrepreneurship that many participants hadn’t considered. The idea that business failure could result in jail time completely reframes the discussion about entrepreneurial risk and government policy.
Impact
This comment created a pivotal moment that led to a broader discussion about cultural attitudes toward failure. It prompted Dorothee Bär to acknowledge that in Germany, while you don’t go to jail, ‘you still get killed by society’ for failing, leading to a deeper exploration of how different cultures handle entrepreneurial failure and success.
Laura, it is not about that. You know what it’s about? It’s about hiring entrepreneurs. Your job is to go find them. Find the people who have ideas who you cannot stop and who will do it no matter what someone says.
Speaker
Laura Alber (quoting her mentor)
Reason
This insight was profound because it reframed entrepreneurship from being about creating the right conditions to being about identifying the right people. It suggested that entrepreneurial drive is an inherent trait rather than something that can be manufactured through policy or technology.
Impact
This comment shifted the conversation toward the human element of entrepreneurship and led to discussions about resilience, the ‘beginner’s mind,’ and the importance of raw courage. It also connected to later discussions about graduating ‘job creators’ rather than just ‘job seekers.’
I think the most so maybe they start companies. Yeah, because they see an opportunity. Maybe they’re better. Maybe there’s more entrepreneurs now not because of the good but because it’s tough out there to get a job.
Speaker
Laura Alber
Reason
This was a counterintuitive insight that flipped the narrative about AI and entrepreneurship. Instead of AI enabling entrepreneurship, Alber suggested AI might be forcing people into entrepreneurship by eliminating traditional job security.
Impact
This comment created what Daniel Roth called ‘a really interesting point’ and led to a significant shift in the discussion. It moved the conversation from viewing AI as an entrepreneurial enabler to considering it as a disruptive force that pushes people toward entrepreneurship out of necessity rather than opportunity.
The transition from graduating job seekers into graduating a significant proportion of job creators is an extremely… So out of a graduating class of 100, you’d have 30 job creators or people that have created jobs for 30 people and 70 become job seekers.
Speaker
Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Reason
This comment was transformative because it presented a concrete, measurable vision for systemic change in how education and economic development should work. It moved beyond abstract policy discussions to specific, actionable metrics.
Impact
This insight helped crystallize the discussion around practical policy implementation and provided a framework for thinking about entrepreneurship as a core economic strategy rather than a peripheral activity. It influenced the final direction of the conversation toward fundamental entrepreneurship enablement.
At some stage, the overthinking needs to stop. Your business idea will not be the best business idea. The group of people that you’re gonna start it with will not be the best group of people. And they shouldn’t be. Just do it. Start.
Speaker
Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Reason
This advice was particularly powerful because it directly addressed the paralysis that can come from having too many options and too much analysis capability (which AI potentially provides). It emphasized action over perfection, which is fundamental to entrepreneurial success.
Impact
This comment provided a practical, actionable response to the earlier discussion about loneliness and social skills among young entrepreneurs. It shifted the focus from preparation and analysis to execution and learning through doing.
Overall assessment
These key comments fundamentally transformed what began as a discussion about AI-driven entrepreneurship into a deeper examination of the timeless fundamentals of entrepreneurial success. Laura Alber’s early skepticism about AI buzzwords set a tone of pragmatic realism that influenced the entire panel to focus on substance over hype. The revelation about criminalizing business failure opened up crucial discussions about cultural and policy barriers that transcend technology. The conversation evolved from examining how AI changes entrepreneurship to recognizing that the core challenges and solutions remain fundamentally human: identifying driven individuals, creating supportive cultures, removing bureaucratic barriers, and fostering resilience. Daniel Roth’s closing observation captured this perfectly – despite expecting an AI-focused discussion, the conversation revealed that successful entrepreneurship depends on ‘fertile ground’ created through human connections, soft skills, and reduced bureaucracy, regardless of the underlying technology. The most impactful comments consistently brought the discussion back to these human fundamentals, suggesting that while technology may change the tools available to entrepreneurs, the essential elements of entrepreneurial success remain constant.
Follow-up questions
How do we measure the effectiveness of government programs in fostering entrepreneurship culture versus organic entrepreneurship development?
Speaker
Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Explanation
The Minister emphasized that entrepreneurship culture doesn’t happen organically and requires deliberate government intervention, but didn’t address how to measure success of these interventions
What specific metrics should governments track to evaluate the success of their entrepreneurship support programs?
Speaker
Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Explanation
While describing Bahrain’s programs like monthly pitching competitions and university requirements, no discussion of success metrics or evaluation methods was provided
How can established companies with deep bureaucracy successfully implement internal entrepreneurship programs?
Speaker
Sanjiv Bajaj
Explanation
He mentioned the need for ‘internal entrepreneurism’ and ‘cutting through bureaucracy’ in large companies but didn’t elaborate on practical implementation strategies
What are the long-term societal implications of shifting from graduating ‘job seekers’ to ‘job creators’?
Speaker
Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
Explanation
The concept of transitioning education systems to graduate job creators rather than job seekers was introduced but the broader economic and social consequences weren’t explored
How can countries with strong social security systems foster entrepreneurial mindset when basic needs are already met?
Speaker
Sanjiv Bajaj and Dorothee Bär
Explanation
The discussion touched on how social security might reduce entrepreneurial drive compared to countries where people must be entrepreneurial for survival, but solutions weren’t fully explored
What specific educational reforms are needed to address the loneliness epidemic while building entrepreneurial soft skills?
Speaker
Audience member (Delfina) and panel responses
Explanation
The question about young people being the loneliest generation and needing soft skills for entrepreneurship was raised but comprehensive educational solutions weren’t detailed
How can large corporations better identify and support external entrepreneurs without established connections?
Speaker
Audience member (Hani Abdel Hadi) and Laura Alber
Explanation
The challenge of entrepreneurs without connections or established track records getting support from large companies was raised but systematic solutions weren’t fully addressed
What role should labor unions play in facilitating rather than resisting AI-driven technological change?
Speaker
Audience member (Rashid Oblea) and Dorothee Bär
Explanation
The issue of institutional resistance to innovation, particularly from unions in Germany, was raised but strategies for collaboration rather than resistance weren’t explored in depth
How can governments create merit-based entrepreneurship support systems that truly reach unconnected entrepreneurs?
Speaker
Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and Hani Abdel Hadi
Explanation
While Bahrain’s pitching competitions were mentioned as merit-based, the broader challenge of reaching entrepreneurs without existing networks requires further systematic study
Disclaimer: This is not an official session record. DiploAI generates these resources from audiovisual recordings, and they are presented as-is, including potential errors. Due to logistical challenges, such as discrepancies in audio/video or transcripts, names may be misspelled. We strive for accuracy to the best of our ability.
Related event
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 at Davos
19 Jan 2026 08:00h - 23 Jan 2026 18:00h
Davos, Switzerland