Can insects turn food waste into high-value products — and a profitable climate tech business?
In this episode of Impact Talk, host Nadine Zidani sits down with Dr. Haitham Al Riahi, Co-Founder of Circa Biotech, to explore how nature-based biotech can transform organic waste into valuable resources — creating both environmental and economic impact.
From engineering facilities that raise black soldier flies to processing thousands of tons of pre-consumer food waste, Dr. Haitham shares how Circa Biotech converts waste into three key products: protein for animal feed, organic fertilizer, and a fat byproduct that can be used as feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

In This Episode, You’ll Learn About:
• How Circa Biotech generate value out of food waste
• How a business can mimic nature’s recycling system
• Why industrial climate tech scaling is different from software
• The journey behind creating an entirely new industry category
• How to approach fundraising when you’re not SaaS
• A practical growth path for sustainability ventures
• The role of the UAE in supporting impact startups

About Our Guest:
Dr. Haitham Al Riahi is the Co-Founder of Circa Biotech and a biotechnology and circular economy leader. With a PhD in biotechnology and years of experience across pharma and biotech, he is focused on turning organic waste into valuable resources through nature-based innovation — helping build a thriving circular bio-industry in the UAE.

Can technology transform food waste into impact at scale?
In this episode of Impact Talk, host Nadine Zidani sits down with Maxim Harzen and Menna Shahin, co-founders of Ejaby, a next-generation supply chain e-commerce platform reinventing how surplus and slow-moving inventory reaches consumers and businesses.

From tackling food waste and supply-chain inefficiencies to building a startup as a couple, Maxim and Menna share the real story behind Ejaby — including their journey across Egypt, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, the role of technology and AI in their model, and how profitability and environmental impact can grow hand in hand.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn About:
• How Ejaby addresses food waste by intervening early in the supply chain
• Why supply-chain e-commerce is a new and critical category
• The transition from B2C to B2B — and what triggered the shift
• How technology and AI enable scale without warehouses or fleets
• Lessons learned from launching in Egypt before expanding to the UAE and KSA
• Why revenue growth and environmental impact don’t have to be trade-offs
• What it’s really like to build and run a startup as a couple

About Our Guests:
Maxim Harzen is the CEO and Co-Founder of Ejaby, bringing deep experience in commercial strategy and supply chains across Europe, Asia, and the GCC.
Menna Shahin is the COO and Co-Founder of Ejaby, an award-winning tech and sustainability entrepreneur with a background in AI and a strong commitment to social and environmental impact.

Can climate tech unlock Africa’s trillion-dollar opportunity?
In this episode of Impact Talk, host Nadine Zidani sits down with Maxime Bayen — Operating Partner at Catalyst Fund, an early-stage venture capital fund — to explore how VC can drive climate adaptation, resilience, and innovation across Africa.
From venture building and pre-seed investing to empowering founders tackling climate challenges, Maxime shares a data-driven perspective on the evolving African startup landscape — and the power of patient, blended, and inclusive capital to fuel lasting impact.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn About:
-Why climate adaptation and resilience are Africa’s biggest opportunities
-How Catalyst Fund evolved from an accelerator to a leading VC fund
-The challenges early-stage founders face — and how to overcome them
-What investors should know before entering the climate tech space
-The story behind Africa: The Big Deal and key funding trends across the continent
-The gender gap in VC funding and how Catalyst Fund is driving change

About Our Guest:
Maxime Bayen is the Operating Partner at Catalyst Fund, where he leads portfolio support and value creation for over 20 startups across Africa. With years of experience in venture capital, startup building, and data insights through Africa: The Big Deal, Maxime is shaping the future of early-stage climate innovation on the continent.