Shirley Shahar is a pioneering leader in innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment, with expertise spanning water, food and agriculture, impact, and sustainability across both corporates and startups. She is recognized as one of the key architects of the global desert technology ecosystem, with a strong focus on positioning the MENA region at the forefront of this field. As the General Partner of Desertech Ventures, an Abu Dhabi-based innovation and investment platform, Shirley supports projects and startups in arid climates and collaborates with ecosystem leaders to implement cutting-edge solutions in the region. Her expertise spans Agritech, food tech, water solutions, regenerative agriculture, and clean tech. She leads strategic planning, partnerships, business development, deal flow, and investments, driving global innovation and collaboration. Despite her international reach, Shirley remains hands-on with startups and industry leaders, professionally and strategically offering personalized support to teams. She has applied her expertise in team building and enhancing to transition early-stage technology from lab to market. She has played a pivotal role in supporting more than 12 startups over the past five years. Shirley was recently selected by Foodcons as one of the 99 most influential women in global agrifood tech. Beyond her professional roles, Shirley is an active mentor, deeply involved in programs that promote sustainability, innovation, gender equality, and regional collaboration. She is passionate about integrating deep-tech with impact-driven solutions while ensuring strong business and financial performance. Outside of work, Shirley is a proud mother of four, including twins—and in her spare time, she enjoys doing absolutely nothing.