EFICA is back in 2014! The global awards are designed to recognize and reward innovation in ethical and Islamic finance and we believe that you can become a catalyst for changing the finance industry for the better.

1. EFICA’S ROLE IN INNOVATING FOR ETHICAL AND
ISLAMIC FINANCIAL SERVICES
ORGANISED BY
ISLAMIC FINANCE GATEWAY
KNOWLEDGE SOLUTIONS POWERING DECISION MAKING
Dr. Sayd Farook and Dr. Shehab Merzban
Join the IFG community https://forms.thomsonreuters.com/ifg/

2. ABOUT EFICA

3. ABOUT EFICA
Walk the talk – Bring ethics back into finance and make a global impact
Overview Award Process
• Thomson Reuters and Abu Dhabi
Islamic Bank (ADIB) partnered to launch
the world’s first Ethical Finance
Innovation Challenge and Awards
(EFICA) too inspire and recognize fresh
way of thinking and promote the most
dynamic actionable solutions that
advance ethics in the world’s financial
services.
• Upon submitting the relevant
application form the executive
committee will review all applications
and assess feasibility and alignment
with the award objectives.
• 6 Shortlisted candidates will be
announced per award end of August
2014
• Shortlisted candidates will have to
attend a workshop to present there
initiative in front of the sharia & advisory
board members.
• The final three per award will attend an
event to present to the public audience
and voting will take place to decide the
winner.
* This process is not applicable for the
lifetime achievement award
Award Objectives
3
• Promote new or existing ethical
financial solutions or initiatives that can
be implemented within the financial
sectors.
• Provide best-practice business model
that addresses the challenges faced in
the development of the Islamic
financial services industry.
• Recognize and award individuals that
have shaped the world of financial
services to the better.

4. EFICA AWARDS 2013

5. EFICA AWARDS 2013
5
7%
14%
9%
25%
39%
3% 3%
Africa
Asia
Canada and USA
Europe
MENA
Oceanic
Others
500 + registered for last years EFICA awards across the world such as United States, United Kingdom,
Australia, UAE, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Malaysia and much more.

6. EFICA AWARDS 2013 - WINNERS
6
Winner of the Islamic Finance Industry Development Challenge
Shaher Abbas, IFAAS
Winner of the Ethical Finance Initiative Award
Dr. Shehab Marzban, Shekra Crowdfunding
Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award
H.E Haj Saeed Bin Ahmed Lootah , on behalf of his brother Mr.Saleh Lootah received the award

7. EFICA 2014

8. EFICA 2014 AWARD CATEGORIES
Islamic Finance Industry Development Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Islamic Finance Industry Development Award awards a single prize of $100,000 to the best-practice business model that
addresses the challenges faced in the development of the Islamic financial services industry whilst inspiring integrity and an
ethical way of thinking.
This year the three challenges nominated by the advisory board are:
• Develop an Islamic Credit Card
• Develop Finance Solutions for Startups
• Develop cases that explain why Islamic finance is a viable, ethical and beneficial form of finance for customers and shareholders
8
The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award celebrated the outstanding individual or institution that has, using a positive
approach and ethical principles, shaped the world of financial services. The winner received a prize of $25,000
Ethical Finance Initiative Award
The Ethical Finance Initiative Award looks to promote emerging and existing talent by offering a prize of $50,000 for new or
existing ethical financial solutions or initiatives that can be implemented within the financial sector.

9. 9
The three challenges nominated by the advisory board are:
Develop an Islamic credit card: Innovative structures (inclusive of processes involved) for sharia-compliant credit cards that are
ethically responsible, profitable, cost effective and efficient for the Islamic financial institution while meeting the financial needs of
consumers.
Develop financing solutions for start ups: Implemented initiatives or innovative process plans that facilitate large scale
financing of start-ups with due consideration to the risks involved and sharia-compliant structuring issues.
Develop cases/pitches that explain why Islamic finance is a viable, ethical and beneficial form of finance for customers
and shareholders: Any form of marketing strategies, campaigns and pitches that can have the widest large scale and inclusive
impact for educating individuals about the viable, ethical nature of Islamic finance. These could be implemented initiatives or ideas
for advertisements, social media, marketing campaigns or other forms of marketing creative that reach the largest audience in any
part of the world in the quickest and most effective manner while relaying the comprehensive picture of the features of Islamic
finance and why it is valuable to the audience.
EFICA 2014 ISLAMIC FINANCE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE DETAILS

10. Shekra Crowdfunding
Dr. Shehab Marzban, Cofounder and Managing Partner
smarzban@shekra.com

11. ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN MENA
Vast majority of Entrepreneurs in MENA
• Is young (Median Age in Egypt 24 for instance)
• Need access to capital to develop ideas
Vast majority of potential investors / backers
• Have limited capital and are looking for similar investment opportunities as available to the big industry
players
Ecosystem still in embryo phase due to limited number of VCs and incubators

12. ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN MENA
Arab Your Survey, 2014
An average of 15%
of youth of the
region want to
start their own
business – Gallup
2010

13. 13
ABOUT SHEKRA
Sharek Fekra, equity-based crowd
funding initiative
Focus: Too big for Microfinance and too
small for PE Funds and too risky for
Banks
SME Development Award and EFICA in
2013

14. 14
Strength
• Multidisciplinary Team and Board
• Strong Brand in MENA
• Cost-efficient Operations
• Exclusive Network
• Unique Positioning offering Shariah-compliant financing for startups
Opportunities
• Underserved Ecosystem
• Young Population and Increasing Number of Startups
• Regional Demand and Potential
Challenges
• Regulatory Framework
• Regional Scalability
• Outreach to Global Investors
• Political Instability
ABOUT SHEKRA

15. FUNDED STARTUPS

16. 16
EFICA
• Great exposure!
• Financing partially our innovation and product development
• Market recognition and branding
• Regional requests and interest
Shekra Next Steps
• Finalize new scalable process & platform with regional focus
• Hybrid model compensation through equity and commission
• Close another 3-4 companies in 2014
• Raise capital to scale, expand and operate outside of Egypt
EFICA AND WHAT IS NEXT

17. THANK YOU
Dr. Shehab Marzban
smarzban@shekra.com
www.shekra.com