LeLeen is a bio-entrepreneur, social entrepreneur and a TEDx speaker. She has received numerous awards such as TYD’s “Top 30 under 30” and Business Insider’s 100 Most Innovative People in the World list.
She co-founded BioLab Biosciences, which is a venture-backed biotech company dedicated to research into novel treatments for cancer and HIV/AIDS. Leen Kawas focuses on the design and development of drugs for two neglected tropical diseases – Chagas disease and lymphatic filariasis. BioLab was founded in 2013 with investment from Khosla Ventures, Salesforce Ventures and PIRO Capital.
In 2011 she co-founded DropIt , an application that allows users to donate unwanted clothing, shoes, etc. in exchange for donation points that can be turned into cash or donated through the charity they choose. The company currently operates in the USA and Germany.
Leen Kawas is passionate about promoting science and technology in developing countries, specifically in Palestine where she was born. She has been invited by the World Bank and UNDP to present her ideas on how to get a reliable supply of electricity to the West Bank. She has also worked with the World Bank on projects such as Access to Justice, available to all.
In 2013 Leen Kawas was chosen by TEDxRamallah as one of two speakers allowed from the West Bank out of more than 50 applicants from all over Palestine. Her talk “The Power is On” has received more than 12,000 views on TEDx YouTube channel.
Born in Gaza and raised in the West Bank, she is the first female entrepreneur in Palestine to receive substantial investment from international venture capital firms. She studied at Birzeit University, one of the most prestigious universities in Palestine and received her bachelor’s degree in Biology before receiving her MBA from Georgetown University.
Leen Kawas has participated on several panels at international events such as: The World Economic Forum 2015; The Forbes Under 30 Summit 2013; Global Entrepreneurship Congress 2014; Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society – WFES 2015; Forbes’ Women’s Summit 2016. She has been featured on TechCrunch, New York Times, Mashable and others.