English
Konkani
KE Dubai launched its first-ever Founders Fiesta on Saturday, September 20, at Barsha Heights (Tecom), Dubai, headlined by the renowned entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael D’Souza, drawing a full house of founders, professionals, and community leaders eager to learn from a five-decade journey of enterprise and impact.Positioned as a celebration of entrepreneurial grit and glory, the session spotlighted D’Souza’s 50+ year trajectory—from a teenage start at 17 to enduring success built on resilience, clarity, and purpose—offering practical insights on managing life and business across stages.
A titan of enterprise and philanthropy
Michael D’Souza’s career spans trading to hospitality, from founding Souza Metal Mart in Puttur to leading hospitality ventures such as Dunes and Ivory Grand in Dubai, under his flagship group, HAS Hospitality, which has created livelihoods across the region. Beyond business, his philanthropy is transformative: a Rs 25 crore EDUCARE endowment for higher education and a Rs 10 crore social welfare fund supporting marginalized communities, alongside sustained backing for religious, cultural, and self-employment initiatives in Mangaluru, Udupi, and Dubai.
Investing in education and community
D’Souza has been instrumental in launching and scaling the EDUCARE endowment model across dioceses, enabling interest-free loans for underprivileged students; recent programs have disbursed tens of millions of rupees and supported hundreds of beneficiaries annually, underscoring his belief that education can change a family’s economic destiny. He also spearheaded the Civil Service Academy initiative at St Aloysius College, Mangaluru, championing public service careers among youth.
Program highlights
The evening opened with an interactive startup game, followed by a warm welcome from Dorothy Fernandes, President of KE, and a keynote introduction by Ivan Fernandes, KE Global Chairman, who framed D’Souza’s story as a blueprint for principled growth and community stewardship. A lively audience Q&A deepened the dialogue, and KE presented a memento in appreciation of D’Souza’s inspiring contributions; the program concluded with a vote of thanks by Avil Pinto and smooth anchoring by Maureen D’Souza, whose hosting kept the event crisp and engaging
About KE Dubai
KE (Kanara Entrepreneurs) is a non-profit, mutual benefit organization founded by leaders from the Kanara region; for over two decades, KE Dubai has nurtured entrepreneurship through mentorship, networking, and knowledge-sharing within the community’s ecosystem in the UAE.
Social moments and next steps
Event highlights and reels capturing the energy of the Founders Fiesta have been shared across KE’s social platforms, reflecting strong community engagement and the momentum for future founder-focused programs in Dubai.“From boardrooms to philanthropy, success meets service when vision becomes a legacy”—the central theme KE Dubai brought to life through Michael D’Souza’s exemplary journey at the Founders Fiesta
