Business Forward celebrated its first anniversary on December 3 under the umbrella theme of The DNA of Egypt’s real economy: A look forward. In her talk, founding director of the Access to Knowledge for Development Center (A2K4D) Nagla Rizk examines the interplay between the centripetal and centrifugal forces in the age of the digital economy, along with the pivotal role of the sharing economy in pushing the national economy forward and making it more competitive. She also discusses the importance of disseminating research to a broader audience.