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Egypt’s Flat6Labs Picks 24 Startups For Growth Track Program
The initiative is known as StartMashreq, and welcomes companies from the FinTech, eCommerce and HealthTech sectors.
Flat6Labs, the Cairo-based venture capital company, has chosen 24 companies for its StartMashreq Growth Track program, which aims to boost early-stage startups in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The startups from Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq operate in sectors including FinTech, HealthTech, AgriTech, and eCommerce. In addition, five of the chosen companies were cofounded by female entrepreneurs.
Collectively, the winning startups generate annual recurring revenue of over $20 million and have raised nearly $40 million in funding, according to Flat6Labs. Perhaps most importantly, the 24 companies in the StartMashreq program have also generated around 700 job opportunities.
“We are confident that [the startups] have what it takes to succeed in their markets. Through our program, we will offer them tailored support and guidance to help them overcome their challenges and achieve their goals. We look forward to working with them over the next six months and beyond,” said Ragia Amr, program director of StartMashreq at Flat6Labs.
Started in June, StartMashreq will run until December 2024, giving the selected startups access to new markets plus allowing them to scale operations and increase their impact on their respective economies.
As for the program itself, StartMashreq will include workshops and mentorships by international experts, networking events, and roadshows.
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Since its launch in 2011, Flat6Labs has been a major player in the MENA region’s entrepreneurial scene, managing a number of seed funds whose assets exceed $95 million.
In February, Flat6Labs announced a $20 million startup seed fund in Saudi Arabia aimed at supporting entrepreneurs in the Kingdom by investing in early-stage startups in the technology and innovation sectors.
The selected startups are:
Lebanon
- Compost Baladi: A social enterprise that provides waste management solutions.
- Ecomz: An e-commerce platform that enables merchants to create online stores.
- KamKalima: An edtech platform that helps Arabic teachers and students.
- Moodfit: An online interior design service that connects clients with designers.
- Presentail: An online gift delivery service that connects expats with local shops.
- Purpl: A proptech platform that simplifies property management.
- Shelvz: A retail intelligence platform that helps brands optimize their shelf presence.
Iraq
- KESK: A fintech platform that provides digital banking services.
- Lezzoo: A super app that offers delivery, e-commerce and payment services.
- Midient/Padash: A cloud kitchen platform that enables food entrepreneurs to launch online brands.
- Orderii: An online marketplace that connects customers with local service providers.
- Toolmart: An e-commerce platform that sells tools and hardware products.
Jordan
- Algebra Intelligence: A healthtech platform that provides AI-powered medical diagnosis.
- Arab Therapy: An online platform that connects users with licensed therapists.
- Dinarak: A fintech platform that offers mobile wallet and payment services.
- Hello World Kids: An edtech platform that teaches coding to children.
- InvoiceQ: A fintech platform that provides invoice financing solutions.
- Jordilight: An energy tech company that produces solar-powered street lights.
- Konn Technologies: A fintech company that offers blockchain-based solutions.
- Little Thinking Minds: An edtech company that creates digital learning products for children.
- Nestrom: An agritech company that provides farm management software.
- Palmear: An e-commerce platform that sells handmade products from local artisans.
- Repzo: A mobile CRM platform that helps sales teams manage their activities.
- Shop4Me: An e-commerce platform that delivers groceries and other products.
News
UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
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The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.