Two Lebanese teams scoop big wins at the finals of the 11th edition of the MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab Startup Competition
Beirut – April 25, 2018: Lebanon marked its spot in the 11th edition for the MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF) of the Pan Arab Region, with two Lebanese teams scooping big wins in both the Ideas Track and Social Entrepreneurship Track. The Lebanese teams combined, pertained an active participation throughout the competition as an impressive total of 20 teams qualified to the semifinals. touch, the leading mobile telecommunications and data operator in Lebanon, managed by Zain group was keen to provide its full support to the Lebanese teams by organizing a training workshop in Beirut before moving on to the final ceremony of this annual competition, hosted by Oman.
The final award ceremony, in partnership with Community Jameel, and in collaboration with this year’s strategic partners Riyada, Omantel, and Zain Group as a digital partner, was held in Oman on April 19, announcing ten winning teams.
The winning teams were announced at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman during a ceremony that attracted more than 400 investors, business entrepreneurs, media representatives and renowned public figures. Notable attendees included H.E. Dr. Ali bin Masoud bin Ali Al Sunaidi, Oman Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Riyada; Dr. Ahmed Al-Ghassani, CEO of Riyada; Sheikh Talal Said Al Mamari, CEO of Omantel; Yousuf Al-Harthy, CEO of Oman Technology Fund and Zain Jordan CEO Ahmad Al Hanandeh.
Ideas Track:
Winner: Quirkpod, Egypt, an online platform that develops students’ 21st century skills through expert-developed content and an engaging UX.
1st Runner up: Spike, Lebanon, helps make diabetes management less diabetic via software and hardware innovations.
2nd Runner up: Smart Data Logger, Jordan, uses IoT and roaming cellular connection to allow real-time monitoring of the temperature of a shipment.
Social Entrepreneurship Track:
Winner: Al Khudairi for Biogas technology, Egypt, converts the waste and soil-damaging chemical fertilizers into energy as well as the production of biomethane gas, an alternative to fill gas cylinders.
1st Runner up: Fabric Aid, Lebanon, implements a successful European model that gives incentives to NGOs to collect more clothing without worrying about expenses and distribution.
2nd Runner up: Sunbox, Palestine, introduces an affordable off-grid, self-installable small solar kit for families who suffer from electricity shortage.
Startups Track:
Winner: ProvenMed International, Tunis, introduces a solution with options for restoring normal social life for patients suffering from Urine Incontinence.
1st Runner up: WideBot, Egypt, offer their platform to businesses to build their chatbots.
1st Runner up: Plotos, UAE, connect users to handpicked healthy yet trendy food from favorite restaurants through an innovative user-friendly platform created and endorsed by nutrition experts.
1st Runner up: Solar Foods, Sudan, a pioneer eco-friendly company in the field of food processing.
During the ceremony, Hala Fadel, Chair of the Board of MITEF Pan Arab said: "We are so proud that this year's biggest Arab startup event was held in Oman. This event is not only a competition, but an opportunity for top tier Arab entrepreneurs to present and share their experiences in the area of innovation and the creation and nurturing of an ecosystem for innovation within Oman. Investing in Arab entrepreneurship will, in turn, contribute to the revitalization of the economy, and lead to the creation of new partnerships that can eventually transform into large institutions.”
The final event ceremony included a panel discussion entitled "Building Emerging Ecosystems" led by Hala Fadel, with David Fernanédz, Business intelligence at Startup Chile and Ahmed Al Alfi, Founder and Chairman at Sawari Ventures, as speakers. Another panel discussion, themed "What Silicon Valley investors want to see in MENA," was moderated by Sharifa AlBarami, Managing Director at Oman Technology Fund, with Sharif El-Badawi, Partner at 500 Startups and Tarek Fahim, Managing Partner at Endure Capital, as speakers.
Prior to the final award ceremony, the 80 semi-finalists underwent a round of training sessions and presented their work to a jury that brought together many key investors and business people.
For more information, please visit www.mitarabcompetition.com . The ceremony was broadcasted live on Facebook and a replay can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/2K0uNZB