The Recap: The Demo Day Of The Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund Accelerator Program's Seventh Cohort 18 startups presented their ideas in front of a panel of regional investors, following which three startups emerged as the winners of the Demo Day.
By Entrepreneur Middle East Staff Edited by Aby Sam Thomas
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On May 1, 2024, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund (MBRIF) held the Demo Day of the seventh cohort of its Innovation Accelerator Program at the 25Hours hotel in Dubai. The event was held in collaboration with Bolt, Brinc, Emirates Development Bank (EDB), and Entrepreneur Middle East.
Shaker Zainal, Head of the MBRIF and Chief Business Officer at Emirates Development Bank. Source: Entrepreneur Middle East/Alexander Bungas
The event was kickstarted by a welcome address from Shaker Zainal, Head of the MBRIF and Chief Business Officer at EDB. This was followed by a fireside chat between HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, founder and CEO of KBW Ventures, and Aby Sam Thomas, Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Middle East, which explored the current investment landscape from both a global and regional perspective.
A snapshot of the fireside chat between Prince Khaled and Aby Sam Thomas. Source: Entrepreneur Middle East/Alexander Bungas
18 startups from the MBRIF Innovation Accelerator Program's seventh cohort then presented their business ideas to a panel of judges comprising of KBW Ventures' Prince Khaled, H.E. Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, Senior Partner, Global Ventures, Hala Ebrahim, Investment Director, Antler Middle East, and Tala Al Jabri, angel investor and board member, Middle East Venture Capital Association.
Hala Ebrahim, Investment Director, Antler Middle East. Source: Entrepreneur Middle East/Alexander Bungas
The startups that took part in the pitch competition included Knowledge Nexus AI, Appro, Arlan Biotech, BelowFarm, Detectiome, Egrobots, Faceki, Finanshels, HealthStay, Hekayati, Hulexo, InvoiceMate, MayaMD, MDBX Health, Oscar, Pulse Technologies, TranspRight, and Uktob.
At the end of the judges' deliberations, three prizes were awarded- Best Pitch, Best UAE Homegrown Business, and Most Impactful Business. The winners were declared as follows:
Best Pitch: MDBX Health
Sarah Miller, co-founder of MDBX Health, was presented the Best Pitch award by H.E. Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, Senior Partner at Global Ventures. Source: Entrepreneur Middle East/Alexander Bungas
Best UAE Homegrown Business: HealthStay
Sean Conaty and Ruairi Tubrid, co-founders of HealthStay, were presented the Best UAE Homegrown Business award by HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, founder and CEO of KBW Ventures. Source: Entrepreneur Middle East/Alexander Bungas
Most Impactful Business: Detectiome
Arman Vali, co-founder, Detectiome, was presented the Most Impactful Business award by Tala Al Jabri, angel investor and Board Member, MEVCA. Source: Entrepreneur Middle East/Alexander Bungas
Launched in 2018, the MBRIF Accelerator aims to support innovators and entrepreneurs by offering key resources, connections, and services specifically designed to accelerate business growth to ensure their success. Check out the video for more highlights from the seventh cohort's Demo Day!
