Get All Access for $5/mo

We Have A Winner: NOW Money Will Represent The GCC At The Venture 2017 The search for the winner of the The Venture 2017 GCC startup competition has ended.

You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

The Venture
NOW Money founders Katharine Budd and Ian Dillon pitching at The Venture 2017 GCC

After months of search, pitches and selections, the hunt is over- NOW Money was selected as the winner of the GCC edition of The Venture 2017, a global social entrepreneurship competition seeking innovative startups with social impact and viable business model, at a ceremony conducted on January 18, 2017 at the Intercontinental Dubai Marina Hotel. Founded by duo Katharine Budd and Ian Dillon, the fintech app offering an alternative to banks and remittance fees for low-income employees competed against three other finalists: Health Gate, a developer for non-toxic and chemical-free sanitary products for women and children; ilovemypocket, a lifestyle brand enabling its consumers to donate to education-centered NGOs; and Chari Cycles, a brand upcycling vintage and used bicycle frames, while funding bicycles for children in Middle East refugee camps.

Organized by Chivas, the finals of The Venture GCC 2017 consisted of a pitching round and a Q&A portion with the competition's judges, which consisted of Yogesh Mehta, Managing Director of Petrochem Middle East; Soushiant Zanganehpour, founder of Tribeca Impact Partners; Charles Blaschke, co-founder of Taka Solutions and winner of The Venture 2016 GCC; Jeremy Lawrence, Editor in Chief of Esquire Middle East, and Gaurav Sabharwal, Managing Director of Pernod Ricard Gulf, who commented on NOW Money's scalability and social impact potential as essential factors to their win.

The Venture GCC 2017 finalists with the judges
Source: The Venture

For the GCC 2017 winner, the journey is just beginning- NOW Money is one of 30 startups competing in the global finals of The Venture. Next up, besides mentorship opportunities, NOW Money will be heading for a training camp at the University of Oxford by the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship in the UK in March, and finally, they would be heading for the finals in Los Angeles, US in July to pitch for a chance for a share of the US$1 million funding prize. Given that they represent the GCC, here's to the region rooting for NOW Money- all the best!

Related: Five Tips On Becoming A Successful Social Entrepreneur

Starting a Business

He Started a Business That Surpassed $100 Million in Under 3 Years: 'Consistent Revenue Right Out of the Gate'

Ryan Close, founder and CEO of Bartesian, had run a few small businesses on the side — but none of them excited him as much as the idea for a home cocktail machine.

Growth Strategies

"We Got Funded!" UAE-Headquartered Epik Foods' US$15.5 Million Investment from Ruya Fund is Set to Propel its Regional Expansion Goals

The group's investment news thus comes just days away from its first anniversary as a fully operational business.

Business News

Looking for a Remote Job? Here Are the Most In-Demand Skills to Have on Your Resume, According to Employers.

Employers are looking for interpersonal skills like teamwork as well as specific coding skills.

Technology

Seamless 2024: Amr Aboushady, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, QSalary

Learn more about QSalary's latest initiatives in the Kingdom and how it is supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

Entrepreneurs

Catalyzing Change: How UAE-Based Holo, The Middle East's First Digital Mortgage Platform, Is Transforming The Process Of Buying A Home

With free access to over 500 mortgage products from all the banks in the UAE today, the Holo platform directly addresses pressing issues that the home buying process is ridden with till date