12 B2B tech startups successfully completed the 10-week program run in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO)
LAHORE: Microsoft for Startups Middle East, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), today graduated the latest cohort of tech startups from its GrowthX Accelerator program. The conclusion of the cohort was celebrated during a Demo Day event, hosted at Abu Dhabi’s financial centre, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), with attendees including startup founders, government officials, investors, business leaders and stakeholders from the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem.
IBCC approves equivalence of the CP to the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) science group
Run as part of a strategic partnership between ADIO and Microsoft for Startups, GrowthX is specifically designed to empower growth-stage B2B startups ranging primarily from Seed to Series A stages to grow and scale in Abu Dhabi. The program features weekly sessions from Microsoft experts, as well as regional and global leaders in business and technology. The 12 startups in this cohort hail from across the Middle East, Turkey and Pakistan, and are developing solutions in E-commerce, EdTech, Fintech, HRtech, and Insurtech. The companies in this cohort are Fortyguard, Ilmversity, Klickit, MonSpark, Pisano, Poilabs, Raabtaa, Supercommerce, Vita Virtues, Xina AI, Edraak Systems, and Pay Caps.
Engro LNG terminal helps Pakistan save over $3 billion
Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi, Acting Director General at ADIO, said, “The rapid pace of digital transformation is an opportunity to continually find new technological solutions to global challenges. The GrowthX Accelerator is a proven platform to identify and empower innovative startups to achieve scale and impact. We congratulate all the graduates on completing this program and look forward to seeing how they leverage the tools gained to accelerate their growth and enhance the regional startup landscape.”
Naim Yazbeck, General Manager, Microsoft UAE, said, “It has been both inspiring and encouraging to witness the growth and development of each of the startups enrolled into this cohort. They’ve leveraged every opportunity to maximize the potential of their offerings, enhance their skillsets and embrace the support and resources available to empower them to grow and scale their businesses. Together with ADIO, we are proud to have empowered another incredible cohort of startups to showcase their innovative ideas and develop them into real-world solutions, that will strengthen the regional ecosystem and develop our digital economy.”
Cashbacks On Bills: K-Electric (Ke) Partners with Savyour and Visa for Savings
Investment in tech startups across the UAE and the Middle East continues to grow exponentially as demand for new, creative, and innovative products and solutions continues to rise. Over the past year, venture capital funding in MENA reached $2.6 billion, 138% more than in 2020, according to MAGNiTT. Startups in the UAE accounted for 26% of all deals closed across MENA and 45% of all funding raised across the region in 2021.
The GrowthX Accelerator helps startups develop their offerings and unlock new opportunities for success. The 10-week program offers a variety of group and one-on-one virtual sessions and training on enterprise sales, technical readiness, investor readiness, and customer engagement tactics. Participating startups also work closely with Microsoft to co-create technology solutions that address real challenges facing organizations in the region, and receive support from regional partners including legal assistance from Clara.
Martin Dow Group Launches Scholarship Program for IBA Students
Following the conclusion of the program, the startups will also work closely with Masdar City, a GrowthX program partner, who will support the graduating cohort in obtaining business licences and establish operations in Abu Dhabi. The Masdar City Free Zone hosts more than 1,000 companies that benefit from the city’s unique ecosystem of education, R&D, technology startups, incubators, and corporates.
Including the recently concluded cohort, the GrowthX Accelerator has graduated a total of 48 startups since its inception in 2021. To learn more about the Microsoft for Startups GrowthX Accelerator program, click here.
- Romania Offers Constanta Port as Gateway for Pakistan–EU TradeICCI, Romanian Envoy Push for Stronger Bilateral Trade and Investment Links Romanian Ambassador to Pakistan Dan Stoenescu highlighted the strategic importance of the Port of Constanta as a maritime gateway between Pakistan and Europe during a session at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI). He revealed that talks with Karachi Port authorities are… Read more: Romania Offers Constanta Port as Gateway for Pakistan–EU Trade
- PTA Blocks Over 1.4 Million Links in Crackdown on Illegal Content
TikTok Faces Strictest Action as 94% of Reported Content Blocked The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has submitted a crackdown report to the court, revealing that obscene and unethical content topped the list of blocked material nationwide. Obscene and Unethical Material Tops PTA’s Nationwide Blocking Report According to the report, more than one million web links… Read more: PTA Blocks Over 1.4 Million Links in Crackdown on Illegal Content - Nestlé Announces $60 Million Additional Investment in Pakistan
Nestlé Commits Fresh $60m Investment in Pakistan at WEF Davos The multinational food and beverage company, Nestlé, on Thursday announced an additional investment of $60 million in Pakistan during a roundtable discussion on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb chaired the high-level… Read more: Nestlé Announces $60 Million Additional Investment in Pakistan - Major Oil and Gas Reserve Discovered in Kohat, Pakistan
Pakistan’s Energy Sector Strengthened by Third Big Find in a Month Pakistan’s energy sector has received a major boost with the discovery of a significant oil and gas reserve in Kohat. The Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) announced this as their third major find within just one month.… Read more: Major Oil and Gas Reserve Discovered in Kohat, Pakistan - vivo Partners with ZEISS to Launch X300 Pro with Next-Gen Imaging
Set to Impress: X300 Pro with the 200 MP ZEISS APO Telephoto Camera and All-new OriginOS 6 Lahore – vivo has always expanded the possibilities of what mobile imaging can express, especially in professional photography, the area it knows best. Now, vivo is ready to go even further. In partnership with ZEISS, the brand is… Read more: vivo Partners with ZEISS to Launch X300 Pro with Next-Gen Imaging
