This award aims to recognize and support successful and thriving technology startups
Seven innovative Middle Eastern startups have made it to the shortlist of the prestigious Underdog Tech Award, which was launched in September last year. inDrive, a global mobility and urban services platform, has recently announced the exciting development for the tech startup ecosystem in Egypt and the Middle East. The Underdog Tech Award is a non-profit initiative of inDrive and aims to recognize and support successful technology startups that thrive despite facing challenges such as limited resources, lack of access to funding, and geographical constraints.
The Underdog Tech Award: Empowering Founders Beyond Ivy League Universities
The award is not your typical business accolade. It celebrates the “underdogs” of the tech startup world—those who may not have graduated from renowned institutions like Harvard but possess immense potential to make a difference. By empowering founders from diverse backgrounds and regions, this award contributes to building a more inclusive and dynamic tech ecosystem.
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Meet the 7 Shortlisted Middle Eastern Startups
1. Valify Solutions:
- Co-founded by Omar Ahmed Abdelwahed and Ibrahim Karim Eid from Egypt.
- A RegTech company specializing in digital identity infrastructure technology.
2. Dentolize:
- Co-founded by Mostafa Dawoud from Egypt.
- Offers a fully customizable dental practice management solution that scales with clients’ needs, streamlining financial, clinical, and operational processes.
3. O7 Therapy:
- Co-founded by Ashraf Bacheet from Egypt.
- Revolutionizes access to mental health services through its digital platform and mobile app.
4. P-vita:
- Co-founded by Mohamed Tarek Mohamed Abdelzaher from Egypt.
- Recycles agricultural waste to produce raw materials for the cosmetics and food industry.
5. Egrobots:
- Founded by Akhlad Mohamed Alabhar from Egypt.
- Enables farmers to produce more with fewer resources.
6. Credify:
- Founded by Abdelrahman Rashwan from Egypt.
- Empowers digital lenders with alternative data insights, optimizing creditworthiness assessments at the point of application and driving hyper-personalized marketing post-onboarding.
7. KESK:
- Founded by Basima Abdulrahman from Iraq.
- Built the first green energy platform in Iraq.
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The Rewards and Support
Winners of the 2024 Underdog Tech Award will receive cash prizes of $30,000, $20,000, and $10,000 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places respectively, as well as other assistance, such as training from industry experts and PR support.
Distinguished Jury Members
The panel of judges comprises prominent tech entrepreneurs, academics, and industry experts:
- Fatma Nasujo: Global Head of Corporate Operations at Wasoko.
- Sean Kim: President and Chief Product Officer at Kajabi.
- Charles Eesley: Associate Professor at Stanford University.
- Daniel Gándara: Vice President at MercadoLibre.
- Damla Buyuktaskin: Senior Regional Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion Officer (Asia Pacific) at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
- Arsen Tomsky: Founder and CEO of inDrive.
The winners will be announced on April 1, 2024.
A Bright Future for Tech Innovation
As these Middle Eastern startups continue to push boundaries and overcome obstacles, they exemplify the spirit of resilience and creativity that drives the tech industry forward. Let’s celebrate their achievements and look forward to a more diverse and impactful tech landscape in Egypt and the Middle East.
