ACCELERATING THE FUTURE
Author: Marina Elkaliouby
Flat6Labs Hosts Sixth Demo Day of Riyadh Seed Program
Backed by F6 Ventures, the program accelerated 60+ startups, deployed USD 17M, and unlocked USD 38M in follow-on funding and co-investments
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – January 14, 2026 – Flat6Labs hosts today the Sixth Demo Day of its Riyadh Seed Program (RSP) in Riyadh, , the most active VC in the kingdom for the past 3 years, in partnership the Saudi Venture Capital Company (SVC), with key national ecosystem stakeholders, including Jada Fund of Funds, and Riyadh Valley Company (RVC). The event marks the conclusion of six accelerator cycles supported by the National Technology Development Program (NTDP) since the program’s launch in 2023 and represents a major milestone in fostering early-stage entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia.
To date, the RSP, supported by the National Technology Development Program (NTDP), has accelerated more than 60 startups and deployed about USD 17 million in seed investments by F6 Ventures’ Startup Seed Fund LP, which received backing from anchor LP SVC, and key LPs, Jada and RVC, and enabled USD 38 million in follow-on funding and co-investments. Collectively, the program has supported over 130 founders and contributed to the creation of more than 440 jobs in Saudi Arabia, underscoring its long-term economic impact.
In addition to seed funding, the program offers a localized market-driven acceleration model that emphasizes hands-on strategic mentoring, business training, networking opportunities, and increased visibility for investors. It aims to equip founders with the operational capabilities and insight required to build scalable, investment-ready companies.
The RSP also receives support from the National Technology Development Program’s Empowering Accelerators product, reflecting strong alignment with national objectives to advance innovation and technology-led growth.
During the upcoming Demo Day, selected companies from the sixth cohort will present their progress to an audience of investors, partners, and media. In addition, F6 Ventures will highlight the broader portfolio of investments completed over the past year, providing a comprehensive view of the fund’s activity and impact.
The sixth cohort reflects the breadth and depth of innovation emerging from the Saudi market, with startups operating across artificial intelligence and data infrastructure, fintech, health tech, enterprise software, industrial AIoT, mobility, and retail analytics. The cohort includes ventures such as CoreTechX, AI‑driven system that builds searchable databases and enables private GPT‑like queries over handwritten Arabic archives; Digital Petroleum, AIoT sensors and software for oil & gas, utilities and manufacturing; Bookahospi, AI infrastructure that automates the international mobility of healthcare workers; Sanadk, AI‑powered accounting platform that integrates bookkeeping, tax filings and financial management in one interface; Nero, autonomous delivery vehicle that reduces last‑mile delivery costs which was selected for the Transport Authority’s future mobility sandbox; MEDirect, health‑tech SaaS platform that enables physicians and medical complexes to launch virtual clinics with integrated payments, labs, pharmacies and radiology; and Rintel, AI‑powered data platform connecting FMCG suppliers and retailers, providing real‑time insights on sales, inventory and forecasting.
The final Demo Day underscores the importance of institutional collaboration in building a resilient and globally competitive venture capital ecosystem. Through the collective efforts of its ecosystem partners, the Riyadh Seed Program has contributed to expanding the pipeline of high-potential Saudi startups and strengthening their readiness for growth.
As these companies progress into more advanced stages, continued coordination across capital provision, capability-building, and ecosystem connectivity will remain essential. Through Flat6Labs’ programs and F6 Ventures’ early-stage investment activity, the group continues to support high-potential founders and reinforce Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading regional hub for innovation, venture investment, and private sector growth in line with the Kingdom’s economic diversification objectives.
About Flat6Labs
Flat6Labs is the leading entrepreneurship platform in emerging markets, supporting founders to build, launch, and scale technology-driven companies through acceleration programs, ecosystem development, and tailored innovation services. Since its launch in 2011 in Cairo, Flat6Labs has supported more than 8,000 entrepreneurs across Africa, the Levant, and the GCC, working closely with governments, corporates, and global partners to strengthen local innovation ecosystems. With a strong commitment to inclusivity, Flat6Labs has a proven track record of supporting women and forcibly displaced entrepreneurs, whose ventures have collectively generated more than 90,000 jobs and contributed to sustainable economic growth across the region. Flat6Labs is part of the F6 Group, alongside F6 Ventures.
About F6 Ventures:
F6 Ventures is a seed-stage venture capital firm providing capital, hands-on support, and access to a strong regional and international network to help early-stage founders from the Middle East and Africa scale their businesses beyond borders.
Flat6Labs Celebrates Achievements of 3-Year StartMashreq Program Across Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq
(Amman, Jordan – Day December 2025) – Flat6Labs, the Middle East and Africa’s leading entrepreneurial ecosystem builder, celebrated the conclusion of its StartMashreq Program at the “StartMashreq Forum.” The event, held in Amman on 11 December, marked the culmination of the program supporting innovation and startup growth in Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq.
StartMashreq—led by Flat6Labs in partnership with the Kingdom of the Netherlands and supported by the International Finance Corporation (IFC)—launched as a platform for creating economic opportunities and driving growth across the Levant, with particular focus on women and forcibly displaced persons (FDP). It played a pivotal role in strengthening the entrepreneurial landscape across the Levant, proving that even in frontier markets and fragile communities, founders can attract funding and scale when given the right support.
The event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders, policymakers, and regional partners to highlight the program’s achievements. Distinguished guests included H.E. Stella Kloth, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Jordan, and AbdelKader Al Batayneh, Executive Director Strategies, Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship of Jordan, whose attendance reflected the depth of collaboration behind this success.
Over its three-year duration, the program supported over 4,500 entrepreneurs, reached more than 3,000 women and FDP entrepreneurs, created 350 direct jobs, and supported startups in securing over USD 28 million in funding with USD 51 million in revenues generated. These outcomes demonstrate measurable impact on economic growth, job creation, gender inclusion, and startup scalability, highlighting its positive impact on emerging innovation markets.
Commenting on the program’s impact, Hany El-Sonbaty, Chairman and Co-Founder of Flat6Labs, said, “StartMashreq marks a meaningful shift in how entrepreneurship is supported across the region. The past three years prove that when founders gain knowledge, access, and exposure, they build companies that create jobs, attract capital, and accelerate economic growth. We are incredibly proud of these achievements and determined to scale this impact beyond the region.”
On the enormous potential in the region, IFC Regional Director for the Middle East, Pakistan, and Afghanistan Khawaja Aftab Ahmed noted: “Entrepreneurship once again proves to be a powerful pathway to resilience and inclusive growth. By empowering startups, we aimed to unlock the potential of a young, educated population and help them address some of the region’s most pressing challenges. StartMashreq has enabled the creation of hundreds of jobs, expanded opportunities for vulnerable communities, and supported graduating startups in mobilizing their own capital to scale across the region, fully in line with IFC’s priority to promote private-sector–led growth.”
H.E. Ambassador Stella Kloth affirmed the Netherlands’ commitment to supporting regional innovation, stating, “We are proud to have supported StartMashreq – a program that helped unlock the potential of thousands of young entrepreneurs, including women and refugees, whose ideas will shape the region’s future. The progress celebrated today is only the beginning, and the Netherlands remains committed to supporting entrepreneurial growth and innovation in Jordan and the MENA region.”
With the program now complete, Flat6Labs is preparing to enter a new phase of expansion, extending the StartMashreq model into additional regions where entrepreneurial potential continues to rise. The program’s success across the region positions it as a strong and replicable model for entrepreneurship in challenging environments, demonstrating that targeted ecosystem interventions can overcome early-stage barriers, scale across borders, access global markets, and unlock new capital pathways.