ACCELERATING THE FUTURE
Category: News
The National Council for Women, UN Women, and Flat6Labs Launch a Hackathon on “Fighting Violence against Women Using Technology”
Cairo, 24 February 2021 — Today marks the launch “Fighting Violence Against Women Using Technology” Hackathon on social media platforms. This hackathon is organized by StartEgypt powered by Flat6Labs in collaboration with the National Council for Women (NCW) and UN Women Egypt, recognising the significant role that entrepreneurship plays in providing innovative solutions to address societal issues. The hackathon challenge includes three key tracks: fighting cybercrimes against women using technology, combating forms of violence against women in the public sphere, and digitization of violence against women complaints and tracking mechanism with relevant government authorities. The hackathon will be virtually held in March in commemoration of the “Women’s Month”.
H.E. Dr. Maya Morsy, President of the National Council for Women (NCW), stated that “Addressing violence against women in all its forms is a crucial necessity and is considered a serious societal issue which harms women and girls, as well as their families and communities. All means and tools must be utilized to confront violence against women and pursue practical solutions to face it, while addressing the root causes”. “Technological advancement is a double-edged tool. Despite its role in creating new forms of violence against women, it has also become one of the most important tools that we can use positively and effectively to address this issue that has become a major concern for the entire society” Dr. Morsy added. “By launching this hackathon with our partners, we endeavor to pursue creative and innovative ideas that are in line with the times and challenges imposed on us, and contribute to working towards a society free from violence against women.” Dr.Morsy stated.
Ms. Christine Arab, UN Women Representative in Egypt expressed her pleasure in partnering with the National Council for Women and the Flat6Labs ‘StartEgypt’ program in launching this hackathon since it represents the consolidated efforts of the government, the business sector and the United Nations in providing opportunities for entrepreneurs to solve societal problems using technology. She added, “The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a new reality on us, which requires finding innovative solutions using technological means to address violence against women in the public and virtual spheres. We also seek to use economic empowerment programs, especially the component on entrepreneurship, to build distinct partnerships aimed at empowering women on all levels. Greater economic autonomy for women results in their greater voice and leadership in the home and in public life. ” Ms. Arab also indicated that the Joint Programme between UN Women and UNIDO implemented in partnership with the National Council for Women and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and with the support of the Government of Canada, will continue to provide an opportunity for innovative ideas that solve societal problems through entrepreneurship.
Mr. Hassan Mansi, Program Director of ‘StartEgypt’ powered by Flat6Labs, stated that “Egyptian women are not only one half of society, but also Egyptian women entrepreneurs have proven an unprecedented ability to succeed and compete at various levels. At Flat6Labs, we are proud not only of the nearly 40% participation of female entrepreneurs in our various programs, but also proud of the graduates who have been able to make a qualitative impact in their field, whether graduates of the StartEgypt business incubator, such as Salma Medhat, the founder of “Matkhafeesh” , an online application to fight harassment. We are also proud of Flat6Labs business accelerator graduates such as “Doaa Aref” who through her online application “Shifa” was able to provide a unique service to deliver medicine to chronic disease patients in Egypt, and attract investors to grow her business and help in her journey towards excellence.”
StartEgypt Program, supported by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and managed by Flat6Labs, is specifically designed to inspire and support thousands of Egyptian entrepreneurs in the field of community impact. StartEgypt was incepted in 2017 and started its first round in June 2018.
The Hackathon’s jury includes representatives from the National Council for Women, UN Women Egypt Country Office, the Economic Council of the British Embassy in Cairo, and StartEgypt Program. Three teams will be selected to win Hackathon cash prizes for a total of EGP 20,000. In addition, the winning teams will be hosted in the business incubator of the StartEgypt Program to receive the appropriate training and guidance to develop their projects.
The “Fighting Violence Against Women Using Technology” hackathon is a digital competition that targets young male and female entrepreneurs that offer digital solutions that could help society in facing various forms of violence against women and girls, whether virtual (cyber harassment, extortion, etc.) or in public and private places (sexual harassment, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, etc.).
StartEgypt Hosts First Female Founders Forum to Inspire Entrepreneurs
The pre-acceleration program, StartEgypt hosted its first virtual forum for female entrepreneurs; the Female Founders Forum. The one-day virtual event attended by over 300 up-and-coming female Egyptian entrepreneurs, saw leading experts from tech giants Dell Technologies, Google and YouTube provide key insights and training on how to get these start-ups from concept to implementation.
Designed to inspire and empower women considering starting their own business, the forum offered them the opportunity to learn from the experiences of influential females in the business and entrepreneurial world, as they discussed the differences, challenges and opportunities faced by females as entrepreneurs or in the corporate world.
A panel discussion featured Flat6labs graduate Sabrine Assem, co-founder & CEO at UNTAP Technologies, Mai Abbas, Education Services Manager for RSA Security by Dell Technologies.
Talking about their decision to host the virtual forum, Hassan Mansi, StartEgypt Program Director said, “Flat6Labs has maintained a gender ratio of 30%-females amongst its incubation and accelerator programs due to a solid belief in the ability of Egyptian female entrepreneurs to lead and drive the economy forward. This has been evident in their role as breadwinners across all socio-economic levels. We offer the opportunity for aspiring female entrepreneurs to unleash their potential and to continue having a positive impact on the Egyptian economy.”
“I was delighted to take part in the Female Founders Forum and to share the virtual stage with so many inspiring female entrepreneurs. The British Embassy is proud to support this programme. It is of paramount importance that we empower Egyptian women with the right tools and skills to allow them to take charge of their own enterprises. I am pleased to announce that until the beginning of October we were able to reach 1180 women, who are looking to found their own businesses and make a real change in Egyptian society.”
— Julia Skorupska, Political and Economic Counsellor at the British Embassy in Cairo
In addition to the panel discussion, experts from Google and YouTube also shared their know-how via two training workshops on digital marketing and product management to support young women in actualizing their ambitions to establish businesses of their own. The forum also hosted the CEO of Azza Fahmy Jewelry, Fatma Ghali, for a fireside chat.
As well as encouraging aspiring women to set out on their entrepreneurial journey, StartEgypt hopes that the forum will allow them to connect with promising female start-ups that they can incubate. “Earlier this year, the Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation, committed to increasing female participation in the workforce by 40%, by 2030,” said Mansi, adding that he hoped StartEgypt could contribute to achieving this developmental goal.
StartEgypt has previously organized multiple, nationwide workshops led by seasoned guest speakers and entrepreneurs. The Female Founders Forum is set to become an annual event, acting as a springboard for women exploring the possibility of launching their own businesses.
Flat6Labs and OQAL Partner to Create More Funding Opportunities for MENA Startups
Flat6Labs, the regional seed investment company and startup accelerator, has partnered up with OQAL, an Angel Investors Network in Saudi Arabia in order to further the growth of MENA’s startups through collaborative efforts to introduce Flat6Labs network of startups to OQAL’s network of angel investors.
This partnership will provide OQAL with direct access to Flat6Labs portfolio companies, enabling more deals to happen efficiently across the board and enabling Flat6Labs startups to scale with the funding provided by OQAL’s network of investors.
“We are very excited about our partnership with OQAL today. It marks another building block in our mission to help our startups grow and scale toward their desired markets in MENA and specifically the GCC” said Ramez El-Serafy, CEO at Flat6Labs. “As one of the first and largest Angel Investor Networks in Saudi Arabia, we’re confident in what this partnership with OQAL will garner in terms of exciting investment opportunities for Flat6Labs’ startups and OQAL’s network of angel investors.” Added El-Serafy.
“A key pillar in OQAL’s strategy is ‘Engaged Network’ that emphasizes our efforts in playing a proactive role within the ecosystem with essential partners as Flat6Labs MENA, which is one of the most prominent acceleration programs in the region with a strong track-record and even stronger founders and teams. We’re hopeful that this partnership will be yielding more investments, and more startups setting-up and expanding to Saudi Arabia.” Said Latifa BaNasr, CEO of OQAL Angel Investors Network.
The pre-set criteria by OQAL and Flat6Labs ensures that the startups maintain a specific standard that enables them to accelerate. This criteria includes but not limited to: solving a problem, having a working prototype of the service/product, having a team that compliments one another, having technology at the startups’ core, having a clear plan for the future, and gaining traction for the solution on offer.
Since OQAL was founded in 2011, its investors have funded the growth of many GCC startups like Careem and Sawerly. OQAL will gain direct access to over 260 Flat6Labs select startups from around MENA, and Flat6Labs will be capable of introducing its startups to one of the first networks of angel investors in Saudi Arabia. This partnership opens a new channel of possibilities for Flat6Labs startups and OQAL’s network of investors in the GCC region, and provides the startups with the space and network to also expand their businesses to other countries.
The Flat6Labs-Powered StartEgypt Hosts Its 2020 Forum
StartEgypt, the pre-acceleration incubation program, established to inspire and support thousands of Egyptian entrepreneurs in the field of social impact enterprises, held its second annual forum to showcase its 45 graduating startups, from all over Egypt incubated in Cairo, Assiut, and Alexandria during 2019.
StartEgypt Forum is an annual showcasing event that presents the incubated startups culmination of efforts during the previous year. The startups get the opportunity to present their businesses to investors, leading business professionals, government officials, press, and coaches & mentors to expand their business connections in order to take their ideas to an even more advanced stage.
The four-month incubation program, funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID), supported by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and powered by Flat6Labs, provides training, educational mentorship, and coaching by industry leaders. As well as, technical and business support to social impact startups in the fields of Education, Agriculture, Healthcare, Renewables, Environment, Transportation, Financial Inclusion and Marginalized Communities.
The program had originally launched in Cairo in 2017, with the first cycle starting in June, 2018. After their launch in Cairo, StartEgypt recognised the potential that entrepreneurs in non-centralized cities had. Therefore in 2019, the program has expanded to Assiut and Alexandria, graduating 45 social impact startups over the course of two cycles in Cairo, two cycles in Assiut, and one cycle in Alexandria, with entrepreneurs coming from all over Egypt, and startups working across various industries offering innovative solutions to disrupt the market.
Hassan Mansi, StartEgypt Program Director, said: “I am extremely proud of the efforts exerted in this program, we have undergone an amazing journey with amazing achievements. To date we have executed more than 45 events, reaching out to over 15,000 participants, partnering with caliber community partners in the ecosystem, receiving over 4,000 applications, and finally incubating 72 competitive startups from across Egypt. Moving forward, the whole team is excited and ready to increase the efforts to excel and reach out to more entrepreneurs across Egypt and inspire them into this new promising futuristic market in Egypt.”
The Forum is designed, along with showcasing the incubated startups, to provide an outstanding experience for over 1,000 guests interested in entrepreneurship, starting with a morning Startup Huddle, engaging activities like the Fight Club Competition and Ecosystem Activation Game, exceptional panel discussions about Female Founders and Impact Investment, and different hands-on workshops provided by Google, Dell Technologies, Cleopatra Hospitals, and Shell.
Eleven startups, out of the 45, have been qualified to end the day with a thrilling pitch competition in front of a judging panel for a chance to win EGP 200k in total, awarded to the following top 5 startups:
- 1st Pyro awarded EGP100K
- 2nd Biofeedx awarded EGP50K
- 3rd Mycelium awarded EGP20k
- 4th Banalistic awarded EGP10K
- 5th Shalta awarded EGP10k
The eleven social impact startups come from a variety of industries and use different technologies, including:
- Mycelium: A biotechnological company that grows eco-friendly biodegradable bio polymer (mycelium) on agriculture waste to make sustainable products that can replace the plastic in the field of packaging, construction, and furniture.
- Shetla: A mobile application that assists farmers in agricultural operations, irrigation and fertilization and the detection of diseases.
- Smart Farm: Utilises unused roofs across urban areas to make way for a small roof garden that provides food for the tenants.
- Hadotopia: Hadotopia offers a plethora of content including stories and information for all ages. Content is offered in traditional arabic, slang arabic, and english. The platform targets parents in an effort to help them educate their children.
- Mashro3i: A website platform that connects student’s graduation projects with entities that helps them to commercialize it.
- Banlastic: Banlastic introduced the eco-friendly shopping bag(cloth): an alternative to the plastic shopping bag, which will be a strong starting point for people to stop consuming single use plastic bags which has a very adverse impact on the environment as each Banlastic bag is reusable.
- Ero: Ero is a waste management startup that was initiated to create innovative solutions for paper leftovers. We collect, recycle and produce paper commodities to substitute environmentally irresponsible materials. Ero is a Finnish word for difference, which is what we plan to create.
- Pyro: Pyro offers an on-site customized Pyrolysis system which works on any agricultural waste to generate bio-charcoal. The system takes in the cellulosic agricultural wastes and produces bio-charcoal as briquettes.
- Biofeedx: A wearable gadget that accurately measures the muscle’s electrical activity during workout. The measured data is visualized on the user’s mobile app in a gamified visual feedback (mobile phone game). The app sends a report to the coach/doctor about the user’s performance with the ability of the coach/doctor to modify the user’s training parameters. It also allows current physiotherapy access and monitors a larger number of patients, reduces the cost of rehabilitation on patients and offers a more efficient and objective way of remote patient monitor rather than home care which accelerates the healing process.
- i-Sew: A mobile app that connects the disabled community with fashion designers who want to make their designs in a professional, cost effective manner in a short time. We help involve people with disabilities in our society while providing a reliable income they could live off. SDS offers a workshop space where disabled people assist designers in creating their products.
- Naql Misr: A digital online platform for providing logistics transport services to serve individuals and commercial and industrial institutions through the operation section to management and operate a fleet of different transport trucks.
Flat6Labs Trains 100+ Saudi Entrepreneurs at Misk Innovation Startup Bootcamps
5 Cities, 5 Bootcamps, 75+ Startups, 100+ Saudi Entrepreneurs Empowered by Flat6Labs
The Misk Innovation Startup Bootcamps powered by Flat6Labs program, was held late 2019 in five different cities across the kingdom to see that those with vision, ambition, and insight, get the best the MENA has to offer of mentorship, funds, and exposure to a local, regional, and international network of investors. After rounds of filtration from 900+ applications, the bootcamps held in Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Madinah, Khobar, and Al Qassim, saw over 90+ idea-stage startups; around 100+ entrepreneurs; and tens of mentors flocking the bootcamps.
The bootcamps hosted a number of sessions designed to introduce the participating startups on how to take their startups to the next level. Starting from design thinking, which helped startups formulate methods through which they can tackle complex problems; and moving on to customer acquisition, an essential ingredient of any successful startup. The mentors and coaches also provided sessions on how to create business and financial models, with the aim of setting clear revenue streams and aiding startups in the management of their resources. The sessions also contributed to the startups ability to define and accentuate the value they will be giving to their customers through value proposition sessions, and how to use growth-hacking to accelerate their penetration of the market and the realisation of the product/market-fit.
Knowing that well-rounded team is what drives the success of any startup, the program also hosted sessions on the best methods to allocate human resources that could drive the business forward. The program also brought legal experts who provided sessions on how to setup the startup in Saudi. Finally, and most importantly, through workshops designed to attract customers and investors, startups’ founders were trained to deliver amazing pitches.
The whole purpose of the Misk Innovation Startup Bootcamps powered by Flat6Labs is to enable aspiring entrepreneurs to create and innovate.
“I was capable of changing my startup’s strategy to suit my business needs and aspirations because of the mentorship that was provided during Al Madinah Bootcamp.” — Osama Al Motrfy, CEO of Waste Turn
We’ve taken it upon ourselves to ensure that the 75+ entrepreneurs attending our bootcamps across the kingdom, get the best mentorship and direction at such a critical stage in the startup’s life.
“I already learned a lot and it’s only been one day. Well organized, great trainers, and amazing energy” — Suhail Ahmed, CEO of Group4Less
Flat6Labs saw that each of the startups got the best support possible to help them venture and kick off innovative services and products through bringing in our team, and local and international mentors to help the startups ground their ideas. We’ve given Saudi entrepreneurs access to a number of essential tools that will help them succeed in the future and change the startup ecosystem starting from ideation sessions to design thinking and legal setup. Empowering such a drive of passionate entrepreneurs and raising awareness are at the core of why Misk kicked off its Misk Innovation Startup Bootcamps and the reason Flat6Labs powered it! This goal has been achieved, but it is just the start!
Flat6Labs saw that each of the startups got the best support possible to help them venture and kick off innovative services and products through bringing in our team, and local and international mentors to help the startups ground their ideas. We’ve given Saudi entrepreneurs access to a number of essential tools that will help them succeed in the future and change the startup ecosystem starting from ideation sessions to design thinking and legal setup. Empowering such a drive of passionate entrepreneurs and raising awareness are at the core of why Misk kicked off its Misk Innovation Startup Bootcamps and the reason Flat6Labs powered it! This goal has been achieved, but it is just the start!
StartEgypt Heads North; Launches Leading Entrepreneurship Initiative in Alexandria
After the successful launch of StartEgypt initiative in Cairo two years ago to push forward the most innovative cairene entrepreneurs, then in Assiut to be a hub for aspiring innovators from Upper Egypt, StartEgypt, proudly, launched in Alexandria to, yet again, help in the nourishment of the young minds who are seeking social impact through their ideas. The StartEgypt initiative is funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID); supported by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) a member of the World Bank Group; and powered by Flat6Labs.
With the launch of StartEgypt Alexandria and the eight new startups joining its first incubation cycle, we’ll see those new startups thrive to inspire, build, accelerate and have indefinite social impact in the environmental, healthcare, renewable energy, and educational industries.
The launch event of StartEgypt saw those startups pitching their ideas to a number of entrepreneurs, representatives from the British Embassy, and investors who are looking for the next big idea.
While the aforementioned startups target four important industries, StartEgypt Alex’s scope of industries is bigger, as it also includes marginalised communities, financial inclusion, agriculture, and transportation sectors whom are represented thoroughly through StartEgypt’s existence in different cities across Egypt.
Over the course of upcoming 15 weeks, the startups from StartEgypt Alex’s cycle one will be mentored, coached, and given different types of resources to develop their products/services and compete to earn two spots on the StartEgypt Forum day.
The forum will also host several other startups from StartEgypt Assiut (2 startups) and Cairo (10 startups). The winner on the Annual StartEgypt Forum day will get a chance at getting scouted and accelerated by the Flat6Labs Cairo team and a chance at receiving funding of up to $25k.