INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TechCrunch is hosting its first startup competition for entrepreneurs across the Middle East and North Africa! We&ve wanted to bring
TechCrunch to the region for a long time, and now thanks to our sponsor Facebook, TechCrunch is bringing the Startup Battlefield competition
to Beirut on October 3 this year, hosted at the Beirut Digital District (BDD), in the heart of the Lebanese startup scene.
We&re looking for
the Middle East and North Africa best innovators, makers and technical entrepreneurs to participate in TechCrunch Startup Battlefield MENA
Startups of all kinds shooting for an exit or IPO should apply
TechCrunch will host the event at BDD in Beirut in front of a live audience and top judges, and the show will be covered on TechCrunch
The judges will choose a winner, &The Middle East Most Promising Startup,& whose founders will win US$25,000 in no-equity cash plus a paid
trip for two to compete in the Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt 2019 (assuming the company still qualifies to compete at this time)
If you want to throw your hat in the ringapply today.
Science, technology and innovation have deep roots in the Middle East and North
Africa, where the world first university was founded in Morocco in 859, and the world first medical center was founded in Cairo in 972
The startup world is increasingly focused on applications for artificial intelligence, whose algebraic roots date back to ancient Syria and
Past and present, the region is known for rich cultures producing great works of art, culture and scientific discovery.
Today, venture
investment and startup ecosystem development are on the rise across the region
Careem, a Middle East unicorn and ride-hailing app, is creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, while training female drivers in Saudi Arabia
Last summer, Amazon acquired Souq.com for $580 million, while regional investors poured a billion dollars into a local competitor, Noon
TechCrunch is eager to take part in covering the Middle East and North Africa burgeoning tech sector more fully
We love to see startup ecosystems develop, and Startup Battlefield is one of the best platforms in the world to spotlight the most promising
ventures for investors, partners and even future employees
Our editors carefully pick the best startups to compete from tons of applications, and recruit world-class judges to ask tough questions and
And the Startup Battlefield editors coach the founders to make brilliant pitches onstage at the Startup Battlefield event.
At the end of the
day, that why the more than 765 companies that have competed in Startup Battlefield have raised over $8 billion and produced more than 105
exits to date.
Here how to participate:
Fifteen startups will be selected to join us onstage for Startup Battlefield MENA in
Beirut.
Qualifying startups should:
Be early-stage companies in &launch& stage
Be a resident from our eligible countries
Have a fully
working product/beta, reasonably close to or in production
Have received limited press or publicity to date
Have no known intellectual
property conflicts
What do the winners receive
Apart from the exposure that comes from pitching to the global TechCrunch audience as well as
the live audience of distinguished technologists, entrepreneurs and investors in Beirut, the overall winner will receive US$25,000 in
no-equity cash plus an all-expense paid trip for two to compete in Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch flagship event, Disrupt 2019 (assuming
the company still qualifies to compete at this time).
Are costs to attend the pitch-off covered
No, but TechCrunch will try to find
financial assistance for a startup in need of assistance to reach the Beirut event.
Who picks the startups that will compete
The TechCrunch
editors who run the TechCrunch Startup Battlefield competition will choose the finalists from the application pool.
Who will judge the
pitch-offs
TechCrunch will select four judges for each theme
They will be noted entrepreneurs, investors and technologists with experience relevant to the category
A TechCrunch editor will moderate the judging, and cast the tie-breaker ballot, if needed.
What is the pitch-off format
Each company will
have six minutes to present
The judges will have six minutes to ask questions
What are the judging criteria
The judges will pick the startup with the product or service most likely to go into full commercial
production and have the biggest impact on human potential and/or the largest exit.
When is the application deadline
July 17, 2018 at 5pm
PST.
When will the finalists be notified
August 31, 2018 at 5pm PST.
Will TechCrunch team help prepare startups for the pitch-off
Yes,
in-person training and rehearsal sessions will be required, as well in-person rehearsal on October 2.
Which countries are eligible
Algeria,
Armenia, Bahrain, Egypt, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Yemen.
If you would like to apply — please click here.
Refer innovators you admire to
BattlefieldMENA@TechCrunch.com
Questions Get in touch at BattlefieldMENA@TechCrunch.com
See you in Beirut!
