Mentorship Sessions at Bayt.com

Dubai, UAE, Feb. 26, 2019 – MENACatalyst and finalists of the UAE Pitch Challenge had the great opportunity to meet with the founders of Bayt.com at their respective headquarters for a series of mentorship sessions and business development discussions.  

Co-founded in 2000 by CEO Rabea Ataya, and CTO Akram Assaf, Bayt.com has become the foremost employment platform helping unemployed individuals throughout the MENA region access a variety of employment opportunities to launch their professional careers. Ataya welcomed startups by sharing his personal story and how it fueled not only his professional pursuits but kept him on track for success. Providing strategic insights into the intricacies of effectively integrating into regional as well as international markets, and the importance of developing scalable business models, Ataya commended the skills and innovation behind emerging Palestinian startups, and expressed his commitment towards supporting Palestinian entrepreneurship. 

Startups took advantage of this opportunity and engaged in lively discussions with Ataya and Assaf, relaying some of the most pressing issues affecting their ventures, such as the difficulties of accessing much needed strategic resources and networks within a very restricted and landlocked Palestine. Other issues pertained to trajectory and growth, and the strategies needed to tap into existing as well as emerging markets on a global scale.

One-on-one mentorship sessions then commenced, with both Ataya and Assaf learning about the participating startups and providing individual feedback, advice and strategies to help startups find their footing and play to their strengths. However, the most important feedback pertained to how to navigate potential market opportunities, and how to approach investors with scalable business plans that are well researched, and most importantly that work.    

MENACatalyst’s ْUAE Pitch Challenge and subsequent Demo Events are jointly funded by Taawon (Welfare Association), and KOICA (Korean International Cooperation Agency).