Partnership with MBC Al Amal (MBC Hope)

Dubai, UAE, Oct. 30 – MENACatalyst and MBC Al Amal (MBC Hope) are proud to announce their partnership towards creating opportunities for startups and fostering a new generation of innovation and impact within socially motivated startups. MENACatalyst had the opportunity to take part in a series activities hosted by MBC Al Amal that highlighted the various steps needed to achieve a viable startup. Resonating with MENACatalyst’s vision, MBC AL Amal is an initiative part of MBC Group’s CSR campaign which works towards empowering Arab youth through education, access to employment opportunities, humanitarianism and supporting entrepreneurship.

Opening the event was Mariam Farag, head of CSR for MBC Group. Farag spoke about the importance of social entrepreneurship as not only essential to overcoming social and economic disparities but for empowering various social groups within developing countries to work towards creating a more equitable future for all.

Activities were tailored to meet the needs of participating startups putting them on the fast track to success. These activities featured highly successful entrepreneurs and the various methods they employed from early stage development, to preparing effective pitches needed to secure investment as well as maintain mutually beneficial investor relations. Speakers also discussed how every up-and-coming startup needs to reach out and make strategic connections via strong communication and engagement campaigns. New ventures and market needs was then discussed. Participating startups where alerted to the needs of markets and how best to integrate their services or products needed to become viable ventures capable of competing in regional as well as international markets. After learning how to approach investors with a clear vision and the importance of marketplace integration relevant to offered products and services, startups were then exposed to how to take these elements to create scalable business ventures. Prominent business experts then took the stage to relate how innovation, creativity, scalability and motivation are key components which investors usually look for when collaborating with emerging startups.

Finally, the event concluded with a pitching session featuring participating startups exclusively from MENACatalyst’s Dubai Pitch Challenge to not only apply strategies and techniques addressed throughout the event but to receive constructive feedback and work towards further developing strategic and scalable business models. Participants were then given the opportunity to reach out to attending entrepreneurs, business professionals and investors to create new networks and work towards establishing strategic partnerships and collaborations.

MENACatalyst’s Dubai Pitch Challenge and subsequent Demo events are jointly funded by Taawon (Welfare Association) and KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency.