Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center launches #UnitedForBeirut initiative

Sharjah - 10 Lebanese startups selected to each receive $10,000 equity-free grants and up to $10,000 in cloud credits to support their business in rebuilding Beirut

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) has launched the #UnitedForBeirut initiative and is setting up a $100,000 equity-free fund to enable high-impact Lebanese startups to bounce back after suffering in the aftermath of the recent tragedy that shook Beirut last month.
The initiative is geared towards reigniting the innovation movement in Beirut and enabling the startups to contribute to the city's recovery.
The fund setup by Sheraa will translate to grants of $10,000 each for 10 select startups integral to the redevelopment of Beirut. The initiative is part of a $1 million Solidarity Fund Sheraa announced earlier this year in honour of the #UbuntuLoveChallenge, a global initiative launched this April by Sheraa chairperson, Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, and thought leader, Mamadou Kwidjim Toure, founder of the Africa 2.0 Foundation, to inspire changemakers worldwide to actively help their communities during the Covid-19 crisis and beyond.
The 10 startups, selected with the support of the MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF) Pan Arab, will also receive up to $10,000 each in Amazon Web Services (AWS) Activate credits as part of the AWS Activate program and could also benefit from technical support, training, mentorship, and go-to-market support to help them develop and grow their business.
Najla Al Midfa, CEO of Sheraa, said: "Sheraa's first priority is to support founders in their time of need, and that includes those beyond our borders who have been affected by the tragic Beirut explosion. By providing these leading Lebanese startups with financial grants, Sheraa is expanding its mandate beyond Sharjah to help empower founders across the region."
"We are confident that the vital contributions of these ventures will boost Lebanon's socioeconomic development efforts and help restore the city of Beirut. This confidence stems from Sheraa's longstanding belief that impact-driven and tech-enabled startups can contribute immensely to developing a strong and diversified economy, anywhere in the world," she added.
Maya Rahal, MD of MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab, said: "Despite the tragic event that hit Beirut and its people last month, we have hope that the future generation of action leaders, civil society, and entrepreneurs will lead for a better world. This partnership with Sheraa is yet another proof of the power of community, which we have witnessed recently on the ground in Beirut, and throughout our work during the past 14 years."
She added: "Our network of startup founders has shown unprecedented solidarity and support to their surrounding community, where they used their expertise to provide immediate food and shelter to affected people. While selecting the beneficiaries for this donation, we paid particular attention to the impact that the financial contribution will make in the short and long term. We have complete faith that our alumni will rise to the tremendous challenge ahead of them: to rebuild Lebanon and to thrive against all odds."
The 10 high-potential startups selected for their capacity to boost efforts to rebuild Beirut include: Buildink, a 3D concrete printing company that designs and builds single-storey houses; Mruna, which has developed a decentralised network of nature-based wastewater treatment system; Moodfit, an online interior design and furnishing platform; FabricAID, a social enterprise that collects, sorts, and redistributes clothes to disadvantaged communities; Sympaticus, a sustainable tech-driven social enterprise that seeks to improve access to mental health services; B.O.T (Bridge. Outsource. Transform), a sourcing platform that provides managed remote freelance work opportunities to unemployed youth; KwikPak Shelter, a ready-to-deploy emergency housing concept for refugees and communities caught in natural disaster zones; Compost Baladi SAL, a social business specialised in sustainable organic waste management; Basma, a medical device company that provides orthodontic and restorative treatment globally; and Kids Genius (The Makers Hub), a makerspace designed especially for youth aged between 7 and 18.
business@khaleejtimes.com