Time is running out for the best entrepreneurial tech minds and makers across the Middle East and North Africa to compete in TechCrunch Startup Battlefield MENA 2018, which takes place in Beirut, Lebanon on October 3 at the Beirut Digital District. Applications to our premier startup-pitch competition close in just 24 hours. We’ve been traveling around the Middle East and North Africa meeting incredible entrepreneurs in the regional ecosystem and are excited to shine a light on the brilliant innovation happening there.
If you think your pre-Series A startup has what it takes to be named “the Middle East and North Africa’s Most Promising Startup,” don’t waste another minute. Apply right here, right now before the 24-hour clock runs out.
Why should you apply? Well, for starters, the winning team receives US$25,000 in no-equity cash and a trip for two to compete in the Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt in 2019 (assuming the company still qualifies to compete at the time).
Then there’s the priceless exposure that comes from placing your startup smack dab in front of influential technologists, VCs and media. The life-changing potential is very real.
Plus, all participating founders — not just the ultimate winners — become part of the Startup Battlefield alumni network. This community consists of almost 750 companies that have collectively raised more than $8 billion in funding and produced more than 100 exits. Names like Mint, Dropbox, Yammer, TripIt, Getaround and Cloudflare. That’s some prime networking territory.
Here’s how the competition works. Our TechCrunch editors — who have a knack for identifying high-potential startups — will review all eligible applications, then select 15 pre-Series A startups to compete (more on eligibility in a minute). The founders of each Battlefield team receive free, expert pitch coaching from TechCrunch editors, so they’ll be prepared to step onstage and face a panel of four judges — consisting of top entrepreneurs, technologists and investors with relevant experience in each tech category.
Startup Battlefield MENA 2018 begins with three preliminary rounds — five startups per round will each have six minutes to pitch and present their live demo. The judges have six minutes following each pitch to ask rigorous questions. Thanks to all that free pitch coaching, you’ll be ready to answer them.
The judges choose five startups to go to the semi-finals for a second round of pitching to a different set of judges. The judges will confer and choose one winner to be the first Startup Battlefield MENA champion. Let the celebration begin!
Let’s talk eligibility. Here are the basic requirements that founders must meet:
- Have an early-stage company in “launch” stage
- Be headquartered in one of these eligible countries: Algeria, Armenia, Bahrain, Egypt, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Yemen
- 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
- Apply by August 6, 2018, at 9 p.m. PST
If you’re detail-oriented, read our Startup Battlefield MENA FAQ.
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield MENA 2018 takes place in Beirut, Lebanon on October 3. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain. But you have only 24 hours left to apply. Time runs out on August 6 at 9 p.m. PST. Apply here today.
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