Arab Startup Competition 12th Edition

On September 24^th, MIT EF Pan Arab kicked off the 12^th edition of the Arab Startup competition, organized in partnership with Community Jameel, World Bank as International Partner and Touch as strategic partner. This year's final award ceremony and conference will be held in Beirut, Lebanon, on April 4^th for the first time since its creation #ASC2019.

Tracks of the Competition

1. Startups Track.
2. Ideas Track.
3. Social Entrepreneurship Track.

Terms and Conditions

• The “MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition” is run by the MIT Enterprise Forum for the Pan Arab Region (MIT EF Pan Arab).
• By entering the competition, you hereby warrant that all of the information that you submit are accurate and complete in every respect.
• Entering the competition and accessing its website is free of charge.
• Each team is allowed only one entry for the same track.
• MIT Enterprise forum does not claim any proprietary rights over the initiatives, technologies, and ideas submitted to the competition. All ideas and technologies are the sole property of the submitters, and it is upon their permission, that the use of the technologies or mobile applications is granted free of charge to the MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab.
• If you are selected as a semi-finalist, you will be notified of your selection via email. If you fail to respond within 48 hours of being notified, you will automatically forfeit your right to compete in the second round. If you do not provide the required information needed for the next phase of the competition within the specified deadline, you will also forfeit your right to compete in the second round.
• Any changes to the attending team must be communicated with our management team for approval.
• Semi-finalist teams must attend the pre-boot camp, conference, and the final award ceremony in person. These events are held each year in a different Arab capital. At least one member per team must attend the workshop.
• Teams are expected to work on and submit specific deliverables prior to the pre-boot camp and conference. Qualified teams are not required to pay any expense to the pre-boot camp, however participants are expected to pay for their own flight ticket to the country hosting the final conference. The MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab will be paying all other expenses for up to two members per team, including accommodation, lunch and coffee breaks, and ground transportation to and from the event venue. Other members attending the event can benefit from our special rates.
• The calendar of the competition will be posted on the Competition’s website, and it reserves the right to change any date at any time.
• Personal information collected about you is used for the purpose of the competition, and will not be distributed to third parties without your consent.

Judging Criteria

1. Team: The team takes up an important part of the total grade. Judges look for experience, value added, and the relevance of each team member to the project.
2. Innovation: The idea must be either new or demonstrates a marked improvement to an existing solution or a business process.
3. Financial Sustainability: The startup should clearly demonstrate the ability to be financially sustainable on the long-term validated within the business model.
4. Scalability: A startup should not be limited to a nationwide market. Preferably, the business should be easy to replicate regionally or globally as the company expands.
5. Social Impact: Judges will assess the extent to which your project is positively impacting the community.

Prizes

• Cash prizes will be awarded to three winning teams from each track.
• Prize money will only be transferred to the legal entity specified in the Engagement Letter.
• Prize money will NOT be transferred to individuals.
• If the startup was not registered as a legal entity within three months following the competition, MIT EF Pan Arab will no longer transfer the money prize.
• MIT EF Pan Arab will endeavor to send prizes within three months of the competition end date but cannot guarantee this delivery time.