MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Business Plan Competition and AstroLabs; Now Powered by Google For Entrepreneurs
Google for Entrepreneurs to support various initiatives which aim to develop entrepreneurial ecosystem in the MENA region
2nd of July, 2013 – Dubai, UAE - A joint partnership between Google For Entrepreneurs and MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Business Plan Competition was announced today. The competition, which fosters entrepreneurship and startups in the MENA region, has been ongoing since 2008 with tens of thousands of applicants and hundreds of entrepreneurs having been part of the competition.
The competition is supported by Google for Entrepreneurs to increase technology adoption and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs to meet, engage and exchange ideas. This unique launch opportunity puts MENA on the map as the hub for entrepreneurs looking for the necessary support to turn their ideas into viable startups. Competition such as the MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Business Plan Competition help entrepreneurs by putting them on the path for real and measurable economic success.
“Google began as a startup in a garage and remains a startup at heart. We are committed to helping build a vibrant ecosystem for startups and enabling the next generation of entrepreneurs to be successful.” stated Bridgette Beam, Global Entrepreneurship Manager for Google. She added, “Google supports innovation and entrepreneurship both internally and externally through technology, partnerships, and programs and by fostering a culture of innovation. Our commitment to the MIT Enterprise Arab Business Plan Competition is an excellent example which aims to further the efforts of the entrepreneurs and build startup communities.”
In addition to the business plan competition, Google’s entrepreneurship efforts in the MENA region have been expanding thanks to initiatives lead by AstroLabs. AstroLabs hosts interactive workshops to provide the most promising startups with mentorship, and to help create a network of communication between entrepreneurs. The collaboration between Google and AstroLabs regarding the entrepreneurs-focused series stems from the belief that startups form the cornerstone of healthy economies around the world. The workshops aim to educate, integrate and fund high-potential startups across the Arab region by providing impact-driven coursework, mentorship, and opening access to capital, case studies, interactive discussions and best practices to entrepreneurs.
The MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Business Plan Competition is the largest and most prestigious business plan competition in the MENA region. The 2012 event attracted more than 4,500 applications and the 2013 edition recently announced the final winners in late April.
About Google Inc.
Google is a global technology leader focused on improving the ways people connect with information. Google’s innovations in web search and advertising have made its website a top Internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world. Google is a trademark of Google Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
For information about Google in the Middle East, please visit our Official Google Arabia Blog: http://google-arabia.blogspot.com/
Visit our Google+ Page and join our circles. www.google.com/+GoogleArabia
About the MIT Enterprise Forum:
Founded in 2005, the MIT Enterprise Forum of the Pan Arab Region is one of the 11 international chapters of the MIT Enterprise Forum Global, an avid promoter of entrepreneurship and innovation worldwide. The MIT Enterprise Forum- Pan Arab has a proven record in promoting MIT-style entrepreneurship by organizing each year the MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition, in partnership with Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives, targeting 22 countries of the Arab region and bringing in approximately 4,000 applications a year. The competition has trained over 900 entrepreneurs and has helped start more than 200 knowledge-based and technology-driven companies in Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Tunisia, Egypt and others. Other activities of the Forum include the recognition of top innovators in the region in partnership with MIT’s Technology Review, and the collaboration with the Kauffman Foundation to host Global Entrepreneurship Week.
About AstroLabs
At AstroLabs, our vision is to re-ignite the Middle East’s heritage of entrepreneurship.
For centuries, our region was at the center of global innovation, with inventions such as the astrolabe putting Arabia on the map. Through impact-driven coursework, mentorship, and opening access to capital, we aspire to empower the next generation of Arabia’s entrepreneurs to channel this rich tradition and build the high impact businesses of the future.
See more at: http://astrolabs.me/about/#sthash.GLJiFvJM.dpuf
