MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition (Prizes Up to USD50,000)

MIT Enterprise Forum Arab Startup Competition (ASC) is a yearly competition initiated by the MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab since 2006. This annual competition is designed to empower entrepreneurs and foster an eco-system of innovation and entrepreneurship in the Arab Region. ASC pits entrepreneurs in three different tracks: Ideas, Startups, and Social Entrepreneurship Track. The winning teams are awarded prize money in equity-free funds and benefit from a range of other activities including top tier training, mentorship, coaching, media exposure, and great networking opportunities.

ASC pits entrepreneurs in three different tracks: Ideas, Startups, and Social Entrepreneurship Track. The winning teams are awarded prize money in the equity-free funds and benefit from a range of other activities including top tier training, mentorship, coaching, media exposure, and great networking opportunities.

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ASC Bootcamp

An intensive 3-day bootstrapping training program designed specifically for the semifinalist teams of the competition to prepare them for their final pitches. The training is customized for each of the three tracks and covers topics including but not limited to scaling businesses, building business models and value propositions, customer journey mapping, fundraising, and pitching. ASC boot camps also include the flagship mentorship activity putting the participating entrepreneurs face to face with leading industry experts. Held in a different Arab city every edition, that boot camps gather over 100 entrepreneurs and have so far offered top-tier training for a total of 2,400 entrepreneurs.

Judging Process

Round 1

• Applications are accepted in English, French, and Arabic.
• Each application is graded remotely by at least 2 different judges from technology, investment, acceleration, and tech-savvy backgrounds.
• Up to 50 semifinalist teams from different tracks are selected for the second round. These teams will have scored the highest average score on their application forms. MITEF Pan Arab reserves the right to modify the number of selected teams.

Round 2

• The selected semi-finalist teams are required to attend virtually the Bootcamp, round 2 judging processes, the final award ceremony, and the conference.
• The semi-finalist teams are required to pitch virtually and in private in front of a Round 2 jury panel, where they will have 3 minutes to present/pitch, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A.
• The oral presentations should be delivered in English.
• After the oral presentations, the jury will deliberate and select 10 finalist teams that qualify for the final round of the track.

Final Round

• The finalist teams are required to pitch virtually and in private in front of a Final Round Jury panel where they will have 3 minutes to present, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A.
• The oral presentations should be delivered in English.
• After the oral presentations, the jury will deliberate and select the two winners of the track.