Even though start-ups are small companies, they play a huge role in today’s economy. They create more job opportunities, which means more employment, and more employment means an improved economy! Not only that, but startups can also contribute to our economic vitality by stimulating innovation and competition.
The World Economic Forum and The Bahrain Economic Development Board have selected the 100 most promising Arab start-ups of 2019. The aim behind this initiative is to integrate the Arab world’s most promising start-up entrepreneurs into a national and international dialogue with a number of industrial and governmental leaders to discuss the future of their industries and how it would add value to our society.
Here are a few favourites!
Elves App
This Egyptian personal assistant app will run your errands for you. It’s not Jarvis, but neither is Siri. It’ll take care of all your tasks, whether important or mundane; it’ll book flights and hotels, choose gifts — and deliver them. It’ll also recommend a good restaurant in Cairo or even in your next vacation destination.
Wahed
This UAE and New York based app is the world’s first halal investment platform. Founded by Junaid Wahedna back in 2015, Wahed claims to be the first Sharia-compliant automated investment platform in the world, where it allows investors from different income brackets to invest their savings ethically. The users can actually start investing with as little as $100!
MonoJo
This Jordanian biotech company uses camel milk to develop antibodies. It develops and sells naturally sourced and technologically advanced products to ensure health and wellbeing.
Proximie
Proximie is a company that uses augmented reality for surgeons to contribute remotely to clinical procedures. It was designed by doctors for doctors and aims to revolutionize the delivery and education of healthcare.
Swvl
SWVL is an Egyptian app that is based on the mass-transit system; it provides buses to every neighbourhood around Cairo! People can share a ride in a van or bus, day or night, for a fixed flat fare and no surge pricing.
Malaeb
Malaeb is a Bahrani community app that allows you to meet fellow football players to join-up for matches and book fields.
Akkasa
Akkasa production is an Omani media company that is striving to shape it’s country’s cultural landscape.
Epilert
This Tunisian start-up developed a wearable device, a bracelet, and it actually detects an epilepsy seizure and immediately sends an alert to the care-givers.
Coded
Coded is the first coding academy in the Gulf Cooperation Council, specifically Kuwait. It aims to train and educate all participants in the software development field and programming so that they’re prepared for a demanding job market.
Clean City M3kod
This Moroccan app aims for civic engagement to clean their cities and keep them up to the standards of residents and visitors.
FalconViz
FalconViz is a Saudi app that came out of King Abdullah University of Science & Technology. It conducts a wide range of mapping activities, including cultural heritage sites with autonomous drones.