iYoni is an innovative mobile app offering precise AI-based fertility predictions, automated lab test assessments, and advice from fertility experts. In her pitch, Katarzyna Goch, CEO of iYoni, outlined her ambitious plans to expand to the UAE market.

This initiative, a collaboration between Organon, a leading global healthcare company dedicated to improving women’s health, and Flat6Labs, MENA’s premier seed and early-stage venture capital firm, aims to address unmet women’s healthcare needs across the region. This year’s edition was launched on March 8, in celebration of International Women’s Day.

The Demo Day saw shortlisted eight startups from the UAE, Lebanon, Egypt, Poland and Tunisia pitch solutions that exemplify the remarkable innovation and potential impact on women’s health that the accelerator program aims to foster. Over the course of the program, these start-ups have benefitted from an array of resources provided by the program, including strategic mentorship, entrepreneurship-focused business training, subject matter one-to-one sessions, and a multitude of services from partners.

In the session, the shortlisted startups pitched their innovations to an esteemed judging panel comprising Dina El Shenoufy, Chief Investment Officer at Flat6Labs; Ramy Koussa, Associate Vice President of META at Organon; Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Executive Director of the Research and Innovation Centre at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi; and Lyndal Cordaro, Head of Nursing at King’s College Hospital London – UAE.

Taking the second-place prize of USD 10,000 was Noor Jaber, CEO of Nawat from Lebanon, a digital platform offering holistic reproductive health education and breaking the taboo around women’s health issues in the region. In third place and receiving a USD 5,000 prize was Banet from Tunisia, an app that empowers women with reliable health information and provides women with direct access to healthcare professionals for their health and wellness needs.

Among the other innovative projects presented at the event was Yotto from the UAE, a platform optimizing female athletes’ performance through hormonal monitoring, addressing a significant gap in sports science. Another UAE-based startup, Mamahood, introduced a comprehensive support system for women during fertility, pregnancy, and motherhood, offering a 24/7 live chat with doctors and a supportive community. Me-Now, also from the UAE, aims to guide women through perimenopause and menopause, ensuring they receive the necessary support and understanding during these transitions.

In addition, several other startups showcased their groundbreaking solutions, addressing critical subjects in women’s health in the region. InBalance, an initiative from Lebanon, outlined their app that offers personalized AI-powered treatments for PCOS patients, aiming to naturally improve health outcomes. The Aziza App from Egypt, tailored specifically for Egyptian women, was also presented, providing meaningful menstrual health tracking and management.

Speaking at the opening session of the Demo Day, Ramy Koussa, Associate Vice President of META at Organon, said, “The Women’s Health Accelerator Program has been a remarkable journey of innovation and collaboration. We are incredibly proud of the startups that participated and the groundbreaking solutions they have developed. Inspired by the success of this program, we were thrilled to launch the second edition, aiming to enhance our support by empowering women economically and fostering new ideas that enhance women’s health. At Organon, we believe that addressing women’s health needs is essential for building resilient and thriving communities. This program is a testament to our commitment to fostering innovation that directly impacts women’s lives.”

Dina El Shenoufy, Chief Investment Officer at Flat6Labs, said, “Supporting founders in the Femtech industry is critical to advancing -not only women’s healthcare- but also driving broader economic growth. Through programs like Women’s Health Accelerator, we ensure that female founders receive the tools and resources they need to succeed and make a meaningful impact on women’s lives. We are proud of all the startups who participated in this program; they showed us how the next generation of female leaders are focused on addressing the unmet needs in women’s health.”

Katarzyna Goch, CEO of the winning startup iYoni, commented, “Participating in the women’s health accelerator program was an outstanding experience. From the very beginning, we connected with experts who provided invaluable advice that I can implement both now and in the future.”

The accelerator program, initiated shortly after Organon’s expansion into the region, represents a pioneering ESG initiative that underscores Organon’s dedication to addressing women’s health needs. This program, aligned with Organon’s mission to enhance the lives of women and girls through improved health outcomes, was meticulously crafted to bolster female entrepreneurship and support digital health startups.

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Through this collaboration, du and Sheraa will provide tailored support in the form of capacity building, mentorship and market access, enabling mentee startups to accelerate their growth in four of Sharjah’s priority industry sectors: sustainability, advanced manufacturing, creative industries and EdTech.

Strategic partnership to support startup growth and capacity building
The scope of the partnership encompasses several key areas aimed at bolstering Sheraa’s strategic initiatives aimed at empowering and launching successive generations of founders. du will support capacity building through entrepreneurship workshops, offer mentorship and advisory sessions for Shera’s incubation programs, and help startups tap into new markets and networks.

Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO at du said: “We are excited to forge pathways that ignite startup potential through strategic partnerships as demonstrated with Sheraa at Expand North Star 2024. Together, we are committed to integrating technology and expertise to empower Sharjah’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, accelerating startups in sustainability, advanced manufacturing, creative industries, and EdTech towards remarkable achievements in their respective fields and beyond.” Sheraa is highlighting four of its startups at the du Pavilion throughout Expand North Star 2024. These startups will represent Sheraa’s four focus sectors under the CoE and engage with potential investors, industry leaders, and partners to further accelerate their growth.

H.E. Sara Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi, commented on the collaboration: “At Sheraa, our vision is to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to shape the future of Sharjah’s priority sectors. Through our Centers of Excellence, we connect startups with the resources, partners and market insights they need to drive impactful growth. Our partnership with du strengthens this mission, providing startups with cutting-edge technological support and market access that will help them scale their businesses. Together, we are reinforcing Sharjah’s position as a regional leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, enabling founders to build ventures that not only succeed but create lasting impact.”

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Expand North Star, was jointly announced by His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy; and His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, and Dubai World Trade Centre Authority.

A new creative format to extend engagements with key stakeholders in tech
Hosted by Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and organised by Dubai World Trade Centre, Expand North Star shall present a new creative format to extend its engagements with venture capitalists, unicorns, scale-ups, start-ups, and key stakeholders in the tech ecosystem; which
will advance the continued expansion of GITEX GLOBAL and amplify its achievements.

The new concept start-up show arrives as the UAE enters a new phase of economic development catalysed by new digital generational technologies and innovation. The digital economy is expected to be a major driver of the UAE’s sustainable economic growth, contributing nearly 20 percent to the country’s GDP over the next ten years.

New policies and initiatives are being put in place, promoting smart infrastructure that enhance the digital readiness of the UAE government to ensure business continuity.  From IoT, AI, blockchain, metaverse, or Web 3.0, the UAE has been at the forefront of adopting the latest technologies, which has benefited all sectors of the economy and society.

North Star Dubai soars to new heights in UAE’s thriving start-up ecosystem
Conceptualised seven years ago as GITEX Future Stars with a modest 200 participating start-ups, the rebranded North Star Dubai in 2022 has since developed a sterling global start-up and scale-up following, this year hosting more than 1,000 start-ups from 63 countries, having added an additional sold-out hall with 65 percent year-on-year growth, and hosting the highest number of investors and unicorns globally.

There are more than 1,400 start-ups in the UAE with an estimated value of $24 billion, and a further 90 investment funds in the digital sector along with 12 business incubators.  UAE companies also held the lion’s share of a record-breaking $2.6 billion in start-up funding across the Middle East and North Africa in 2021, achievements that underscore Expand North Star’s attractiveness to international start-ups to leverage the UAE’s vibrant network and expand their ambitions into wider markets.

Expand North Star from 10-12 May 2023 will present more space and flexibility to engage and develop the international community with an even more creative and impactful programme.  The showpiece event will be co-located with the inaugural GITEX Impact and Future Urbanism Summit & Expo, the region’s dedicated dual platform for tech-centred sustainability investments, and public-private partnerships.

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Fintech Surge will be launched as part of GITEX GLOBAL from 17th-20th October at DWTC, uniting global Fintech leaders, startups and financial centres, and is set to be one of the Middle East and North Africa’s most impactful events for the regional Fintech ecosystem. From digital banking to PayTech, InsurTech, Wealth and Asset Management and RegTech, Fintech Surge will spark dialogue that will shape the regional Fintech space in the coming years.

DIFC will deliver the welcome address for the Fintech Surge Digital Banking Summit on 19th October, as well as hosting four mentorship clinics during Fintech Surge. The clinics will give budding FinTech entrepreneurs essential insight that can drive their early-stage growth. DIFC will also be exhibiting during the event to showcase what DIFC can do for FinTech companies seeking to start or scale up in the MEASA region from Dubai.

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