Zain Great Idea 6 premieres MENA tech startups and digital innovation video report
Zain, the leading digital service provider in Kuwait, premiered the region’s first Startup Innovation Digital Video Report, covering the sixth edition of its renowned digital startup accelerator program ‘Zain Great Idea (ZGI)’ at an exclusive screening held in Kuwait City.
n its 10th year, the telco’s much-anticipated program, which attracted more than 170 startups from the Middle East and North Africa this year as undertaken in joint collaboration with Brilliant Lab, Kuwait’s top startup accelerator service, and Mind the Bridge, an innovation center based in Silicon Valley, USA.
The event gathered Zain’s executive management and the region’s investment community along with 25 startups who made it to the final phase of Zain Great Idea 6. The Digital Video Report was screened at VOX Cinemas and saw the finalists, who represented 7 Arab countries, pitch their startups to investors and potential business partners from across MENA.
Malek Hammoud, Zain Group’s Chief Investment and Digital Transformation Officer, introduced the recently launched Zain Ventures brand: “Zain Ventures was established to complement the existing investment portfolio of Zain Group and open the door to future investment opportunities in the venture capital, FinTech and Tech World, focusing on digital innovations in the fast-growing electronic services and startup ecosystem”
Hammoud elaborated that Zain Ventures is positioned as one of the key elements of Zain Group’s ‘4Sight’ strategy. Investing in the world of venture capital provides Zain with a vast range of opportunities to diversify and expand its reach in the surrounding ecosystem. Over the years, Zain has expanded its relationship with regional and international venture capital funds supporting its portfolio companies whenever appropriate. Hammoud further explained, “The ZGI Accelerator program bolsters Zain Ventures’ vision to capitalize on regional startups as we continue our active engagement in direct strategic investments in a variety of promising startups from the region and afar, offering them support on multiple fronts including a wide geographical reach and progressive customer base for expansion growth opportunities”.
During the event, Eaman Al Roudhan, Zain Kuwait’s Chief Executive Officer addressed the audience and startups: “This year we are celebrating over 10 years of Zain Great Idea. Without any doubt, it has been one of the most successful initiatives we presented in the Kuwaiti market as part of our innovation and entrepreneurship strategy”. Al Roudhan continued: “For over 10 successful years, ZGI has empowered, trained, and invested in over 1,500 passionate Kuwaiti and Arab youth like yourselves, and the program contributed to creating numerous job opportunities in the regional tech-startups arena by accelerating over 100 businesses.”
