Information Technology Authority (ITA) announces the first Sas based Accelerator program in the MENA region, powered by Google Developers Launchpad Program
The Information Technology Authority (ITA), represented by Sas Center for Entrepreneurship, has announced the launch of the first cohort of Sas Accelerator on Saturday morning, in its headquarters. Sas Accelerator is powered by Google Developers Launchpad program, and 7 promising Omani tech startups have already joined the accelerator.
According to Zawya, this cohort will last ten weeks and stress on intensive business and technology for the selected startups. Forthy renowned veteran international Google Developers Launchpad mentors and selected local subject matter experts will facilitate the program.
The Director of Sas Center for Entrepreneurship, ITA, Mr. Hamood Dawood Al Hamadan, said: “We are proud to launch the first Sas Accelerator cohort. Sas team has leveraged on our extensive experience in the local startup ecosystem and that of Google Launchpad and its network to build a program that will support the selected startups and their founders to enhance their product / market fit. We believe the program will contribute to the further development of the ecosystem and ICT industry in the sultanate.”
“We also have partnered with Dentons and PwC which will support the program through legal and financial expertise”, he added.
"We are very happy to be in Oman, collaborating with Sas Center for Entrepreneurship to support the Ecosystem and the startups. Launchpad is our premier program to support startups. We are bringing many mentors around the world to provide mentorship to local startups. This is a continuation to our efforts over the last few years by landing the GDGs and supporting multiple initiatives like the youth ideathon, and others." said Salim Abid, Developer Ecosystem Regional Lead , Google MENA
Being the first Sas based accelerator in Oman and the MENA region, the program has already conducted a mentors workshop on June 17th with local mentors. The aim of the workshop was to introduce the program and create common understanding of mentoring mechanism.
The participant startups of the first cohort will go through three phases, starting with ‘Explore’. It focuses on the startups’ ability to discover their business, product, team and customers to set up their goals. This phase will feature design thinking, Founers’ lab and Objective Key Results workshops.
Phase two is known as ‘Learn’, which will grow the startups’ knowledge and teach them to practically implement the learning. And phase three, ‘Exhibit’, will encourage startups to develop their investors pitch with experts’ help and eventually pitch to investors at the Demo day scheduled on September.
The 7 participant startups are:
Buraq24- An on demand app that satisfies needs like Breakdown recovery vehicles, Water, Gas and Goods Transport
Hona- A digital marketing platform
Anawen- A last mile delivery solution for businesses
iTrans- An online shipping/delivery request service platform
To Be Done- A platform that matches the right candidates for available vacancies
Zayr- An Omani travel platform
Wareed- An online platform for patients to get health and medication information
Are you looking to be featured in our news? Send us your press release HERE
Are you a startup looking for talent? Post and promote your jobs for free HERE