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4 Arab Entrepreneurs are Heading Off to Barcelona to Compete at the World Mobile Challenge 2017

Last year, Egyptian startup Raye7 was crowned as the second best mobile app worldwide and this time around, Moroccan anti-sexual harassment app Securella and Egyptian startup Blink will both be pitching their startups in the competition held in Spain.

Staff Writer

Four Arab startups are heading to Barcelona’s Global Mobile Challenge next February, where they will compete against some of the world’s best mobile startups as the leaders in tech gather every year in the Spanish coastal city. The competition is part of the prestigious Mobile World Congress, the largest gathering for the mobile industry across the globe. In 2016, Egyptian carpooling app Raye7 was crowned as the second best mobile startup worldwide. His co-founder, Ahmed Negm, had been also selected as one of Cairoscene’s 25 under 25 in 2015.  

This year, the Arab startups heading off to pitch their business ideas include Securella, the Moroccan-based app striving to fight sexual harassment through a network of security agents. “We aim to become a preventive measure against insecurity, and ensure that women are confident walking down the streets unleashing their full potential,” says Samia Haimoura, whose story went viral last week.

Tunisian mobile app Protect Me, a smart insole for those who have foot ulcers to reduce the pain and prevent an aggravation of the disease, is also heading to the competition, along with Algerian startup SmartFarm, a remote irrigation system that allows farmers to control pumps and both electric and manual valves using a smartphone or web app.

And once again, an Egyptian startup has made it to the global finals, as automatic accident assistance system Blink will be representing the Arab world’s most populous country at the congress kicking off on February 27th.

The startups were selected after beating fierce rivals at the Arab Mobile Challenge (AMC) and Mobile Challenge Africa (MCA), both of which came together at the Riseup Summit last December 2016 to offer their stage for the Middle East and Africa’s bravest entrepreneurs to pitch their businesses.

“This program has proved to be the most successful in various regions around the world,” said Paris del'Etraz, Professor of Entrepreneurship at the prestigious IE Business School, who partake in the challenge every year. “We're standing here for the 4th year with a new batch of high potential startups that we'll be taking to the largest global startup platform, the 4FYN at the World Mobile Congress," he added.

The congress will stretch from February 27th to March 2nd at Barcelona’s Fira Gran Via and Fira Montjuïc.

Follow the updates through the hashtag #MWC.

Photography by @MO4Network's #MO4Productions.

Photographer: Peter Adel Wadea.