Dubai, 31 August 2023 – London Business School’s MENA Startup Competition has secured the support of AstroLabs for this year’s event, with the AstroLabs Campus facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, offered as a venue for this year’s event. Additionally, AstroLabs is offering a broader, long-term community partnership role for the work that LBS undertakes to promote, teach and support the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem within the region.
With ambitions to become one of the most acclaimed startup competitions in MENA, aiming to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with VCs and investors across the region, the inaugural LBS MENA Startup Competition in 2022 attracted strong, talented competition, with leading tech startup, Ollang, crowned the winner.
AstroLabs, an ecosystem builder in MENA since 2013, operates as the region’s trusted partner in solving innovation challenges, building self-sustaining ecosystems, and accelerating the growth of the digital economy by driving impactful large-scale programmes, and fast-tracking regional and global businesses‘ scaling strategies into MENA.
With a mission to build competitive local markets, helping to elevate local enterprises to global standards and enabling international companies to thrive in local landscapes, AstroLabs recognises the importance of the role that LBS plays in the region and the growing prominence of the MENA Startup Competition.
Ramzi Qannati along with Ihab Tabbara, Co-Presidents of the London Business School Entrepreneurship Club, are both managing and providing mentorship for this year’s event, working with a talented body of LBS students from around the world.
Mr Qannati, himself an LBS alumnus (EMBA 2019), said it is rewarding to learn that London Business School, through its work undertaken at the School’s Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital (IEPC), has become so very well known for its international leadership and educative role in inspiring entrepreneurs and private capital investors.
“Collaborative partnerships play a pivotal role in fostering successful entrepreneurship ecosystems. The presence of aligned partners who not only embrace our vision of generating value for both founders and investors but also bolster our endeavors, magnifies our capacity to drive concrete outcomes. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to welcome AstroLabs as our Community Partner for this year’s LBS MENA Startup Competition. By empowering the broader business ecosystem with essential tools, expertise, and profound insights necessary for catalyzing growth, we hold a strong belief that AstroLabs will significantly enrich this journey as a valuable contributor,” says Mr Qannati.
Roland Daher, CEO of AstroLabs and an LBS alumnus (EMBA 2010), said, ”We’ve been actively supporting this ecosystem for a solid decade now, and there’s a noticeable rise in the competitive capacity of regional startups and SMEs on the global level. Partnering with the LBS MENA Startup Competition is another way for us to continue honoring our commitment to enabling the entrepreneurial landscape.”
Daher added, “This year’s competition is particularly interesting for us. Aligned with the business school’s broader objectives, we’re excited to be part of this initiative and support building a stronger connection between LBS and the wider entrepreneurial community. Our partnership aims to facilitate the integration of a new generation of ambitious entrepreneurs into our regional framework and provide a boost to their scaling strategies.”
Also to be included in the package of support for this year’s competition by AstroLabs will be access to mentorship for the finalists and a platform of valuable support for this year’s winner, including discount membership of AstroLabs itself.
Speaking about the association with AstroLabs, Mr Qannati added: “I am an ardent believer in the abilities of young people within the MENA region who are driving the country’s growing enterprise sector. When I see relationships such the one forged between AstroLabs and this exciting new LBS startup competition I don’t just see a connection being made, but rather an entire ecosystem growing and flourishing”.
