Dubai, United Arab, Orbit Startups, a new program from venture firm SOSV, has named the 10 startups chosen for its inaugural cohort. The startups have each received initial funding of about US$150,000 together with an intensive program that supports their growth across emerging and frontier markets.
Orbit encapsulates SOSV’s established MOX and Chinaccelerator programs and reflects those programs’ shift in recent years to the geographies of Southeast and South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. The startups from this cohort hail from India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Singapore; operating in fintech, media, edtech, GameFi and other blockchain applications.
“We are eager to scale breakthrough startups from around the world across emerging and frontier markets, where there are more inefficiencies, fewer legacy industries, and the most opportunities for aggressive growth,” said William Bao Bean, General Partner at SOSV, Managing Director of Orbit Startups. “Orbit selects tech players that can impact millions of lives at once—startups that are solving monumental problems in healthcare, education, finance, media and logistics; and startups that are future-proofing the local economy through digitalization,” said Bean.
Here are the 10 startups that will pitch to an invite-only audience at AstroLabs Academy Campus, hosted by our community partner AstroLabs, MENA’s leading technology ecosystem builder:
Asobu App (India): Offering players access to on-chain games in under 30 seconds where they can buy and trade game assets
GetFundedAfrica (Nigeria): A platform leveraging media and technology to help startups across Africa find funding
iWebTechno (India): Digitizing educational institutions connecting students to banks, fintechs, edtech and service partners
KalPay (Pakistan): A Shariah-aligned BNPL service enabling consumers in Pakistan to pay for online purchases in installments with no paperwork
Kredi Bank (Nigeria): A full-service digital bank building a one-stop shop for digital financial services in Africa
Linkstar (Pakistan): All-in-one webspace solution for freelancers, influencers and small businesses
Money Club (India): A safe and secure mobile platform for P2P chit fund based savings in India
Morfyus League (Singapore): Bringing gamers to a new frontier of play-to-earn and GameFi opportunities
Nearpeer (Pakistan): Nearpeer makes quality education affordable and accessible across Pakistan and the Middle East
Verismart (India): Blockchain based data exchange platform with a privacy compliant identity management solution serving banks, telecoms and insurance companies
About Orbit Startups
Orbit Startups helps scale breakthrough startups from around the globe across emerging and frontier markets in Southeast and South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. Orbit invests through its fund SOSV, a US-based venture capital firm with US$1.3 billion in assets under management. Notable investments include VideoVerse, technology partner to the Olympics and the UK’s Premier League; fintech pioneer BitMEX; Phable, India’s largest chronic-disease management platform; ELSA Speak, Google Gradient’s first investment in Asia; MarketForce, Africa’s leading retail distribution system; and Dastgyr, Pakistan’s aspiring Alibaba Group.
About AstroLabs
AstroLabs is a technology ecosystem builder that enables the growth of people, companies, and innovation capacities on a regional level. With 10 years of active building in MENA and a vibrant community across 3 coworking spaces in the UAE & KSA, AstroLabs is MENA’s trusted partner in solving the innovation challenges of tomorrow by navigating the technology landscapes of today.
Partnering with key industry shapers including governmental entities, corporates & enterprises, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, AstroLabs designs and facilitates digital transformations through business expansion and market entry operations, effective upskilling programs for emerging & established teams, as well as a value-focused talent recruitment practice.
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