Announcement of the First-Stage Results of the “Arab Innovator” Competition and the Launch of the Mentorship Phase for Qualified Teams

Broad Arab Participation and Promising Youth Leadership

The first-stage results reflected remarkable diversity across the Arab region, with the highest participation coming from Yemen, Morocco, Syria, Algeria, and Egypt. Youth dominated the innovation landscape, as participants under the age of 35 accounted for more than 80% of the total submissions—a clear indication of the new generation’s vitality and its growing role in shaping the future of innovation.

In terms of project themes, approximately 49.3% focused on solutions with direct social impact, particularly those serving communities and diaspora groups. This strong alignment reinforces the core theme of this year’s competition.

Launch of the Second Stage: Mentorship and Practical Development

The competition has now entered its second and decisive stage: a specialized mentorship and guidance program designed to move the qualified projects from the idea phase to actionable, implementable solutions.

The mentorship program includes seven training sessions delivered by a distinguished group of experts, covering the following topics:

• Idea analysis and defining added value
• Leveraging AI tools in project development
• Prototype development
• Funding strategies and financial sustainability for startups
• Marketing methodologies, pricing, competitor analysis, market sizing, and competitive differentiation
• Pitching skills and persuasion techniques for judging panels
• Final preparation for the concluding pitch and award ceremony

This program constitutes a pivotal stage in equipping participants with the professional skills and practical tools needed to prepare for the finals.

The Arab Innovator Competition management extends its gratitude to all applicants who enriched the competition with bold and distinctive ideas, and conveys its appreciation to the judging committee for their efforts in evaluating submissions. GroFast also wishes the qualified teams success as they progress through the mentorship phase in preparation for the final awards day.