Propeller, the venture capital firm with a focus on AI infrastructure, has announced the first cohort for Kernel Camp, its new annual deep-tech residency program in Silicon Valley. Five startups from Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, and Egypt have arrived in the Bay Area for an intensive eight-week program designed to integrate MENA founders into the global AI ecosystem.
Quick Facts
- Five MENA startups selected for the cohort.
- An eight-week deep-tech residency in Silicon Valley.
- Program aims to connect founders with global networks.
Bridging MENA’s Talent with Silicon Valley Capital
While the MENA region has a growing pool of technical talent, founders have often faced challenges in accessing Silicon Valley’s established networks of engineers, operators, and investors. Kernel Camp was created to address this gap by embedding MENA-based founders directly into the Bay Area’s tech community, providing them with access to the conversations and people shaping the AI industry.
Meet the Inaugural Cohort
The first group of companies for Kernel Camp operates across AI infrastructure, developer tooling, and cybersecurity. The selected startups include:
- OORB (Tunisia): A cloud robotics workspace for building and testing ROS projects directly in a browser.
- Techbible (Morocco): An AI Stack Manager that gives companies full visibility into their SaaS and AI tool expenditures.
- Firstflow (Jordan): An onboarding and analytics layer developed for AI agents.
- Nexguards (Egypt): A platform for personalized cyber attack simulation and security awareness training.
- Flowbrave (Morocco): An intelligent operations platform designed to convert static processes into AI-guided workflows.
A Cross-Border Strategy in Action
The launch of Kernel Camp is a key part of Propeller’s strategy following the launch of its $50 million Fund III, which focuses on supporting technically ambitious founders and building innovation bridges between MENA and the U.S.
Zaid Farekh, Founder & Managing Partner at Propeller, commented, “Kernel Camp is a statement of our belief in the extraordinary talent emerging from the MENA region. Seeing this cohort land in Silicon Valley is a milestone we’ve been building toward since the launch of Fund III. These founders are technically exceptional, and this environment will push them to build faster, think bigger, and connect with the networks that matter most at this stage of their journey.”
Hani Azzam, Partner at Propeller, added, “Founders don’t build alone. The Kernel Camp cohort isn’t just here to learn, they’re here to become part of the Silicon Valley ecosystem. We’ve curated an environment where community, technical depth, and cross-border networks converge. These are the kinds of founders who will define MENA’s contribution to global deep-tech over the next decade.”
The program, which targets demo-ready founders with early traction, provides fully sponsored housing, curated workshops, and one-on-one office hours with industry experts. The eight-week residency will conclude with a demo day in May 2026 for Propeller’s Bay Area community.
About Propeller
Founded in 2017, Propeller is a global venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups building AI infrastructure, developer tools, and deep software across the U.S. and the MENA region. The firm operates from Amman, Riyadh, Boston, and Silicon Valley. It recently launched Fund III, a $50 million fund to support technically ambitious founders and accelerate cross-border innovation between MENA and the U.S.
Source: Zawya
