Zain Group, a leading telecom operator in the region, has announced the 13 technology startups selected to advance to the final phase of its acclaimed Zain Great Idea (ZGI) accelerator. Founders from six countries across the Middle East will participate in the Global Acceleration program in Palo Alto, California, gaining direct exposure to the Silicon Valley ecosystem in partnership with Vibranium VC.
A Regional Expansion for a Legacy Program
For the first time in its 15-year history, Zain Great Idea has expanded its reach beyond Kuwait, opening applications to founders in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This strategic expansion marks a significant milestone for the program, reflecting Zain’s commitment to fostering technological innovation across the wider MENA region. The current edition is supported by Zain Ventures, the group’s investment arm, and ZainTECH, its regional digital and ICT solutions provider. Zain Ventures will be looking to identify and invest in promising startups from the cohort, while ZainTECH will offer expertise in cloud computing, AI, and other advanced technologies.
From Bootcamp to Silicon Valley
The 13 finalists were chosen after a rigorous selection process that began with an intensive bootcamp held across all participating markets. These initial weeks focused on strategic pillars like marketing, finance, and operations to accelerate growth and prepare the startups for international markets. The process culminated in “Super Saturday” events in each country, where participants pitched their business plans to judging panels of senior executives, investors, and industry experts. The selected founders will now travel to Silicon Valley for a program featuring workshops, networking with global founders, visits to major tech companies and accelerators, and opportunities to pitch to venture capital funds.
Meet the 2025 Cohort
The selected startups represent a diverse range of sectors including AI, EdTech, FinTech, and HR Tech.
Kuwait:
- Farah: A one-stop platform for wedding planning.
- LumenPro: An AI platform that consolidates creative tools for creators and businesses.
- Playbook: A digital marketplace for discovering and booking kids’ parties.
- Provis Management: An HR partner specializing in sourcing and recruiting culinary talent.
- Tenmeya: The first Arabic platform enabling creators to monetize their content.
- theQA: A research platform connecting brands with verified local participants for consumer insights.
Jordan: - Avancer.AI: A platform for detecting manipulated digital content and fake media.
United Arab Emirates: - FortyGuard: An AI-driven temperature intelligence platform with applications in logistics, real estate, and smart cities.
Bahrain: - Wajba: A digital platform for F&B vendors to sell surplus food at discounted prices.
Saudi Arabia: - WePay: A FinTech platform offering secure, escrow-based payment solutions for individuals and businesses.
Iraq: - Andalusi: An EdTech provider of apps, digital classrooms, and training simulations.
- Jaamila: An e-commerce platform that connects buyers and sellers to enable digital trade.
- Saleem: A platform for digital healthcare innovations, including telemedicine and homecare apps.
About Zain Great Idea
Zain Great Idea is an award-winning accelerator program launched by Zain Group to empower and support regional entrepreneurs. With a history spanning over 15 years, the program has evolved to provide startups with mentorship, funding opportunities, and international exposure. ZGI aims to help founders develop sustainable business models and scale their companies by connecting them with global entrepreneurial ecosystems, most notably Silicon Valley.
Source: Zawya
