Zain Group, a leading telecom innovator in the Middle East and Africa, has successfully concluded an intensive two-week international tour in Silicon Valley for 11 startups from its Zain Great Idea (ZGI) accelerator program. The initiative brought together founders from six of Zain’s key markets, providing them with unparalleled access to global tech leaders, investors, and strategic insights.
The latest edition of ZGI marks its evolution into a regional powerhouse, serving as a digital bridge between MENA’s burgeoning startup scene and the global technology capital. The program’s expansion is strategically supported by Zain Ventures, the group’s investment arm, and ZainTECH, its enterprise solutions provider, combining internal capabilities to foster AI-driven digital transformation across the region.
From Regional Accelerator to Global Gateway
The ZGI program was meticulously designed to equip founders with technical knowledge, strategic thinking, and flexible business frameworks. In collaboration with Vibranium VC, a prominent Silicon Valley-based fund, the cohort participated in a comprehensive program covering the essentials of competing on a global scale.
The curriculum focused on accelerating core business pillars through practical workshops and one-on-one mentorship. Key topics included mastering the entrepreneurial mindset, value proposition development, go-to-market strategies, and modern product-building techniques, including no-code AI applications. A significant emphasis was placed on investment readiness, covering fundraising strategies, common legal pitfalls, term sheets, financial modeling, and perfecting the investor pitch.
Inside the World of Tech Giants
A central component of the tour involved exclusive visits to the headquarters of some of the world’s most influential technology companies. At NVIDIA, the founders explored the NVIDIA Inception program, gaining a deeper understanding of the infrastructure behind modern AI ecosystems. A visit to Stanford University’s Jen-Hsun Huang Engineering Center highlighted the link between advanced research and long-term product innovation.
The cohort also toured the headquarters of Google in Mountain View and Apple, learning about platform innovation, rapid product development, and the competitive advantage of superior user experience. A visit to Tesla, featuring a Cybertruck demonstration, provided a firsthand look at how bold product vision combined with rigorous execution can reshape an industry. Insights into operational excellence at scale were gained at an Amazon fulfillment center, while a stop at InOrbit offered a look into the future of robotics deployment.
The tour also included visits to Atlassian to learn about ecosystem-led growth, Carta to understand equity management for high-growth companies, and the Computer History Museum to contextualize the current AI wave within the broader history of technological shifts.
The ZGI Silicon Valley Cohort
The program featured 11 startups from across the MENA region, each addressing unique market challenges with scalable, tech-driven solutions.
- From Kuwait: Nour Al-Fadhli of VEHAB, a VR platform for health rehabilitation; Ahmed Al-Ibrahim of theQA, a research platform connecting brands with local insights; Eid Al-Munaibil of Tanmiah, a platform for creators to monetize content; Hanan Al-Kulaib and Basma Al-Humaidhi of Playbook Kuwait, a children’s party booking platform; Rashed and Yousef Al-Otaibi of Outing, a booking platform for chalets and vacation homes; and Abdulwahab Al-Tabtabaie of Farah, a comprehensive wedding planning destination.
- From Saudi Arabia: Maha and Leen Al-Rasheed, co-founders of WePay, a FinTech platform using an escrow model to secure transactions.
- From Bahrain: Ghassan Asfahani, co-founder of Wajba, a platform that helps F&B businesses sell surplus food at discounted prices.
- From Iraq: Khalid Al-Saadi of Jameela.com, an e-commerce platform simplifying digital trade and supply chain management.
- From Jordan: Ahmed Al-Seif, founder of Alefredo EdTech, an educational platform serving over 12,000 students across 16 countries.
- From UAE (ZainTECH): Kawthar Al-Tahir, founder of MeNOW Health, a tech solution focused on empowering marginalized women through innovative health experiences.
The two-week program culminated in a Demo Day held at the Pillsbury Law office in Palo Alto. Founders pitched their ventures to an audience of over 80 venture capitalists, ecosystem leaders, and innovation experts, creating opportunities for potential partnerships and funding.
About Zain Great Idea
Zain Great Idea (ZGI) is Zain Group’s flagship regional accelerator program, designed to empower and scale startups from across the Middle East. Since its inception in Kuwait, ZGI has had a significant positive impact on the region’s startup ecosystem by providing entrepreneurs with access to mentorship, funding, and global experiences. The program was recently awarded the “Corporate Startup Stars” award in Paris, recognizing Zain’s longstanding commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
Source: Kuwait News
