Demo Day One: Check!

On the 15th of January, Flat6Labs finally ticked off the last item in its Cycle 0 to-do list. After 3 months of incubation, funding and mentorship, Flat6Labs witnessed the graduation of its first cycle's teams. The Demo Day, which was the first opportunity for five companies to showcase their work to potential investors, not only fulfilled Flat6Labs' expectations, but exceeded them, as each of the teams proved that they are now ready to find their way in the business world.

The Demo Day was attended by various key figures from the IT field, as well as more than 40 investors and Flat6Labs’ mentors. The day took off with a introduction by Mr. Ahmed El Alfi, Chairman of Sawari Ventures. He expressed his satisfaction with what the cycle has achieved and emphasized Flat6Labs’ role as an accelerator for IT startups, as well as the need for the development of the angel investor community in Egypt.

Dr. Ayman Ismail, Assistant Professor and Abdul Latif Jameel Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship, at the American University in Cairo, also commented on the role of Flat6Labs in developing the teams and the ideas, especially through the Entrepreneurship Development Program provided on a weekly basis to the incubated teams to develop their business plans, build their prototypes and improve their management skills. He also thanked the teams for their excellent performance, and the AUC faculty and mentors for their ceaseless efforts and their valuable time.  

Mr. Ramez Mohamed, Flat6Labs' CEO, followed up with an introduction about the five teams, during which he praised the progress each team achieved. As the five CEOs took the floor, each one presented his company and why it is a good investment opportunity.

Snapze showed how they help users find the best way to spend their time, Careerise followed with an innovative way to solve recruitment problems through social networks, then Ekshef presented how they help patients find and book doctor appointments easily online or by a mobile device. Also F16Apps unveiled their first product, Neatly, which is a mobile application that rearranges a social timeline according to user’s interests, and finally Tabshora showed how they help creative community members communicate easily with their clients and peers.

At the end, Mr. Hany El-Sonabty, Managing Partner of Sawari Ventures, gave closing comments, explaining Flat6Labs’ plans for upcoming period, as he announced that Flat6Labs' second cycle will begin on January 29, 2012.

With next cycle just around the corner, Flat6Labs would like to congratulate the teams of its first cycle. Their work and dedication have been an inspiration and they have carried optimistic signs of what the IT field in Egypt has in its future. Here's to hoping that the next cycle will be just as fruitful.