Flat6Labs and DisruptAD Launch Largest Cycle Yet with 10 New Startups in Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The cohort includes 7 UAE-born start-ups and 3 international companies that will now establish significant business operations in Abu Dhabi as they receive world-class mentorship and a total investment of AED8.8 million under the program

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – 28 June 2022

Flat6Labs, in partnership with DisruptAD, the venture platform of ADQ, today announced the 10 innovative start-ups that have been selected to receive seed funding and world-class mentorship under its flagship Flat6Labs Ignite program. Representing the third cycle of the program, this cohort was meticulously vetted and selected from over 700 applicant organizations from across the globe. 

Launched in March 2021 as a partnership between DisruptAD and Flat6Labs, Flat6Labs Ignite is a specialized seed program committed to supporting up to 60 start-ups in Abu Dhabi over three years. To date, through cycles 1 and 2 of the Ignite Program, Flat6Labs and DisruptAD have graduated 17 start-ups that have cumulatively raised AED14.7 million in funding.

“This currently stands as our Ignite program’s largest cycle yet, with 10 start-ups having been selected — a testament to the popularity and value that it delivers. Based on the outcomes of previous cycles, we are confident that by grooming these new start-ups, we will springboard their success, and enable them to become valuable contributors to the entrepreneurship ecosystem and economy in the UAE,” said Ryaan Sharif, General Manager at Flat6Labs UAE.

Of the 10 start-ups receiving investments in this new cycle of the program, seven are home-grown UAE companies and the three others have been founded in Poland, Bahrain, and Turkey. The founders and leadership teams of these international start-ups will establish operations in Abu Dhabi, which will now serve as their global headquarters. This is in-line with the Flat6Labs Ignite program’s objective of establishing the nation’s capital as a global entrepreneurial hub and centre for innovation.

Of the 10 start-ups receiving investments in this new cycle of the program, seven are home-grown UAE companies and the three others have been founded in Poland, Bahrain, and Turkey. The founders and leadership teams of these international start-ups will establish operations in Abu Dhabi, which will now serve as their global headquarters. This is in-line with the Flat6Labs Ignite program’s objective of establishing the nation’s capital as a global entrepreneurial hub and centre for innovation.

Each of these organisations was selected for investment and inclusion in the program based on their ability to deliver disruptive innovation in their individual market segments, with the aim of pioneering markets in the UAE and subsequently, broader international regions. The 10 organisations selected are: 

• DarDoc: Empowers patients to receive simple to complex care without visiting a hospital, by enabling them to hire a nurse, phlebotomist, or a physiotherapist on demand.
• Digital First AI: A B2B Martech SaaS provider that leverages AI to enable brands and marketers to easily create and execute effective marketing strategies.
• Fitlov: A managed marketplace providing fitness and wellness trainers on-demand in UAE, including personal training of any type, massages, life coaching, and nutritionists.
• FundoMundo: An online, live-education marketplace connecting teachers with learners aged 3 to 18.
• Hulexo: Helps retailers eliminate stockouts and automatically deploy highly personalised marketing campaigns using AI.
• Lune: Enables banks, FinTechs and retailers to better serve customers by unlocking insights into customer spending, based on automated analysis of raw transaction data.
• Makan: A company pioneering the concept of ‘furniture-as-a-subscription’ by enabling consumers to rent furniture monthly with the option of effortlessly keeping, returning or swapping out items as desired.
• Reach ChannelPro: A SaaS platform that makes it easy for brand owners and their distributors to increase their indirect sales, by digitising channel partner engagement.
• Savii: Promotes financial responsibility and independence among teens by offering a debit card and banking app that is tailored to their needs and lifestyle.
• The Scalable CFO: Simplifies finance operations for small businesses by matching them to part-time CFOs from a growing pool of over 6,000 qualified professionals, and also enables the automation of finance and back-office functions.

“We are excited to commence this third cycle of our program which sees us supporting start-ups in a variety of new industries — from well-being to martech. The solutions and services of these 10 organisations hold immense value for their target segments and the UAE economy at large. With the expert mentorship and guidance they will now receive, these start-ups have the ability to unlock their full potential, fine-tune their value proposition and rapidly scale their operations in order to accelerate time-to-market,” added Sharif.