The inaugural Demo Day of the Sanabil Accelerator by Orbit, backed by Sanabil Investments and Orbit Startups, spotlights its first batch of nine early-stage startups in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. These early-stage startups span a diverse range of high-growth sectors, including logistics, AI, enterprise SaaS, healthcare, media, wellness, proptech, and e-commerce.
Orbit and Sanabil recently announced the launch of this new accelerator program to cultivate early-stage startups from Saudi Arabia and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, as well as global startups seeking to expand into the region. The program will focus on key sectors including fintech, healthcare, e-commerce, mobility and logistics, among others.
The partnership marks a significant milestone for Orbit, with 45 portfolio companies in the MENA region since 2020, deepening its commitment to economic transformation in emerging markets and advancing Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for digital innovation.
The program offers each participating startup $100,000 in initial funding, alongside access to follow-on investment. Startups also benefit from a four-month intensive program focused on scaling sales, refining marketing strategies, and accelerating product development. Beyond Demo Day, the startups gain lifetime access to Sanabil and Orbit’s ecosystem, including mentors, investors, and corporate partners.
“Technology is driving an economic revolution across industries from food production to financial services to health,” said William Bao Bean, Managing General Partner at Orbit Startups, “Orbit is providing 360-degree support for founders from 0 to 1 and 1 to 10 and beyond as they change the world for the better.”
“We are thrilled to announce the inaugural batch of our Sanabil Accelerator by Orbit program, featuring 9 exceptional tech-focused startups that have truly earned the title of ‘startups to watch’. These innovative companies embody the spirit of disruption and progress that our program aims to foster. We have some really great ideas and talent on board and we are honoured to support them through their journey. We look forward to seeing what impact these startups will have on the industry,” said a spokesperson for Sanabil Investments.
Here’s a closer look at the startups shaping the region’s future:
Boowme (Morocco): A matchmaking and coaching app for the Arab world.
Kitchenara (Saudi Arabia): MENA’s first video-driven food discovery and ordering platform, connecting users with restaurants through authentic video reviews.
Netos (United Kingdom): Actionable commercial intelligence for IT networks bridging IT, business, and finance for smart decision making.
Neulink (UAE): An AI end-to-end supply chain management and bulk buying platform for pharmacies.
Propway (Pakistan): MENAP region’s first bank-embedded real estate marketplace for seamless transactions.
Sadiq.ai (Pakistan): AI-driven social commerce platform geared towards Gen Z and Gen Alpha creators.
Sporship (Egypt): Fitness platform that helps people exercise regularly by bringing qualified fitness trainers directly to their homes.
Stacks (Egypt): Empowering SMEs in the retail, food & beverage, and local brand sectors with an AI-powered drag-and-drop mobile app builder.
TailorCast (Kazakhstan): Using AI and big data to create content for e-commerce that boosts sales.
About Sanabil Investments
Sanabil is a financial investment company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). We commit more than USD 3 billion in capital annually into global private investments, including VC/growth and small buyout assets. We are a dynamic, nimble, and highly experienced team of investment professionals. We provide partners with patient capital, the ability to invest across multiple funding rounds, and access to the region. At Sanabil, we invest in great ideas, minds, and companies. For more information, please visit www.sanabil.com.
About Orbit Startups
Orbit Startups’ mission is to drive economic transformation in frontier and emerging markets, capitalizing on the rapid adoption of technology across MENA, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. With almost two decades of investment experience in high-growth markets like China and India, Orbit has established itself as a critical player in bridging technology, entrepreneurism, and industry leaders. To date, the firm has backed over 300 startups, providing capital, mentorship, and support driving user acquisition and sales. Orbit was ranked sixth most active investor in Emerging Venture Markets in the MAGNiTT 2023 MENA Venture Investment Summary.
Founders interested in investment and acceleration are encouraged to apply.
