Orbit Startups (“Orbit”), the emerging markets VC, unveiled eight high-potential startups poised to redefine industries from climate, e-commerce, human resources, to fintech. Selected from thousands of applicants, these ventures are addressing challenges across Egypt, UAE, Colombia, Kenya, Nigeria and Turkey — markets representing the next frontier of economic growth.

Cohort Spotlight: Tech-Driven Solutions for Underserved Markets

Each startup combines scalable technology with deep local insights to tackle systemic inefficiencies.

Bekia (Egypt) Streamlining waste collection and reporting for individuals and businesses across Egypt’s fast-growing recycling economy.

FABC (UAE): A blockchain-powered platform for skill verification and bias-free hiring in MENA’s job market.

Etmana (Egypt): A digital commerce platform helping Egypt’s fashion brands scale online while lowering operational costs.

Refurbi (Colombia): LatAm’s go-to circular ecosystem for affordable, high-quality refurbished smartphones.

Route Money (Kenya): Embedded fintech that powers payments and loyalty for F&B businesses across Africa.

Soso Care (Nigeria): Health insurance for 200 million uninsured Nigerians—paid with recyclables instead of cash.

Elevatix (UAE): Behavioral ML engine boosting mobile in-app purchase revenue with precision targeting.

VenueX (Turkey): Retail-tech that turns offline foot traffic into data-driven sales growth for brands.

Why Orbit? Empowering Emerging Markets Through Strategic Innovation

“Legacy systems fail emerging markets — these founders are building the infrastructure that will define the next decade,” said William Bao Bean, Managing General Partner at Orbit Startups. “From circular economies to AI-driven retail, we’re backing teams who see gaps as opportunities to create scalable solutions.”

Orbit Startups drives transformation in emerging markets through the following pillars.

Economic Independence: Empowering individuals to achieve financial autonomy is central to Orbit’s mission. Etmana in Egypt streamlines online commerce for local fashion brands, while Route Money in Kenya integrates payment and loyalty solutions for food and beverage businesses, facilitating seamless digital transactions.

Digitalization of traditional industries: Modernizing traditional sectors through technology enhances efficiency and accessibility. Bekia in Egypt is optimizing waste collection and recycling processes, and Refurbi in Colombia is promoting the circular economy by providing affordable, refurbished smartphones, reducing electronic waste.​

Access to essential services: ​ Soso Care in Nigeria enables uninsured Nigerians to access health coverage through recyclable waste contributions. They prevent medical bankruptcy and turn environmental challenges into economic opportunities.​

Orbit invests in startups that are not only addressing immediate local needs but also lay the groundwork for a sustainable future.

About Orbit Startups:

​Orbit Startups scales breakthrough startups from around the globe across emerging and frontier markets in the Middle East, Southeast and South Asia, Africa and the Americas. Orbit was ranked sixth on the EVM (Emerging Venture Markets) Top 10 Investors by Deals in 2023, according to the Magnitt FY2023 MENA Venture Investment Summary.

Notable investments include VideoVerse, technology partner to the Olympics and the UK’s Premier League; fintech pioneer BitMEX; ELSA Speak, Google Gradient’s first investment in Asia; and Dastgyr, Pakistan’s aspiring Alibaba Group who raised Pakistan’s largest ever Series A funding.

Learn more at orbitstartups.com.