Viaka Newsletter: Health-tech Demo Day highlights revolutionary startups!
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Hi everyone! This week, we’re highlighting Viaka’s most recent Demo Day, which happened on January 30. The event featured a panel of health-tech investors and experts who provided feedback to heath-tech startups. There were over 50 audience members in attendance.
On January 30th, Viaka held the second edition of the Viaka Network Demo Day. The Demo Day involved startup pitches followed by individualized feedback and Q&A by the panel of expert investors. The focus was health-tech.
The startup pitches came from a wide range of founders. Founders included Dean Elgabri of VetVet; Toufic Azar of Meacor; Robert Ayan of Rayyan AI; Wael Elnachef of Angel City Bio; and Robhy Bustami of Biotics AI.
The expert jury featured Ayah Hamdan of Plug and Play; Ahmad Hammad of Startup Health; Rishad Usmani MD of Healthtech Investors; Mazen Hammad of Optum Ventures; and Leen Kawas of Propel Bio Partners LLC.
The audience included many of Viaka’s Networks from all different backgrounds. After each startup founder presented a short pitch, our experts and audience provided useful feedback and asked probing questions.
Each founder had time to pitch their startup and receive detailed feedback. Our panel of expert jurors did a great job helping the founders!
Leen Kawas of Propel Bio Partners, one of the expert investors, said that it was a “great lineup of entrepreneurs and investors who gave very productive feedback. The event was efficient and to the point”.
Dr. Rishad Usmani, another expert juror, similarly enjoyed the Demo Day: “Hani put together an impressive list of startups. I had a lot of fun being involved and am excited about future events!”
Robert Ayan of Rayyan AI said that “The Viaka Network has proven its ability to generate meaningful conversations and exposure for startups like ours and with that have proven the value of being a member in the shortest possible time. It is impressive the network they have built and people they have attracted to their circles and as a result its clear that they are building a self-reinforcing dynamic of great people finding and interacting with relevant and valuable connections.”
Ayah Hamdan of Plug and Play had high praise for the event: “The Viaka Demo Day was an opportunity to connect and collaborate with MENA founders beyond just a passion for innovative tech; it was also about staying rooted in community. As a judge, I hope to see founders from the MENA region build and scale products beyond their expectations and perceived limits!”
Mazen Hammad, another expert from Optum Ventures, wrote that the event was a “Great opportunity to connect with Viaka members and to spotlight the innovative start-ups and technologies being developed across the network. Highly recommend participating in future Demo Days if you are interested in seeing real examples of founders navigating a pitch to investors.”
This edition of Viaka’s Demo Day was a huge success and we look forward to future editions! Be on the lookout for more information about Viaka’s next Demo Day, which is occurring later in February.
Promising Opportunities from Our Partners
New opportunities added in February 2023:
No Label Ventures backs immigrant founders in Europe at the earliest stages of startup creation. Have an amazing idea and looking for your first institutional funding? This is the fund for you.
Vbout is looking for expert advice on refining its B2B growth strategy and selling add-ons to its existing user base
YallaPlay is looking for expert advice on setting up a scalable employee incentive program and exploring the possibility of a rebrand to better address global markets.
NOMU Group is closing a pre-Series A round, to build out their products and grow market share and support their vision for a sustainable, equitable, and personalized food system for families and business in MENA and beyond.
Designer-24 is looking for expert advice to help them build a strategy and template to effectively franchise their model in smaller MENA markets.
Click on the button below to see all current opportunities & get involved:
Exciting Announcements From Our Network
Below is a list of updates, wins, and asks emanating from members of the Viaka Network in the “West.”
Check out our in-person meet-ups! Network members have access to our upcoming informal coffee hours in both New York and Boston. This is a great time to learn more about the Network and chat all things startup ecosystem! Network members - be on the look out for an email. If you’d like to join the Network, sign up here!
Startup Boston is hosting an in-person event for startups and investors! Their latest Dealflow Mixer will take place on March 14th in Downtown Boston. Check out more info here!
More Viaka events are already planned for 2023! Join the Network to get involved with our monthly coffee chats, demo days, and upcoming in-person meetups.
If you’re a member of our Network and would like to share your own update next week, email info.viaka@gmail.com or submit an update via this form.
Read of the Week
Viaka has launched a Network Reading List, where Network members are encouraged to submit media suggestions of their own.
Our suggested read this week is this piece from Fast Company Middle East about the most desirable skills in the MENA region!
Weekly Digest
Check out our weekly digest — we provide news from all across the MENA startup ecosystem, every single Friday. Be sure to follow our LinkedIn and Twitter for more.
That’s it for this week. Thank you!
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