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Wamda X Applications for the second cohort of Wamda X are now closed. The programme is scheduled to start in January.

Find out more

Overview

Wamda X is a grant-based fellowship programme for aspiring founders in the MENA Region.

We have designed an environment to help fellows build startups through a 4-month relationship-focused programme.

Our goal is to co-found businesses with the fellows by providing them with grants and giving access to the Wamda network. Wamda X will be the initial financiers for founding teams and offers access to continuous follow-on financing through Wamda Capital.

The Programme

Who should apply?

We are here to help co-found businesses from their earliest stages. Be it just an idea or an early-stage startup with a few months of operations, we want to be a part of it.

Successful businesses are often started by mature founders who have several years of work experience but do not conform to the status quo. That's why we are looking for professionals who have a knack for solving market failures and those who embody leadership and efficient problem-solving qualities.

The qualities that make a great entrepreneur are often present before they even start a business. The best businesses are founder-run, so Wamda X is looking to partner with these founders from the early days of starting up. We want to partner with hungry entrepreneurs, willing to take a leap of faith regardless of whether or not they make it through Wamda X.

We encourage you to apply as a team. Through our years of investing experience, we've found that teams that start together early are almost always at an immediate advantage over companies started by individuals.

  • MENA focused business

  • Dubai based for the duration of the program

  • Full time focus on the business

  • Teams of two or more are preferred over individual applicants

  • Must be comfortable with the investment and grant terms

  • 5 - 10 years of prior work experience in a business environment preferred

  • Capital efficient and scalable business models

  • Preferably tech or tech-enabled disruptive business models

What makes this programme unique

How it works

This is the pre-programme, where all finalists come together and are introduced to the mentors and the other fellows on the XSTART programme. You will receive $3,000 as an immediate grant once you join. It is an intense, yet exciting month of workshops, team-building activities, mentorship and business model planning. Each team will outline milestones unique to their business. At the end of X START, both the Wamda X team and the prospective fellows decide if they wish to continue to the next stage.

X SOLVE is a three-month programme designed to give fellows the space to build and grow their business. Every month you will receive a $9,000 grant as well as in-kind benefits to support you. The programme will be split into themed weeks that include topics such as marketing, legal support, financial, tech and fund-raising. We will also organise regular talks with experts from across all industries and provide access to the wider Wamda network and mentors.

X SCALE takes place in the last week of the three-month programme. We will organise an event for you to pitch your idea to a wide range of investors and advisors. You will also pitch separately to the Wamda team for a $100,000 follow-on investment.

The Network
Wamda X Mentors

Management Team

Cohort I

Cohort II

Perk Partners

Any questions?
wamdax@wamda.com
For partnership inquiries
partnerx@wamda.com

FAQs

Wamda X

Applications for the second cohort of Wamda X are now closed. The programme is scheduled to start in January.

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