- The competition attracted nearly 100 applications from across the MENA region
- The finalists will compete on 14 October in Dubai for a share of a USD 45,000 non-dilutive prize pool, with the chance to meet investors, mentors and LBS alumni.
October 2026 – Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The London Business School (LBS) MENA Startup Competition 2026 has announced its 10 finalists following a competitive semi-final process that brought together 20 shortlisted startups from across the Middle East and North Africa.
Supported by London Business School’s Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital (IEPC), the LBS MENA Startup Competition connects early-stage founders with the investors, mentors and experienced entrepreneurs who can help them grow, drawing on LBS’s global alumni and faculty network.
The finalists will advance to the grand finale on 14 October 2026 in Dubai, where they will pitch their businesses to a distinguished panel of investors, entrepreneurs and leaders from the region’s startup community. The three winning startups will share a USD 45,000 non-dilutive prize pool.
The 10 finalists are:
- P-Vita (UAE and Egypt) — AgriTech startup upcycling agricultural waste using a proprietary algae-based co-culture extraction technology to develop natural fertilisers and sustainable bio-based feed supplements.
- Arusto Inc. (UAE) -AI creation and governance layer for enterprise training in regulated industries.
- NSBH (KSA) — Trade credit infrastructure for Saudi SMEs.
- SDM (KSA) — Health-AI Startup that uses artificial intelligence for the early detection and prediction of chronic diseases.
- Persium (UAE/UK) End-to-end ecosystem of accurate IoT sensors and advanced digital twin modelling to monitor and manage air quality, noise & environmental data at a global scale.
- Beaver Edu (Lebanon) — Educational construction kit paired with a library of curriculum-aligned challenges that allows children to experiment with and apply the concepts they learn in the classroom through hands-on activities.
- ReachLLM (UAE) Enterprise AI platform where autonomous agents execute growth workflows across research, content, digital PR, distribution, and measurement.
- Kwelio (UAE) Application connecting patients to the insurers through a verified data layer.
- UpSkillMe (KSA) Giving blue-collar workers guided learning, assessed certification, and a labour marketplace in one product.
- FRANK AI (UAE) -—Agent Operating System for independent real-estate professionals across the GCC.
A strong and diverse cohort of MENA Founders:
The 2026 competition attracted nearly 100 applications from founders across the MENA region, reflecting the breadth and diversity of entrepreneurial activity across the region.
Twenty startups were selected for the semi-final stage, led by founders from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and Syria, including 11 female founders. A panel of judges then chose 10 finalists across eight sectors: AI & Enterprise Software, HealthTech, AgriTech & Biotech, EdTech, ClimateTech, FinTech, PropTech and HRTech & Workforce. They assessed business potential, early traction, founding team strength, problem-solution fit and the potential to benefit from LBS’s network and mentoring. All 20 shortlisted founders received mentoring from LBS alumni and experienced volunteers to sharpen their pitches and prepare for the final.
Unlocking entrepreneurial potential:
Jane Khedair, Executive Director, Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital at London Business Schooland one of the competition judges for the final on the 14th October, said: “I’m delighted to see the LBS MENA Startup Competition continue to build on the success of previous years.
“The competition is an important catalyst for entrepreneurship and innovation across the region, bringing founders and investors closer together. By providing startups with the right connections, exposure and support, we aim to help unlock the region’s entrepreneurial potential and create greater opportunities for growth.”
The 2026 competition has been organised by Ihab Tabbara and Dr Nasir Khan, Co-Presidents of the LBS Entrepreneurship Club, MENA, together with LBS student organising team members Karim Hasab El-Nabi and Nouf F. Alyousef. It is supported by LBS alumni, the School’s student community and strategic partners including MARIHUB.
About MENA Startup Competition:
The annual LBS MENA Startup Competition is a leading London Business School (LBS) venture competition in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), designed for high-potential Seed and Late Pre-seed startups. The competition was founded by the London Business School Entrepreneurship Club and is supported by the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital (IEPC). This highly esteemed competition aims to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with venture capitalists and investors in the region.
About Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital
Entrepreneurship and finance have been at the heart of London Business School for the last 20 years. In 2021, we launched the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Private Capital (IEPC), born from a timely merger of the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Centre for Private Equity.
Both the Institute and Centre were already hugely significant, within London Business School and as parts of the wider business ecosystem. Together, we aim to become an unparalleled centre for education, policy shaping and events covering all aspects of entrepreneurship, from idea generation to financing, and private markets investing. The IEPC helps create and finance the companies of the future and shapes the people who will lead them.
About London Business School:
London Business School’s purpose is to have a profound impact on the way the world does business and the way business impacts the world. The School is consistently ranked among the world’s top business schools and is widely acknowledged as a centre for outstanding research and thought leadership.
In addition to its highly ranked degree programmes, the School offers award-winning Executive Education for business leaders from around the world, frequently placing at the top of global rankings for open and custom executive learning.
Alongside its main campus in London, London Business School has a long-standing campus in Dubai and, in late 2025, officially opened an Executive Education office in Riyadh’s historic Diriyah district, marking a deepened commitment to developing leadership and human capability in the Kingdom. This new presence reflects LBS’s expanding footprint in the Middle East and its partnerships with leading organisations across the region.
The School equips its diverse student body with the tools needed to tackle today’s business challenges and connects them with many of the world’s leading thinkers. Its global community includes more than 58,000 alumni working in over 160 countries, united by a wealth of knowledge, experience and worldwide networking opportunities.
London Business School’s 168 faculty members come from more than 30 countries and cover seven core subject areas, including accounting, economics, finance, management science and operations, marketing, organisational behaviour, and strategy and entrepreneurship.
