Flat6Labs launches a contech accelerator: Regional venture capital firm Flat6Labs is launching a new sector-specific accelerator, dubbed Makers, to support startups in the construction technology industry, it said in a press release ( pdf ) yesterday. The 12-week accelerator is in partnership with SIAC and Dar Al-Handasah.

The ball is already rolling: The debut of the Makers accelerator follows the rollout of a pre-accelerator from which nine startups graduated earlier this year. They include Reblox, Tawredaat, Aion Innovations, Masafa, HomeLab, A.D Innovations, Makinahub, and Jeezar, according to the Arabic version of the press release.

The offering: The program, which kicks off on 28 August, will offer “select startups” tickets of up to USD 100k per venture. On top of financial support, participants will gain access to mentorship, business training, and networking events. The accelerator will first kick off in Egypt, before expanding to Saudi Arabia and then other countries in the MENA region. Flat6Labs is operational in 7 countries in the region.

The accelerator wants companies that focus on three areas , according to its website:

  • Collaboration: That includes companies working on software and mobile apps, offsite construction, AI and machine learning, mobile technology, and building information modeling;
  • Labor shortages: That means drones, robots, and autonomous heavy equipment;
  • Safety and training: That includes augmented and virtual reality firms, wearables, and site sensors.

Qualification criteria: The program will choose startups based on how innovative their tech is, the dedication of their founders, and the promise of their products, which need to be at a minimum viable product (MVP) level or higher. Teams should be made up of two or three members, according to the website.

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