Approaching its 10th anniversary, the MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF) for the Pan Arab Region carries on with its mission of helping regional innovators and entrepreneurs realise their projects and ideas. Multiple success stories from across the region stand witness to the importance of such initiatives in creating momentum towards a culture of building and creative problem-solving.

In its continuous efforts to promote a positive society and a sustainable future, this year's MIT EF Arab Startup Competition includes three different tracks: ideas (teams are not required to have a prototype, just an idea for a product or service is enough), startups (the startup should not have generated more than $500K in annual revenues and must have been operational for less than 5 years), and social entrepreneurship (your core product or service must address a social problem targeting marginalised or disadvantaged individuals), with prize money for the winner. Each of the three tracks will award the first three ranked winners with cash prizes in addition to many other benefits including: top tier training, mentorship, coaching, media exposure, and great networking opportunities.

Applications have opened on October 13, 2016 and will close on January 4, 2017. Informative roadshows promoting the competition will be held in Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar and the UAE, and seventy nine semi-finalist teams will be announced on February 10, 2017.

The semi-finalists will be invited to attend pre-bootcamp activities scheduled to take place in February and March, 2017 in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The competition will culminate in a four-day event from April 24-27, 2017, with the announcement of the competition winners scheduled to take place during the final award ceremony on April 27, 2017.

Apply now before January 4, 2017.