Wamda X, the grant-based fellowship programme for budding entrepreneurs and early-stage startups, is now accepting applications for its second cohort. The four-month programme, taking place in Dubai, aims to identify the Middle East and North Africa’s most promising entrepreneurs and founding teams, whether they are at idea stage or early stages of operation.

By providing investment, working space and access to the region’s most notable mentors among other benefits, Wamda X aims to reduce the friction faced by entrepreneurs when founding a startup.

Successful applicants or “fellows” will receive a $30,000 “no-strings-attached" financial grant with the option of follow-on investment of up to $100,000 from Wamda Capital. In addition, fellows will receive more than $10,000 worth of in-kind benefits in the form of subsidised access to software and support services.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and fellows will be selected based on their ability to identify and solve market inefficiencies.

The inaugural cohort, launched in the first quarter of 2019, successfully graduated two startups, SafarPass and Caravan from more than 600 applicants.

The start date for the second cohort will be announced soon - apply here.