• US-based Village Capital has launched an investment readiness accelerator programme for impact startups from the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey.
• The programme, held with the support of the international finance corporation (IFC), will host two cohorts consisting of 21 companies. The top two companies from each cohort will be awarded $20,000 in equity investment.
• The programme will provide participant startups with networking opportunities and mentorship sessions, aiming to help them scale quickly and become ready for impact investing. 

US-based venture capital (VC) firm Village Capital has launched an investment readiness accelerator programme for impact startups from the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey.

The programme, held with the support of the international finance corporation (IFC), will host two cohorts consisting of 21 companies. The top two companies from each cohort will be awarded $20,000 in equity investment, according to Alicia Sornson, programme and partnerships manager for the Middle East and North Africa at Village Capital.

“For our programmes, we typically work with early-stage companies, those that built products there, run pilots, and are ready to take on investments in order to scale and grow. This is the sweet spot for entrepreneurs that we work with,” said Sornson. 

The programme will provide participant startups with networking opportunities and mentorship sessions, aiming to help them scale quickly and become ready for impact investing. 

Selected companies include: Akyas Sanitation (Jordan), Alefredo Books (Jordan), Anda Burada (Turkey), ÇiftçidenEve (Turkey), Azem (Egypt), Bekia (Egypt), Cupmena (Egypt), Fresh Source (Egypt), Decapolis (Jordan), Flowless (Palestine), Green Fashion (Egypt), Hakini (Palestine) Hospitalia (Egypt), International Protein (UAE), Natrify (Egypt), Plug’n’Grow (Egypt), Safe Space (UAE), Sawwah (Jordan), Shadana Yoga (Palestine) and SunBox (Palestine).

“We looked for companies that helped to increase the resiliency of people. We looked for solutions to problems surrounding mental health, wellness, hunger, housing, clean air, clean water, and recycling, etc. And we also looked for solutions that help to increase the resiliency of the planet,” Sornson told Wamda.

Village Capital is a global organisation that focuses on supporting impact-driven, seed-stage startups from all over the world.