Finalists will be awarded a prototyping grant and be considered for investment by startAD 

startAD has issued a final call out for applications to the 2017 cohort for the Hardware Venture Launchpad, the first intensive 10-day program designed to help startups rapidly mature into a scalable business within a short time span. The program will culminate in a demo day where finalists will showcase their startups to investors, corporate partners, media, and the UAE startup community.  Winners will be awarded a prototyping grant,  have the opportunity to travel to Shenzhen, China to get a firsthand look at the hardware ecosystem, and be considered for investment and mentoring by startAD.

It is open to any early-stage hardware startup and is free of charge to accepted teams. The deadline to apply is November 15, 2017.

The program is affiliated with corporate leaders such as GE, IBM and Crescent Enterprises, providing startups with the opportunity to validate their business, gain valuable insights and be mentored by domain experts.  Startups will be trained by global experts including

• Rick Rasmussen, Director of Startup Programs and Faculty Member at UC Berkeley

• Aleksander Tõnnisson, CEO and Co-founder at Buildit, the first Nordic hardware & creative industries startup accelerator

• Hans Stam, CEO and Co-founder at Trouble Maker,  hardware product development platform in Shenzhen, China

• Narek Vardanyan, Founder at The Crowdfunding Formula

Hardware Venture Launchpad supports growth-oriented startups in scaling their business through a tailor-made acceleration sprint. Startups working on solutions in the below industries are encouraged to apply

• IoT products catered towards the Aviation, Ports Management, Logistics, and Healthcare industries

• Blockchain enabled hardware solutions

• VR / AR / AI enabled hardware solutions

• Connected Cars - Car monitoring, Fill-up logging, Crash Alert, Geolocation trackers, OBD Devices, Sensors, Engine diagnostics

• Drone technology with a focus on the Logistics, Power, and Oil & Gas industries

• Robotics focused on the Ports Management, Logistics, and Healthcare industries

• Diagnostics, Sensors or Wearables

• Devices for Cleantech – Energy and water efficiency,

• 3D Printing solutions with industrial application, geared towards the Ports Management, Logistics, and Healthcare industries

In addition to refining their prototypes, startups accepted into the program will gain a foundational understanding of design thinking methodologies, development of a go-to-market strategy, financial planning including valuation and funding.