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Tinder for Startups and More: 5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Hack This Year's RiseUp Summit

As the sizzling startup summit gears up to kick-start on December 1st, we gather 5 ways entrepreneurs can hack the MENA's loudest event.

Staff Writer

In the heart of Egypt, at the meeting point between North Africa and the Middle East, the restlessly powerful RiseUp Summit is just about to kick off its 5th edition and catapult the regional startup scene to the global stage once again. Driven by a disquiet team that, summit after summit, has managed to grow and connect the ecosystem to international resources, the buzzing event is gearing up for another three-day marathon kick-starting on December 1st for entrepreneurs, startup enthusiasts and innovators to get matchless insights and visionary thoughts from some of the world's most powerful changemakers.

With a focus on HX - or how entrepreneurs can improve the human experience - the summit this year focuses on supporting startups, no matter what stage they are at, with a flurry of opportunities to participate, aside from attending its workshops and panels. From exhibiting at the Startup Station, to getting matched with investors, and battling it out at the massive pitching competition, these are the 5 ways entrepreneurs can hack the summit - and make the best of its restless three days. 

1. Exhibit at the Startup Station 

Capitalising on the immense exposure and marketplace opportunities - with the possibility of meeting over 5,000 potential new customers - 150 of the top MENA startups will get to exhibit at RiseUp’s Startup Station, which will this year focus on creativity, technology, capital and innovating to improve the human experience (HX). Each one will  get one day to show what they’ve got, including an investor-only tour, which will expose them to a network of over 150 investors. The exhibit not only means real-life presence on their booths, but also digital positioning on the RiseUp Summit website, their mobile application, social media and newsletter. 

2. Get Mentorship

Taking a hands-on approach to connecting entrepreneurs with the world's most wicked opportunities and resources, the summit is also offering the opportunity to get tailored advice from leading experts. From roundtables, to one-on-one meetings with industry gurus, to sit-downs with investors and potential new talents, the event is poised to be the place where magic meetups happen.

3. Swipe Right to Match an Investor 

Much like a Tinder app for startups, the summit gives entrepreneurs the chance to - literally - swipe right and get matched with the most relevant investor to grow and scale your business. 

4. Participate in the Supermarket, and provide Perks to the Community

Reviving their legendary RiseUp Connect, the event is activating the "connect supermarket," an event-within-an-event where startups can pass by a "supermarket" to pick and choose from a variety of perks and become part of their collaborative community. Starting off by providing benefits, discounts, and freebies to the RiseUp Community, startups can strike deals ranging from cloud, mail, and payment solutions, to marketing and transportation, offered by corporates, startups, and support organisations. 

5. Pitch Competition: The Startup Showdown

Forget about overlapping competitions; this year, Riseup is creating the mother of competitions: the Startup Showdown, where 50 of MENA’s best startups will go head-to-head on the biggest stage in the Middle East. The pitching competition will have two stages: pre-seed on the first day (for startups that raised less than $50,000), and post-seed on the second day (for those which raised more than $50,000); with a grand finale in the closing ceremony. Each pitch will last less than five minutes, as entrepreneurs will battle it out for a chance to win cash prizes, trips to startup hubs, and a chance to scale to Dubai.

To apply as a startup, fill out your startup profile on Magnitt here, before October 22.

This article was originally published on StartupSceneME.com. Check them out for the latest buzz on all things geeky and business-y across the Middle East.