Eleven startups supported by Orbit’s Sanabil Accelerator to promote innovation in MENA

Eleven startups from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, and Hong Kong were featured by Orbit’s Sanabil Accelerator. These startups are developing solutions to address important issues in the region’s education, mobility, enterprise software, logistics, e-commerce, proptech, and fintech sectors.

As part of the accelerator, these startups each received $100,000 in initial funding. They also gained access to mentorship, follow-on investment, and Orbit’s global network to help them grow their businesses in MENA and beyond. According to a statement, the startups concentrated on improving their product strategies, increasing sales, and establishing connections with government partners, investors, and corporations throughout the program.

Startups Driving Regional Innovation:

• Arabius (KSA): Helping busy professionals learn Saudi Arabic and culture through immersive, technology-driven lessons.
• Bus14 (Egypt): A tech-enabled school transportation company, founded in Egypt and now operating in Saudi Arabia, delivering safe, reliable, and trackable rides for students.
• HNDL (Egypt): Transforming fleet management across Egypt and Saudi Arabia. HNDL cuts costs, boosts performance and tracks emissions in one powerful SaaS platform.
• Kuration AI (Hong Kong): An AI agent for B2B sales professionals that automates the entire lead research process from start to finish.
• Lockers (KSA): A digital platform helping Saudis move furniture hassle-free with transparent pricing and insured service.
• MottoVest (Pakistan): Patented airbag vest for emerging market delivery riders, saving lives and reducing costs for fleet owners.
• Ojrah (KSA): An all-in-one platform that streamlines taxi fleet operations, enhances efficiency, and ensures Transport General Authority regulations compliance.
• Qarrib (UAE): Connecting households to local corner stores through a seamless, tech-powered mobile platform
• QuicKart (UAE): UAE’s first direct-to-consumer farm produce platform – farm-fresh products delivered within 6–8 hours via app and web
• SkyStruct (Qatar): An all-in-one system helping construction firms in the GCC simplify project management and reduce costs.
• Welend (Egypt): All-in-one digital platform for SMEs financing needs in Egypt.

William Bao Bean, Managing General Partner of Orbit Startups, said, “These 11 startups are building the future of emerging markets. From AI logistics to safety tech, they’re solving real problems with scalable solutions.”

“This fits right into Saudi Vision 2030’s goal of diversifying the economy through innovation and entrepreneurship. We’re backing founders with the capital, lessons from scaling startups in markets like China and India, and access to our global networks to build technology breakthrough companies across MENA and beyond,” he said in a statement.

Sanabil Investments spokesperson added, “The caliber of companies emerging from this latest Sanabil by Orbit cohort is incredibly exciting. These founders are not just building startups, they are engineering transformative solutions across sectors vital to the future of Saudi Arabia, from smart mobility and fintech to next-generation logistics and proptech.”

“Their work aligns with Vision 2030’s mandate to diversify the economy and elevate Saudi as a global nexus for technology and entrepreneurship. We are proud to support these visionary teams as they shape the future, not just of the Kingdom but of the global digital economy.”

In emerging and frontier markets in Southeast and South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas, Orbit Startups assists in scaling ground-breaking businesses. Orbit makes investments through SOSV, a US-based venture capital firm that manages assets worth $1.5 billion.

Information from its website indicated that notable investments included Dastgyr, Pakistan’s aspirant Alibaba Group; ELSA Speak, Google Gradient’s first investment in Asia; fintech pioneer BitMEX; and VideoVerse, the technology partner of the Olympics and the UK Premier League.