From Silicon Valley to Abu Dhabi: Startups from Plug and Play ADGM's First Batch Get Ready to Pitch at Demo Day

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Dec 04, 2018, 00:00 ET

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Plug and Play, the world's largest startup accelerator and corporate innovation platform, and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the leading international financial center based in Abu Dhabi, are hosting the first Plug and Play ADGM Demo Day on December 12th, 2018. The event will celebrate the graduation of the first batch of seven international Fintech startups that have been selected to participate in the three-month accelerator program, working alongside financial institutions from the MENA region with the aim to execute POC or pilot projects.

"After a year of building out Plug and Play's presence in the GCC in partnership with ADGM, we're proud to be reaching the culmination of these efforts at our Demo Day on December 12th. We're incredibly excited to end the year on a high note and to maintain this momentum into 2019," said Omeed Mehrinfar, Managing Partner, EMEA at Plug and Play.

"Our sincere congratulations to the Plug and Play EMEA team for their tremendous strides and success in Abu Dhabi and the region within such a short time-frame. This is a testament to their sterling expertise and peerless track record in delivering world-class acceleration value and program to wherever they go. As a strategic Fintech ecosystem builder and Plug and Play partner, we are encouraged by their ability to identify the startups with an edge and secure key financial partners to benefit from the upcoming pilot Fintech projects. We look forward to the investment and partnership deals that will be made at the Demo Day, and having our own Abu Dhabi unicorns one day," said Wai Lum Kwok, Executive Director, Financial Services Regulatory Authority, ADGM.

The startups will be presenting solutions for technology areas that are at the forefront for financial institutions in the MENA region, including cybersecurity, sales digitization, robo- advisory, and more.

Scott Robinson, named as one of the Top 100 Fintech Influencers and Advisor & Founder of the Plug and Play Fintech program, will be featured as the keynote speaker, discussing corporate innovation best practices and how to best engage with startups. Also included on the agenda is a panel discussion tailored around Fintech inclusion and cultural transformation within financial institutions.

Demo tables and a networking session will conclude the day, bringing together the corporations who built the ecosystem and the entrepreneurs who are disrupting it.

Plug and Play ADGM is proud to announce Shorooq Investments, VentureSouq, ADGM Academy and MENA Fintech Association as community partners, as well as MAGNiTT and MENAbytes as media partners for the Fintech Demo Day taking place in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).

About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 20 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 10,000 startups and 280 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. We provide active investments with 200 leading Silicon Valley VCs, and host more than 700 networking events per year. Companies in our community have raised over $7 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club, and PayPal. For more information, visit www.plugandplaytechcenter.com

About Abu Dhabi Global Market
Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international financial centre (IFC) located in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, opened for business on 21 October 2015. Established by UAE Federal Decree as a broad-based financial centre, ADGM plays a pivotal role in positioning Abu Dhabi as a global centre for business and finance. It serves as a strategic link between the growing economies of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia and the rest of the world.

Based in Abu Dhabi, home to one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds and one of the highest concentrations of high-net-worth-individuals in the world, ADGM's strategy is anchored by Abu Dhabi's key strengths including private banking, wealth management, asset management and financial innovation. Comprising three independent authorities: the Registration Authority, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority and ADGM Courts, it enables registered financial institutions, companies and entities to thrive and operate within an international regulatory framework based on Common Law. Since its inception, ADGM has been awarded the "Financial Centre of the Year (MENA)" for two consecutive years for its initiatives and contributions to the financial and capital markets industry in the region.*

As part of its mandate, ADGM oversees and governs the Al Maryah Island, a designated financial free zone covering 114-hectares of financial and commercial services including residential, retail, leisure, hotel and office developments. For more details of ADGM, please visit www.adgm.com or follow us on Twitter : @adglobalmarket and Linked : ADGM

* Source : The Global Investor Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Awards

Plug and Play Contact
Ashlene Ramadan
[email protected]

SOURCE Plug and Play