COMBATING COVID19 ACCELERATOR

The virtual accelerator aims to accelerate talented innovators, aspiring entrepreneurs, and innovative small companies with funding and acceleration services to bring to life and scale solutions that combat COVID-19 and other future pandemics.

The accelerator will focus on technology, manufacturing, and supply chain concepts that can limit, control, and eliminate the spreading of the virus through protection, prevention, tracking/detection, and treatment solutions.

The accelerator will cover 5 tracks:

• Medical Diagnostics: Solutions to develop COVID-19 Diagnostic Tools.
• Medical Equipment and Protective Tools: Solutions for medical equipment and protective tools against COVID-19 and other pandemic diseases.
• Autonomous Systems for Surveillance: Solutions to monitor, track and control COVID-19 and other pandemic diseases.
• Epidemic Modeling, Simulation, and Forecasting: Solutions for simulating, risk detection, and population behavior to aid decision makers against COVID-19.
• Behavioral and Social Analytics: Solutions using social analysis to fight against COVID-19 and other pandemic diseases.

Applicants must produce a tangible product e.g.:

• Hardware, devices, consumables, and equipment products.
• Software and IT solutions.
• Manufacturing process.
• Supply chain, distribution, and logistical solution.

Due to accelerator’s short and intense timeline and the urgent need for quick and impactful solutions, applicants must:

• Have a mature, clear, and focused solution concept with clear features and benefits.
• Have relevant experience enabling them to develop the solution and manage the project/company.
• Have already sufficient information about the solution (technical, market, and financials).
• Have a team of at least 2 people including at least 1 Saudi member and 1 member committed to the program.
• Succeeding in passing the project requirements by the committee.

• Idea for startup/project: Provided by your team
• Participants Eligibility: Teams of at least 2 members
• Duration: 6 weeks
• Period: From 14 May for 6 Weeks
• Submission Date: From 4 May to 10 May 2020
• Time commitment by participants: At least 1 team member is fully committed to program
• Application process: Candidates submit online application
• Location: Riyadh (using web-conferencing)
• Funding provided / Investment: Up to SAR 100,000 , size of investment to be decided at the end of the program
• Startup stage: Concept-Early Stage
• Program structure/phases:
  1. The first one is a three-day bootcamp where contestants will polish their idea and develop their business canvas to be presented for judges.
  2. The second stage is the acceleration stage where participants will work closely with mentors and further develop their business plan, minimum viable product (MVP), etc.
  3. The program will end with a virtual demo day – where the participants present their solution and plan in front of experts and investors. Successful participants and the program will then sign an investment contract that will articulate terms including the funds disbursement plan
• Services offered by the program:
  1. Bootcamp to train the team and mature the solution concept and business plan.
  2. Workshops on key startup topics.
  3. Mentoring by business and healthcare/medical subject matter experts
  4. Access to KACST’s laboratories (e.g. for prototyping and industry 4.0 labs).
  5. Access to network of partners in government and private sector in the healthcare medical field to explore commercial and piloting opportunities, access key data, etc.
• Fees charged to participants to participate in program: None.