Shorooq Partners, a UAE-based early-stage venture capital firm that invests in innovative startups in the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENAP) region, has launched SHFT Build, a program focused on supporting sectors that are driving the future economy.

The first edition of the program, SHFT Build Gametech, will focus on the gametech sector by targeting founders who build startups across the value chain of gaming and helping them partner with other aspiring founders and game enthusiasts. Applications are now open for MENAP-based game studios, game developers, distribution platforms, developers of game engines, and streaming platforms.

SHFT Build Gametech will also seek to provide gametech startup founders with a go-to playbook on how to build seed-investment-ready startups. The program comes at zero cost and zero equity for founders, and aims to connect with teams developing technologies that are enhancing game efficiency, security, development and accessibility.

SHFT Build Gametech is supported by Amazon’s cloud computing services subsidiary Amazon Web Services (AWS). Through this, participating founders will be able to avail offerings such as AWS Gametech and AWS Startups for in-depth knowledge and mentorship. Participants of the program will also get to use AWS Activate, a free program that provides startups with resources to work with AWS, to build on the AWS Cloud. The SHFT Build Gametech program is also supported by experts from global entities such as US-based cross-platform game engine Unity, AD Gaming and Sharjah Media City (Shams), as well as regional gaming companies, such as Tamatem Games, Nifty Craft, Batal Gaming and Calyx.

Through SHFT Build Gametech, founders will gain access to over 200 exclusive resources including videos, guides, and templates across a multitude of sector-specific areas, such as cloud gaming, game localization, and fundraising. Founders will also get access to over 20 regional and global subject matter experts through online group workshops as well as one-on-one mentorship. Over US$200,000 worth of in-kind benefits including subsidized business set-up options, Unity software licenses, and AWS Activate cloud credits and technical support will also be up for grabs.

“SHFT as a platform was built to develop ecosystems around industries that are driving tomorrow’s economy,” said Mahmoud Adi, Founding Partner of Shorooq Partners. “This is to accelerate their development and support corporations, governments and founders to leverage opportunities presented by such industries.”

Dubbed as the MENAP region’s first sector-focused online program, SHFT Build’s future editions aim to provide similar technical and business-related resources for founders in other sectors such as web 3.0 and cleantech, among others.

Founders building startups in gametech can apply here. Interested parties can email shft@shorooq.com for more information about the program and how to get involved.

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