International investment firm SOSV announces first startup cohort in MENA, hosted by AstroLabs 

Orbit Startups, a new program from venture firm SOSV, has named the 10 startups chosen for its inaugural cohort. The startups have each received initial funding of about $150,000 together with an intensive program that supports their growth across emerging and frontier markets.

Orbit encapsulates SOSV’s established MOX and Chinaccelerator programs and reflects those programmes’ shift in recent years to the geographies of Southeast and South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. The startups from this cohort hail from India, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Singapore; operating in fintech, media, EdTech, GameFi and other blockchain applications. 

“We are eager to scale breakthrough startups from around the world across emerging and frontier markets, where there are more inefficiencies, fewer legacy industries, and the most opportunities for aggressive growth,” said William Bao Bean, General Partner at SOSV, Managing Director of Orbit Startups. “Orbit selects tech players that can impact millions of lives at once—startups that are solving monumental problems in healthcare, education, finance, media and logistics; and startups that are future-proofing the local economy through digitalization."

Here are the 10 startups that will pitch to an invite-only audience at AstroLabs Academy Campus, hosted by SOSV community partner AstroLabs, a MENA-based technology ecosystem builder:

Asobu App (India): Offering players access to on-chain games in under 30 seconds where they can buy and trade game assets 

GetFundedAfrica (Nigeria):  A platform leveraging media and technology to help startups across Africa find funding

iWebTechno (India): Digitizing educational institutions connecting students to banks, fintechs, EdTech firms and service partners

KalPay (Pakistan): A Shariah-aligned BNPL service enabling consumers in Pakistan to pay for online purchases in instalments with no paperwork

Kredi Bank (Nigeria): A full-service digital bank building a one-stop shop for digital financial services in Africa

Linkstar (Pakistan): All-in-one webspace solution for freelancers, influencers and small businesses

Money Club (India): A safe and secure mobile platform for P2P chit fund-based savings in India

Morfyus League (Singapore): Bringing gamers to a new frontier of play-to-earn and GameFi opportunities 

Nearpeer (Pakistan): Nearpeer makes quality education affordable and accessible across Pakistan and the Middle East

Verismart (India): Blockchain-based data exchange platform with a privacy-compliant identity management solution serving banks, telecoms and insurance companies