TechWadi
TechWadi is a US-based non-profit founded in 2006 that bridges Silicon Valley and the MENA region, running an annual forum, acceleration programs (including an Injaz pipeline and Plug and Play partnership), and a mentorship program that matches MENA entrepreneurs with senior tech professionals for free.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersRedwood Shores, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What TechWadi does
TechWadi is a US-based non-profit organization founded in 2006 that operates a bilateral bridge between Silicon Valley and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, focused on supporting entrepreneurship growth. Its core activities include the annual TechWadi Forum (flagship event), the Injaz Program (structured founder pipeline), acceleration partnerships (notably with Plug and Play's Mobility accelerator), and a mentorship program that matches MENA-origin tech professionals from companies such as Google, Meta, Palantir, Hitachi GST, and Silicon Valley Bank with rising MENA entrepreneurs. The organization also runs webinars, a newsletter, and educational visits that create bidirectional learning between Silicon Valley mentors and MENA founders.
The underlying 'technology' of TechWadi is fundamentally human-mediated: relationship matching, event production, and partner referrals rather than a proprietary software platform. No AI/ML capabilities, API, or SDK are disclosed. Programs are delivered free to beneficiaries, and the organization sustains operations primarily through donations (with published tiers of $1,000, $3,000, $5,000, and custom amounts, tax-deductible in the US) and through event sponsorship and board-level institutional support from entities such as Mubadala Capital, AAF Management, JAZZ Venture Partners, Egypt Ventures, and Silicon Valley Bank.
Its go-to-market is community-led: word-of-mouth across the MENA diaspora and Silicon Valley, strategic partnerships with accelerators and VCs, and a visible social and event presence (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, plus an active website and newsletter). Geographic reach spans the MENA region broadly and Silicon Valley specifically. The operating model is best characterized as an ecosystem intermediary — value is created by reducing the search and trust costs of cross-border founder–investor–mentor matching, with monetization (in the form of donations and sponsorship) decoupled from direct fees charged to program participants.
TechWadi firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TechWadi
- Legal name
- TechWadi
- Website
- https://techwadi.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- TechWadi is a US-based non-profit founded in 2006 that bridges Silicon Valley and the MENA region, running an annual forum, acceleration programs (including an Injaz pipeline and Plug and Play partnership), and a mentorship program that matches MENA entrepreneurs with senior tech professionals for free.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TechWadi industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Non-profit Entrepreneurship & Ecosystem Support
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC)
Keywords
Where TechWadi is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Redwood Shores
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
TechWadi business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: TechWadi operates as a non-profit organization funded by donations. They accept donations at $5,000, $3,000, $1,000, and custom amounts. Donations are tax-deductible with EIN provided post-donation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donation tiers for supporters |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
TechWadi product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TechWadi is a non-profit bridge organization that connects MENA (Middle East and North Africa) entrepreneurs with Silicon Valley mentors, accelerators, and investors. It delivers an annual flagship Forum, acceleration programs (including the Injaz Program and a partnership with Plug and Play's Mobility accelerator), a mentorship program matching MENA founders with senior tech professionals, and a community newsletter. Programs are free to beneficiaries and operations are funded through tax-deductible donations.
Product overview
TechWadi is a non-profit organization (not a technology product company) that operates a unified set of programs and services centered on building connections between Silicon Valley and the MENA region. Its portfolio includes the annual TechWadi Forum as its flagship event, structured acceleration programs (including the Injaz Program), a mentorship program connecting experienced professionals with rising entrepreneurs, and a newsletter for community updates. These offerings work together to support entrepreneurship growth and technology ecosystem development in the MENA region.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- TechWadi Annual Forum TechWadi's flagship annual event bringing together MENA entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and industry leaders from Silicon Valley for networking, learning, and partnership building. Tickets are sold through the evion.app platform.
- Acceleration Programs Structured programs connecting MENA startups with Silicon Valley resources, mentors, and potential investors, delivered through partnerships with accelerators such as Plug and Play (Mobility). The acceleration pathway is exemplified by the dryve startup, which was selected for Plug and Play's Mobility program after participating in TechWadi's Injaz Program.
- Mentorship Program Program that connects experienced tech professionals from companies such as Google, Meta, Palantir, Hitachi GST, and Silicon Valley Bank with rising entrepreneurs from the MENA region, facilitating knowledge transfer, networking, and Silicon Valley exposure. Mentors submit availability forms to indicate their monthly time commitment.
- Injaz Program TechWadi's entrepreneurship identification and development program for MENA entrepreneurs. Enrolled participants gain access to key industry connections and can be selected for downstream acceleration programs such as Plug and Play's Mobility accelerator.
- TechWadi Newsletter Subscription-based email newsletter that delivers updates on TechWadi events, webinars, panels, startup opportunities, and organizational announcements to the TechWadi community.
Companies that use TechWadi
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
TechWadi technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
TechWadi partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Plug and PlaycorePlug and Play is a key strategic partner for TechWadi's acceleration programs. TechWadi entrepreneurs are referred and selected for Plug and Play's Mobility program, a three-month accelerator held in Silicon Valley that helps propel MENA startups onto the global stage.
- Google CloudcoreAnas Osman, VP Strategy & Operations at Google Cloud, serves on TechWadi's Board of Directors. Google professionals also serve as mentors through TechWadi programs.
- Silicon Valley BankcoreElias Saadeh (Snr. Vice President) and Hani Azzam (Vice President) from Silicon Valley Bank serve on TechWadi's Board, providing banking and startup financing connections.
- MetaminorHossam Tewfik, Head of Creator & Brand Creator Monetization at Meta, serves on TechWadi's Board of Directors.
- Palantir TechnologiesminorMehdi Alhassani, Chief of Staff at Palantir Technologies, serves on TechWadi's Board of Directors.
- Enterprise Forum Pan Arab RegionminorCommunity partner organization, part of TechWadi's ecosystem of partner organizations supporting MENA entrepreneurship.
- ArabNetminorCommunity partner organization, part of TechWadi's ecosystem supporting MENA digital ecosystem development.
- Hub71minorHub71 is an Abu Dhabi-based global tech ecosystem and community partner of TechWadi.
- STEP ConferenceminorSTEP Conference is a regional tech event and community partner supporting TechWadi's ecosystem.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
TechWadi competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- STEP Conference: Large MENA tech event and community platform serving founders, investors, and operators across the region — overlapping events/community model with TechWadi's Annual Forum (and listed as a TechWadi community partner).
- ArabNet: A MENA-focused digital ecosystem builder operating events, community programs, and research for the regional tech sector — directly comparable mission and beneficiary base to TechWadi (and listed as a TechWadi community partner).
- TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs): Diaspora-founded non-profit connecting Indian-origin professionals with Silicon Valley to mentor entrepreneurs globally — the closest structural analog to TechWadi's SV-diaspora bridge model, just for the Indian corridor instead of MENA.
- Flat6Labs: MENA-focused seed fund and accelerator running programs across North Africa and the Levant — comparable regional focus and acceleration/mentorship services for early-stage MENA startups.
- Hub71: Abu Dhabi-based global tech hub backed by Mubadala, offering acceleration, mentorship, and market access to MENA startups — directly comparable services and beneficiary base to TechWadi (listed as a TechWadi community partner).
- Enterprise Forum Pan Arab: MIT Enterprise Forum affiliate supporting MENA entrepreneurship through mentorship, events, and innovation programs — closely aligned mission with TechWadi (and listed as a TechWadi community partner).
- Berytech: Lebanon-based non-profit incubator/accelerator ecosystem supporting MENA startups — comparable non-profit model, geographic focus, and acceleration/mentorship programming to TechWadi.
Broad incumbents
- Plug and Play: Global accelerator and venture platform that is TechWadi's key acceleration partner — provides similar services but at much larger global scale across industries and geographies.
- Techstars: Worldwide accelerator network providing mentorship-driven programs — overlaps with TechWadi's acceleration offering and mentor matching, but operates as a global for-profit platform.
- 500 Global: Global accelerator (formerly 500 Startups) with active MENA programs — provides overlapping early-stage acceleration and founder education, but at larger global scale than TechWadi.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
TechWadi social profiles
Digital presenceTechWadi financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TechWadi leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
TechWadi funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TechWadi M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about TechWadi
What does TechWadi do?
TechWadi is a non-profit bridge organization that connects MENA (Middle East and North Africa) entrepreneurs with Silicon Valley mentors, accelerators, and investors. It delivers an annual flagship Forum, acceleration programs (including the Injaz Program and a partnership with Plug and Play's Mobility accelerator), a mentorship program matching MENA founders with senior tech professionals, and a community newsletter. Programs are free to beneficiaries and operations are funded through tax-deductible donations.
Is TechWadi a public or private company?
TechWadi is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was TechWadi founded?
TechWadi was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is TechWadi based?
TechWadi is headquartered in Redwood Shores, United States, in the North America region.
How does TechWadi make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are TechWadi's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are STEP Conference, ArabNet, TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs), Flat6Labs, Hub71, Enterprise Forum Pan Arab and Berytech. Broad incumbents are Plug and Play, Techstars and 500 Global.
Does TechWadi have an API?
No public API is recorded for TechWadi.
What industry is TechWadi in?
TechWadi's product category is Non-profit Entrepreneurship & Ecosystem Support. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAEAC, Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs. Its NAICS code is 61143 and its SIC code is 8200.