Dar Ventures takes its startup programme beyond MENA
Dar Ventures is taking its startup programme beyond the Middle East and North Africa, opening it up to technology companies in Africa and other markets.
Dar Verntures
Dar Ventures is taking its startup programme beyond the Middle East and North Africa, opening it up to technology companies in Africa and other markets. The venture capital arm of engineering and design company Dar has partnered with Plug and Play to expand DarE, a programme for startups building technology for construction, engineering and the wider built environment.
The new programme will run for 12 weeks and is aimed at startups between pre-seed and pre-Series A. Companies need to have a minimum viable product or something that is already ready for customers. Startups in Africa, Europe and the Middle East will be a main focus, although companies from other regions can also apply.
It is aimed at a fairly narrow group of startups
“The more important question will be what those connections produce after the 12 weeks whether that is a customer, an investment round, a pilot project or entry into another market.”
DarE is not trying to cover every type of technology company. The programme is focused on businesses working in architecture, engineering and construction, as well as areas such as AI, IoT, infrastructure, smart cities and sustainability.
That matters because startups selling into construction and infrastructure can have a harder time finding customers than companies selling directly to consumers or small businesses. A product may work, but getting a large contractor, engineering firm or infrastructure company to test it can take time. Dar Ventures says selected companies will get mentoring, industry expertise and introductions to investors and corporate partners.
The funding market is still tough
The timing is also worth noting. African tech companies raised $1.44 billion across 174 deals in the first six months of 2026, according to TechCabal Insights. But early stage funding dropped sharply. Startups at that stage raised just $9 million, compared with $25 million during the same period in 2025.
For a founder still trying to get the first few customers, that creates a difficult combination: limited funding and a need to prove that someone is willing to pay for the product. DarE is trying to tackle part of that problem by putting startups in front of companies and investors that understand the industries they are targeting. It does not mean every startup will get funding or a customer. Those outcomes will still depend on the product and the relationships founders build during the programme.
Plug and Play brings the bigger network
The Plug and Play partnership gives DarE access to a much larger international network. Plug and Play has more than 60 offices and works with over 550 corporate and government partners across more than 25 industries. It says more than 10,000 startups have gone through its programmes since 2012. For an African startup, that could be useful if it is ready to look beyond its home market. A construction software company in Kenya, Nigeria or South Africa, for example, may eventually want customers in the Middle East or Europe.
Getting those first introductions can be difficult without an existing network in those markets. DarE will also create an alumni network for companies that complete the programme, allowing founders to stay connected after their cohort ends.
DarE has been running since 2023
This is an expansion of an existing programme rather than a new accelerator. Dar Ventures launched DarE in 2023 as a six-month incubator for AEC technology startups in MENA. The company says 32 startups across four cohorts have gone through the programme. The original programme offered selected startups up to $50,000 in equity-free funding, along with industry support and access to investors.
The new version is shorter and has a wider geographic reach. It also puts more emphasis on startups that already have something to show customers. That means the programme is looking beyond ideas and early prototypes and towards companies that are starting to test whether their products can become viable businesses.
For African founders working on construction, infrastructure and related technology, DarE offers access to an industry network that can be difficult to build from scratch. The more important question will be what those connections produce after the 12 weeks whether that is a customer, an investment round, a pilot project or entry into another market.
