Cairo - Sharikat Mubasher: Dar Ventures, the venture capital arm of Dar, partnered with Plug and Play, a global leader in open innovation, early-stage ventures, and acceleration, to advance the next phase of the DarE program, advancing its mission to identify, support, and scale technology companies transforming architecture, engineering, construction, and the wider built environment.

The DarE program will primarily source high-potential companies across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, targeting Pre-Seed to Pre-Series A companies with a working MVP or market-ready product, early market validation, and strong potential for commercial adoption and international growth, according to the official statement released today.

The next phase of DarE will extend beyond a traditional accelerator model, building a global community around the future of the built environment, connecting technology companies with industry leaders, investors, corporates, and experts shaping how the world is designed, built, operated, and maintained.

The partnership will position DarE as a globally connected platform where industry expertise meets emerging technology, creating stronger pathways between promising built environment technologies and the companies, projects, markets, and capital that can accelerate their adoption.

Leveraging Plug and Play’s network of more than 60 offices, over 550 corporate and government partners across more than 25 industry verticals, and over 10,000 startups accelerated since 2012, this collaboration will grow DarE’s access to founders, investors, technology leaders, and innovation ecosystems internationally.

The partnership combines Plug and Play’s international networks across construction, infrastructure, IoT, AI, smart cities, sustainability, and enterprise technology with Dar’s deep technical expertise, global project portfolio, and understanding of the industry’s most pressing challenges.

Nader Aboushadi, co-founder of Dar Ventures, said: “Partnering with Plug and Play allows us to take that ambition to the next level, identifying exceptional founders and giving them access to the expertise and markets, coupled with Dar Ventures projects and capital they need to grow.”

In turn, Karima El Hakim, partner for Africa at Plug and Play, commented: “By bringing Plug and Play’s global innovation, venture, and corporate ecosystem to the platform, we aim to connect founders with industry, accelerate commercial adoption, and support technologies shaping how the world is built.”

DarE program will develop a global alumni community, keeping participating companies connected beyond individual cohorts and creating continued opportunities for commercial partnerships, knowledge exchange, investment, and cross-market expansion.

Throughout 12 weeks, selected companies will receive tailored expert support, one-to-one mentorship, direct industry engagement, and curated access to investors, corporate partners, and international markets.