Dar Ventures expands DarE startup programme through Plug and Play partnership

Dar Ventures, the venture capital arm of design and engineering firm Dar, has partnered with Plug and Play to expand its DarE startup programme beyond its original Middle East and North Africa focus.

The expanded programme will connect participating companies with Plug and Play’s international network of startups, investors and corporate partners. It will be open to companies globally, with a primary focus on businesses operating in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Programme targets early-stage companies

DarE will operate as a 12-week hybrid programme for pre-seed to pre-Series A companies. Applicants must have a minimum viable product or a product that is ready for the market.

The programme will focus on startups working across architecture, engineering and construction, as well as the wider built-environment value chain. Its scope also includes infrastructure, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, smart cities and sustainability.

Selected startups will receive expert guidance, individual mentorship and opportunities for direct engagement with industry stakeholders. They will also gain curated access to investors, corporate partners and international markets.

Dar Ventures said the programme will support companies showing early market validation and the potential for commercial adoption and international growth.

Building on DarE’s earlier cohorts

DarE launched in 2023 as a six-month incubator for architecture, engineering and construction technology startups in the Middle East and North Africa. Under the original programme, selected companies were eligible for up to $50,000 in equity-free funding.

Dar Ventures said DarE has supported 32 startups across four cohorts since its launch. The firm also said the partnership will help create a global alumni community designed to encourage continuing commercial partnerships, knowledge sharing, investment and expansion across markets.

“DarE has always been about providing the right platform for entrepreneurs to thrive,” Nader Aboushadi, co-founder of Dar Ventures, said in a statement.

“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.”

Plug and Play brings international network

Dar Ventures said Plug and Play’s network includes more than 60 offices, 550 corporate and government partners across more than 25 industries, and more than 10,000 startups accelerated since 2012.

Karima El Hakim, Partner, Africa at Plug and Play, said the organisation’s partnership with Dar Ventures would support the next phase of DarE.

“Dar is a global industry leader with deep expertise across the built environment, and we are proud to support the next chapter of DarE,” El Hakim said.

She added that the partnership aims to connect founders with industry, speed up commercial adoption and support technologies influencing how the built environment develops.

The expansion comes amid a difficult funding environment for early-stage African companies. TechCabal Insights reported that Africa’s technology ecosystem raised $1.44 billion across 174 deals in the first half of 2026, while early-stage startups received $9 million, compared with $25 million during the same period a year earlier.