frequently asked questions

1. What does StartMashreq provide?
StartMashreq is a platform developed and launched by Flat6Labs in partnership with the IFC, to help all communities of Mashreq with the right education and excelling in the entrepreneurship field.

StartMashreq provides resources and tools, as follows:

• Virtual Incubation Program: that is comprehensive of all necessary tools and activities that will help you grow your innovative idea and enable you to start your own business and get more funding opportunities from local and international investors.
• Free Educational Resources: Online Courses, educational programs and elibrary.
• Mentorship: you will benefit from our mentorship programs, when you apply and get selected in our incubation program.
• Meet-up opportunities: we hold virtual meet-ups with the entrepreneurship communities in order to exchange knowledge and benefit from various experiences. The meet-ups will be announced over our website and through emails when you register on our platform.

2. Are the services provided by StartMashreq free of charge?
Yes, all StartMashreq offerings, services and programs are free of charge.

1. How can I apply to the program?
Please click here, and fill in the application form after making sure you meet the criterias set-out for the applicants.

Click here to know more about who can apply!

2. How can I know I am eligible to apply to the program?
Everyone from Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon, is allowed to apply to the program, if they meet the criteria set-out to” Who Can Apply”.

3. What is the StartMashreq Incubation Program?
We provide StartMashrep virtual incubation program to empower those who want to start their own business with the required resources and tools (education, mentorship and coaching, workshops, bootcamps, networking and meet-ups, training and pitch practicing). The mentioned resources are designed and tailored by our experts and delivered in the right way that helps you from the phase of idea formation to the pre-seed phase.

4. How much funding do you offer in this Program?
StartMashreq program gives you the opportunity to be funded by Flat6Labs, in the following cases:

1. You succeeded throughout the program first.
2. You are selected by Flat6Labs to get funding from one of Flat6Labs’ Seed Fund Programs.

Once you are selected by Flat6labs, Flat6Labs may invest in your startups an amount ranging from $65,000 - $120,000, in exchange for minor equity in your company;

In addition to the above mentioned benefits, you will receive various in-kind services to support your company, and Flat6Labs may opt to offer you follow-on funding around $120K to $500K.

6. What are the eligible countries for this Program?
The program is open to all people living in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq

7. Do I have to be a native citizen of one of the eligible countries for this program?
No, this program is designed to target the displaced, marginalized people and minorities in any of the eligible countries.

8. What are the businesses and sectors that StartMashreq supports?
We are interested in a wide range of businesses, from entrepreneurship to small business, investment and startups.

The sectors we mostly support, are including but not limited to: FinTech and Financial inclusion, Education Technologies and Tools, Healthcare and Health-Tech, Agribusinesses and Environment, Sustainable Tech and ICT.

1. I have filled in my application and no one has contacted me yet – what should I do?
It usually takes us a duration ranging from a month to two months, in order to process the applications and contact you. If you think it has been taking too long, or something may have gone wrong, please send us an email to (apply@flat6labs.com).

2. When should I expect a call back after I submit the application?
You may expect a call from us within a month or two, from the deadline of the program where you applied.

3. What can I do if I need to change my answers on the application after submitting it?
You can revisit your application and edit it even after you've submitted it.

4. Do I need a business plan upon applying?
No, we don’t ask for a business plan when applying to StartMashreq. We support you in preparing a business plan during the program.


5. My application got rejected, should I reapply?
You can reapply to the upcoming cycle but not the same one you just recently applied to. We would advise you to reach out to us for feedback on why it wasn't accepted in order for you to revise what aspects need to be amended (if possible) and/or what certain criteria we usually look for.

6. What is the deadline for submitting my application?
You will need to check the deadline on our "Apply" page.

7. Our team has two ideas – can we submit two applications?
Yes, just apply twice with one idea per application.

1. What happens during the Bootcamp?
The bootcamp is designed as an intensive workshop for each team to work on developing and testing their idea further (e.g. via a Lean Methodology workshop) for us to have a better and more detailed understanding of their business. It also serves as a very important filter for identifying founders who we believe have what it takes to “make it in the real world.”

2. On what basis do you select the participant teams in each cycle?
We interview the teams and determine their participation in the program based on their innovative idea, the market size, business model, scalability and how strong, dedicated and ready the team is.

1. May I change the scope of my project during the 4-month cycle?
Yes you may, as long as the new scope is agreed upon by all stakeholders.

2. What’s your most common reason for rejecting startups?
There are many reasons, and they are all standardized. If your application is rejected, it means your startup hasn’t met one or more of our criteria.

3. I have a great idea, but I can't find any team members - would you help me find the appropriate ones?
We always recommend that you select your team members yourself and that you make sure they are the right ones for the job, but in some cases, we will do our best to match you with suitable partners.

4. What is the ideal size of the startup team?
Ideally, the team can have up to 4-5 founders – we prefer 2-4 founders.