Rabat – Dar Ventures, the venture capital arm of international design and engineering firm Dar, has partnered with Plug and Play to expand DarE and develop it into a globally connected innovation platform for the architecture, engineering, construction and wider built environment sectors.
The partnership will support the next phase of DarE, which aims to identify, support and scale technology companies working on solutions for the built environment. Dar said the platform will connect startups with industry expertise, commercial opportunities, investors, corporate partners and international markets.
Since its launch, DarE has supported 32 startups across four cohorts. The program has connected founders with industry experts, commercial opportunities and an investment network.
Plug and Play will bring its international open innovation and early-stage venture network to the platform. The company operates more than 60 offices and works with more than 550 corporate and government partners across more than 25 industry verticals. It has accelerated more than 10,000 startups since 2012.
The two organizations said the partnership will create stronger links between emerging built environment technologies and the companies, projects, markets, and capital needed to support their adoption.
DarE expands its focus across global markets
The new phase will move beyond a traditional accelerator model and build a global community that connects technology companies with industry leaders, investors, corporations, and experts involved in designing, building, operating, and maintaining the built environment.
DarE will draw on Plug and Play’s networks in construction, infrastructure, IoT, AI, smart cities, sustainability and enterprise technology. It will also use Dar’s technical expertise, global project portfolio and knowledge of industry challenges.
Dar has a strong presence across the GCC, Africa, the Levant and Europe, with design offices in the region that can support founders locally. The platform will serve entrepreneurs from these regions while connecting them to global markets.
The program will focus on technologies that can turn innovation into practical industry applications as artificial intelligence, automation, data, digital delivery and sustainability reshape the sector. Participating companies will work with industry experts, validate commercial use cases, develop strategic relationships, access investment networks and pursue international growth.
DarE will also establish a global alumni community to maintain links between participating companies after each cohort and create opportunities for commercial partnerships, knowledge exchange, investment and expansion across markets.
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The program will primarily source companies from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, while remaining open to companies worldwide. It will target startups from the Pre-Seed stage through Pre-Series A, with a working MVP or market-ready product, early market validation and potential for commercial adoption and international growth.
Selected companies will take part in a 12-week hybrid program offering tailored expert support, one-to-one mentorship, direct industry engagement and curated access to investors, corporate partners and international markets. The program will cover technologies across the AEC and wider built environment value chain that address industry challenges and create new opportunities.
Dar Ventures has engaged with more than 100 ideas, incubated more than 30 companies, and invested in 13 companies across the built environment value chain in less than three years.
Dar is a founding member of Sidara, which has more than 55,000 employees across 70 countries and more than 450 offices worldwide. Plug and Play has expanded to more than 60 offices since 2006 and connects startups with customers, investors, industry expertise, and international markets.
Applications for the upcoming DarE cohort open today, and the program will begin in November.
