DarE

About

A 12-week equity-free accelerator initiated by Dar Ventures and powered by Plug and Play for pre-seed to pre-Series A startups building built-environment technology, offering mentorship, investor introductions and industry access to founders in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and international markets.

Benefits

• 🏗️ Accelerator Program
• 12-week equity-free accelerator program
• 🧑🏫Expert Access
  Access to Dar experts, AEC industry leaders and relevant decision-makers
• 🤝Mentorship
  Tailored mentorship from AEC professionals, founders, operators, investors and business experts
• 💰Investor Introductions
  Curated investor introductions and matchmaking aligned with sector, stage and fundraising needs
• 🌍Network Access
  Access to Dar Ventures and Plug and Play networks across EMEA and beyond
• 🎁Global Perks
  Plug and Play global perks platform with 100+ offers
• 🎓Alumni Support
  Alumni engagement and post-program support
• 🧪Pilot and Partnership Opportunities
  Pilot, partnership and commercial opportunities, which are conditional and potential outcomes
• 🔗Corporate Connections
  Corporate and commercial connections, and investor engagement shaped around each startup’s needs

Eligibility Criteria

• Startup Stage
• Mandatory requirement of being a Pre-Seed to Pre-Series A startup
• Product Readiness
• Mandatory requirement of a working MVP or market-ready product
• Industry Need
• Mandatory requirement of solving a clear and relevant industry need
• Early Validation
• Mandatory requirement of early validation through customers, users, pilots, partnerships or other evidence of market demand
• Founding Team
• Mandatory requirement of a committed founding team
• Market Potential
• Mandatory requirement of strong commercial and scalability potential across the Middle East and Africa
• Built Environment Technology
• Preferred scalable technology for the built environment
• EMEA Focus
• Preferred operating in, or looking to expand into, EMEA
• Team Expertise
• Preferred strong founding team with domain expertise

Participation Commitments

• Hybrid Program
• Participate in the 12-week hybrid program
• Kick-Off Week
• Attend the in-person Kick-Off Week in November 2026
• Program Activities
• Complete virtual programming, mentorship, expert sessions and investor engagement
• Investor Weeks
• Attend dedicated in-person Investor Weeks
• Final Expo
• Participate in the final Expo in March 2027
• Needs Assessment
• Complete an initial needs assessment so support can be tailored
• No Equity
• No equity is required, and the program is described as equity-free
• Participation Fee
• No participation fee is publicly stated, so check the official terms

Target Sector

Real Estate & Construction

Target Location

Applications are open to startups across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as international startups looking to enter, establish or expand in the region.