Meta and Startupbootcamp to Accelerate Agentic AI Startups in MENA with Llama Design Drive 

Meta, the global technology leader, has partnered again with Startupbootcamp, one of the world's leading startup accelerators, to launch a new edition of the Llama Design Drive program. This three-month initiative equips MENA-based startups with tools, mentorship, and offers compute сredits to build agentic AI applications — intelligent assistants and chatbots that autonomously solve real-world problems.

The program centres on Meta's Llama models, the latest open-source natively multimodal large language model. Startups will use this technology to address regional challenges in mobility, aviation, healthcare, energy, retail, education, and public services. The initiative concludes with the Llama Summit, where selected startups showcase their solutions to regional and global audiences.

"At Meta, we believe in the transformative power of open-source AI. Through Llama Design Drive, we're co-creating it with the region's most promising founders, building AI agents that reflect the priorities, challenges, and opportunities of the MENA region," said Joulan Abdelkhalek, Policy Programs Manager at Meta.

This year's focus on agentic AI reflects the region's growing appetite for digital transformation and scalable automation. With governments across the MENA region actively investing in digital infrastructure and AI capabilities, there is an increasing demand for AI agents that provide smart, self-directed support in public services, online learning, digital healthcare, and green mobility. Startupbootcamp views this as a natural evolution of AI in the region.

"From conversational healthcare bots to digital tutors and public service assistants, agentic AI is uniquely positioned to unlock regional potential. We've seen startups in our past cohorts deliver impactful solutions, and this year we're doubling down on that vision," said Hani Murad, CEO of Startupbootcamp.

Selected startups will receive a comprehensive support package, including up to $25,000 in AWS credits for compute-intensive development, as well as technical mentorship from Meta's engineering teams and AI experts. During the three-month program, founders will engage in intensive workshops, capacity-building sessions, and ongoing guidance to develop, deploy, and scale agentic AI products for the local market.

The program is collaborating with industry leaders to design challenges and provide real-world problem statements. Previous partners include RTA, Chalhoub Group, Dubai Holding, Emirates Airline, and MBC Group — organisations that gained early access to innovative AI solutions, aligned with their digital strategies, and deepened their engagement with regional startup ecosystems.

The program builds on its successful 2024 edition, which attracted over 200 startup applications from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Forty-three startups were selected across two cohorts, comprising 30 in the UAE and 13 in the KSA, spanning sustainability, content creation, accessibility, and predictive analytics. The UAE cohort winners included Indigo Hive, Transcend Technologies, Fitch Technologies, Carbon Sifr, and Ahmad Joudi, while the KSA cohort featured Labib Technologies, Mugafi, and Musajjel.

The MENA region is emerging as a hub for AI innovation, with the agent market projected to grow from $213.1 million in 2024 to $2.2 billion by 2030. The UAE's Falcon and Saudi Arabia's ALLaM models highlight regional leadership, while government investment in skills prepares the workforce for AI transformation. With 86% of professionals anticipating that AI will reshape their roles by 2029, the MENA region is positioning itself as a global leader in AI.