Seeqnce Accelerator Program selects 150 entrepreneurs for shortlist

Beirut, Lebanon -More than 150 aspiring entrepreneurs have made it to the
2012 Seeqnce Accelerator Program (SqP2012) shortlist, after successfully passing the one-on-one interview round and moving on to group working sessions and team-building events, known as the Seeqnce Shuffles Beirut-based SqP2012. The program is designed to help the region's most talented, driven, and innovative entrepreneurs launch their tech startups. It closed its Applications process with 436 applications from 30 countries, ranging from the United States to Japan, far exceeding its target of 300 applicants from the MENA region.

The final 8 teams, to be announced on August 25, will each receive over $100,000 in cash and acceleration services. The month of June was dedicated to having one-on-one interview sessions with each entrant, in order to shortlist over 150 high-potential developers, designers, and business persons.

Seeqnce believes it has selected excellent candidates, the best of whom will go on to create eight successful startups. According to Fadi Bizri, a Seeqnce Founding Member and Program Director, "with the current roster of applicants, SqP2012 is shaping up to be the largest web and mobile accelerator program in the region."

"It's inspiring to see the power of community in action," said Michel El Meouchi, another Program Director.

"The ideas, the talent, the varied backgrounds of applicants contribute to an impressively robust ecosystem here. It's a great time to be an early-stage tech entrepreneur in Beirut."

Each of the 150 will participate in the Seeqnce Shuffles and Mixers throughout the month of July, to develop entrepreneurial skills that lie beyond their own curiosity. The Shuffles are intensive task-oriented sessions that help the applicants showcase their skills, and allow the judges to assess their capacities both individually and in teams.

The Seeqnce Mixers are highly-energetic applicant-only parties that allow them to network and interact with one another, thereby helping them find their ideal team-members and cofounders. Completing one's team is an essential step before the Seeqnce Challenges begin as the future entrepreneurs race for the final 8 spots. SqP2012 will insure that this summer Beirut will be the place where great teams work and outstanding startups go forth.