Rabat – Dar Ventures, the venture capital arm of the international design and engineering firm Dar, has announced a strategic partnership with global innovation platform Plug and Play to scale DarE, an ambitious initiative aimed at transforming the architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), and broader built environment sectors.
The collaboration marks a significant evolution for DarE, shifting it from a traditional accelerator model toward a globally connected innovation ecosystem. By combining Dar’s deep technical expertise and extensive international project portfolio with Plug and Play’s expansive venture network, the partners aim to identify and nurture high-potential startups capable of solving some of the most pressing challenges in urban development and infrastructure.
Since its inception, DarE has supported 32 startups across four cohorts, providing founders with access to essential industry expertise, commercial opportunities, and investment channels. The transition into this new phase with Plug and Play is designed to accelerate this progress by bridging the gap between emerging technologies and the capital, markets, and corporate partners required for large-scale adoption.
Plug and Play brings considerable influence to the collaboration. Having accelerated over 10,000 startups since 2012, the firm operates more than 60 offices globally and maintains relationships with over 550 corporate and government partners. This infrastructure will prove vital for DarE as it seeks to integrate cutting-edge solutions—ranging from artificial intelligence and automation to IoT and sustainability-focused technologies—into the global built environment value chain.
“The goal is to create stronger links between emerging technologies and the tangible, real-world projects that shape our cities,” stated representatives from the two organizations. By leveraging Dar’s strong presence across the GCC, Africa, the Levant, and Europe, the platform will offer local entrepreneurs a pathway to global markets while maintaining support for regional infrastructure needs.
The expanded program will target startups ranging from the Pre-Seed stage through Pre-Series A. Eligible candidates are expected to have a working minimum viable product (MVP) or a market-ready solution, alongside early market validation. Once selected, companies will undergo a 12-week hybrid program that provides tailored mentorship, direct industry engagement, and curated access to investors.
Sustainability remains a core pillar of the initiative. As the construction and engineering sectors face mounting pressure to reduce carbon footprints and improve efficiency, the program will prioritize companies that can turn innovation into practical, scalable industry applications. Furthermore, the establishment of a global alumni community will ensure that participating companies remain interconnected, fostering a long-term culture of knowledge exchange and cross-market collaboration.
Dar Ventures, which has engaged with over 100 startup ideas and invested in 13 companies in less than three years, views this partnership as a critical step in professionalizing the path from innovation to implementation. As a founding member of Sidara—a global collective of over 55,000 professionals—Dar is uniquely positioned to offer startups a testing ground within some of the world’s most significant construction and infrastructure projects.
Applications for the upcoming DarE cohort are officially open, with the program scheduled to commence in November. By aligning the agility of startups with the scale of a global engineering powerhouse, DarE and Plug and Play intend to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of how the world designs, builds, and maintains its infrastructure.
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