Meta, the global technology leader, and leading startup accelerators Startupbootcamp announced a partnership to launch a new edition of the ‘Llama Design Drive’ programme in the Middle East.
The three-month initiative will equip MENA-based startups with tools, mentorship, and offer compute сredits to build agentic AI applications — intelligent assistants and chatbots that autonomously solve real-world problems.
Empowering MENA’s AI startups
The programme 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 will conclude 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 said it 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.
The programme will collaborate with industry leaders to design challenges and provide real-world problem statements.
Previous partners included RTA, Chalhoub Group, Dubai Holding, Emirates Airline, and MBC Group, Startupbootcamp said.
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