Startup Grants

Liquidity for Palestinian Startups to Survive and Thrive

RISE provides grants up to $50K USD to support startups that may not yet have raised institutional capital yet but have launched in the market. SAFE Palestine is the RISE program’s bridge investment vehicle for startups that have already raised pre-seed/seed venture capital or have significant traction if bootstrapping. This vehicle provides funding up to $200K USD per startup through a mix of grants and SAFE notes. Startups interested in SAFE Palestine bridge financing should indicate their interest in SAFE Palestine when filling the Startup Grants application, which can be accessed at the links below.

Startup Grants offering

Who should apply

All startups in Palestine with a minnimum viable product who have been impacted by the war on Gaza or the crisis in the West Bank are encouraged to apply. Startups with products that have raised over $100K USD in financing from VC firms, OR received $50K USD or more in grant funding from accelerators, OR have less than $30K USD in monthly revenue may be eligble for up to $200K USD in SAFE Palestine bridge financing. Startups should indicate their willingness to also be considered for SAFE Palestine financing in the Startup Grants application form.

What is covered

The grant will support the day-to-day operations to sustain the survival and growth of the startup. Funds provided are intended to cover operational costs and lost revenues due to war or security-related disruptions in the West Bank

*Application submissions for grants will be open by the end of February, and evaluated on a rolling basis. The program will start disbursements after it secures a minimum commitment of $500,000.

Startup Grant Amounts & Agreements

Amount determination

Startup grant amounts are determined by the selection committee's evaluation of the submitted application.

Grant cap per startup

Grant amounts will be a maximum of $50,000 per startup.

Disbursement agreenement

Grant agreements and disbursements will be milestone based.

Startup Grant Eligibility Criteria

Startup Grant applicants (including those interested in SAFE Palestine bridge funding) must meet the following basic requirements to be considered:

The startup has a legally registered company in the State of Palestine including Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem or is in the process of legal registration the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy
The startup's primary source of revenue is provision of a digital technology service, software product, or software-driven hardware product as its primary revenue source. General consultancies, outsourcing and technology-based consulting services that focus on process, service delivery or solutions, and systems architecture are advised to apply for the TEAM Grant stipends
The startup can provide evidence of launched product or service with traction and customer validation for willingness to pay (such as letters of intent, revenue from beta users, ); and/or clear evidence of a go-to-market plan for Q4 2023 that may have been disrupted by the war
Clear evidence of a personal investment of time and/or money in the startup’s development in the six months before the war (e.g., log records, code commits, email records, expenditure records, payroll records etc.)
The startup's operations and revenue generation have been hampered directly or indirectly by the war in Gaza or security crisis in the West Bank affected by the war on Gaza, and can provide clear evidence showing the impact

Startup Grant Award Process

*Startups interested in and eligible for SAFE Palestine bridge financing will undergo a separate review process

Startup Grant Selection Criteria

1. Startup Growth Potential

The selection committee will evaluate each startup’s potential, founders’ commitments, team, traction and financial performance

2. Impact of the Crisis on a Startup

The impact of the current crisis on each individual startup will be taken into consideration when determining the amount of grant funding (up to $50K USD) each eligible startup may receive

3. Passing Compliance Checks

The financial committee will apply measures to ensure compliance with Palestinian law, Bank of Palestine’s stringint anti-money laundering policies, and other compliance policies