With the participation of startups from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.. Intersect Business Incubator celebrates promising Palestinian startups at the graduation ceremony of the eighth cohort of the "STIR" program

Intersect Business Incubator, the entrepreneurial arm of Bank of Palestine Group, celebrated a new generation of promising Palestinian technology startups that participated in the eighth edition of Intersect's leading startup incubation program, the "Startup in Residence (STIR)" program. The conclusion of this edition was crowned with the graduation ceremony of the program's eighth cohort, which was organized in Ramallah, with the participation of startups involved in the program from the Gaza Strip via Zoom video conferencing technology.

The ceremony was attended by representatives from prominent local and regional entrepreneurial institutions, along with STIR program mentors, partners, and alumni from previous cohorts, in the presence of Ms. Lana Abu Hijleh, Chairperson of Intersect Incubator's Board of Directors, and a number of Intersect board members, and Thaer Hamayel, General Manager of PalPay - the fintech arm of Bank of Palestine Group, in addition to the Intersect programs team.

After six months of structured learning, intensive mentorship, professional guidance, and practical support, the program culminated in a closing ceremony that showcased a selection of the most distinguished startups in this cohort. The event brought together an elite group of entrepreneurs, investors, business environment enablers, mentors, and partners to celebrate the achievements of the participating companies and explore prospects for future cooperation and growth.

This program is supported by Bank of Palestine Group and Proparco, a subsidiary of the French Development Agency (AFD) Group, and aims to empower early-stage entrepreneurs and provide them with the knowledge, skills, guidance, and resources necessary to transform innovative ideas into market-ready projects.

In her speech, Ms. Abu Hijleh congratulated the startups participating in the eighth edition of the program, emphasizing the bank's commitment to supporting young entrepreneurs in Palestine. Abu Hijleh added, "At the bank, we affirm our continuous commitment to supporting young innovators and fostering an inclusive entrepreneurial environment, not only through 'Intersect' but also by providing funding opportunities and long-term support for startups across Palestine. Although we are concluding the eighth edition of the program today, the journey continues; the six-month incubation period is only a first step in the journey of every startup, and we hope to see all participating companies today progress and be able to attract funding and achieve a sustainable impact, with our continuous support."

For his part, Mr. Hamayel, in his speech, pointed to potential partnership and funding opportunities, specifically with "PalPay," noting ongoing discussions to explore ways of future cooperation to support the growth and expansion of startups. Emphasis was also placed on the importance of providing post-incubation support, with a focus on building broader partnerships and activating engagement in the business environment to help startups accelerate their growth locally and regionally.

Reham Da'bas, from the Intersect incubator team, also provided a general and brief overview of the STIR program's journey and its development over five years, highlighting the program's growth, its impact, and its contribution to developing the entrepreneurial environment in Palestine.

Speakers highlighted the values of resilience, innovation, and determination demonstrated by the participating founders, emphasizing the pivotal role that entrepreneurship and innovation play in creating opportunities and driving economic development in Palestine, especially during challenging times.

During the ceremony, seven selected startups presented their projects, showcased their products, and interacted directly with the audience through a live Q&A session. These companies included three startups from the Gaza Strip and four startups from the West Bank, where the companies showcased the remarkable progress each had made during their incubation journey, representing diverse sectors including: Fintech, HealthTech, EdTech, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Software as a Service (SaaS), and E-Commerce.

Three startups from the Gaza Strip presented their pitches via video conferencing technologies. Makeflow provided an overview of its AI-powered front-office operating system for medical clinics, which automates bookings, answers common patient inquiries, and sends reminders and guidance via WhatsApp and social media platforms, thus replacing manual administrative work with its innovative system. Wessal - Wessal from the Gaza Strip, presented an integrated software platform that enables users to follow governance principles and audit operational communication channels for schools and institutions, with the aim of managing attendance and absence and workflow notifications. MedicoAI showcased a unified healthcare platform that integrates clinics, laboratories, pharmacies, and AI-powered diagnostics into one seamless operating system.

From Ramallah, Students Hub participated, which developed an integrated academic platform aimed at guiding Palestinian students in choosing their university majors, tracking their academic rates, and achieving university success, supported by an interactive student community.

In turn, Loyint from Nablus participated by presenting its digital platform, which the company developed to enhance restaurant customer loyalty. The platform helps restaurant owners and managers convert transient visitors into permanent customers through a rewards system, interaction tracking, and referral and recommendation tools.

Two companies from Hebron also participated, where Wamda showcased a mobile-based "social commerce" operating system, specifically designed for small merchants in Palestine who offer sales through various communication channels and social media platforms, as this system will provide them with an integrated storefront without the need for specific technical skills. In addition to Seola, which showcased an integrated solution for Islamic supply chain finance, which connects retailers with Sharia-compliant financing, through an innovative alternative credit scoring engine called (NeoScore).

Since its inception, the STIR program has successfully completed eight cohorts, graduating more than 65 startups, and providing support to over 120 entrepreneurs. Building on this momentum, Intersect will soon open applications for the ninth cohort of the program, to welcome a new generation of entrepreneurs ready to transform ambitious ideas into scalable startups.

About the STIR Program

The "Startup in Residence" (STIR) program was established in 2021 and is Intersect Incubator's leading incubation program, specifically designed to support early-stage Palestinian entrepreneurs in transforming their innovative ideas into market-ready projects. Over the past five years, STIR has evolved into a comprehensive and structured program that accompanies founders through idea validation, product development, business growth, and investment readiness stages. The program is currently offered through Intersect centers in Ramallah, Nablus, and Hebron, in addition to its virtual extension in the Gaza Strip, allowing for a hybrid incubation model that integrates training, personalized mentorship, professional guidance, networking opportunities, and post-incubation support.