IN THE LOOP
Inviting innovation
Middle East luxury retailer Chalhoub Group invites tech entrepreneurs and startups for its new retail accelerator
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ENA entrepreneurs, if you are working on a solution that has the potential to shake up the retail sector, this new challenge is sure to help you. Chalhoub Group, a Middle East luxury retailer, is looking for tech startups with ready to deploy products addressing a set of retail challenges through their new Greenhouse Accelerator. Referring to their initiative as “not a typical startup accelerator,” Chalhoub Group notes on the official website that the “equity-free program will accelerate the implementation of the right solutions” at the heart of its own company. Essentially, the ideas emerging out of the program stand a chance to carry out pilots and case studies with brands from Chalhoub Group, and get an opportunity to deploy their solutions at the MENA retail major. In the process, the entrepreneurs/teams will also get to work closely with and gain mentorship from retail and digital experts. Chalhoub Group’s Head of Customer Experience and Marketing, Grégoire Charpe-
20 / E N T R E P R E N E U R . C O M / July 2018
Civatte, Chief Transformation Officer, Rania Masri, and Head of Greenhouse Accelerator/Innovation Lab, Dina Sidani, are a few of the mentors who are set to be involved in the process. “As a leading retailer of luxury in the Middle East, we’ve decided to transform,” said Patrick Chalhoub, Co-CEO, Chalhoub Group, announcing the initiative on the website. “Our north star vision is to become a hybrid retailer delivering luxury experiences to the fingertips of our customers everywhere. This is a unique opportunity for tech companies and startups from all over the world to implement and test their solution with the largest fashion group in the Middle East.” “We are looking to collaborate with you with the goal of being your customer or licensing your technology,” he adds. “We may also invest in you at later stages,” reads the information on the equity-free program, taking place from September to December 2018 in Dubai, UAE, and accompanied with a grant of US$20,000, and access to a co-working space. Some of the retail challenges that the accelerator is looking to tackle relates to creating a personalized in-store experience, optimizing operations, omni-channel retail, and human capital allocation in the sector. Applications for Chalhoub Group’s Greenhouse Retail Accelerator are open until July 10. www.chalhoubgreenhouse.com
NOON ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH EBAY ”Our partnership with eBay opens a whole new world of shopping experience,” says founder Mohamed Alabbar
Mohamed Alabbar
The Mohamed Alabbarfounded e-commerce platform noon has inked a partnership with the California-based multinational eBay, which will see the former’s customers in the Middle East be able to buy products from the latter’s global marketplace. “noon is connecting the region with the global e-commerce market through our partnership with eBay,” said Alabbar, in a statement. “With this, we are offering our customers access to products that are not otherwise readily available in the region. As a brand from the region,
we listen to our customers and tailor the online retail experience to suit their needs.” The partnership will see noon fulfil all eBay orders made on noon, and deliver it directly to the customers’ doorstep. According to a release, noon and eBay will also “explore joint opportunities in marketing, know-how and best practices sharing to leverage the strong growth of online shopping in the region.” “Our partnership with eBay opens a whole new world of shopping experience,” Alabbar added. “E-commerce continuously evolves, and this partnership guarantees noon stays on top of the trends and consumer preferences.” noon’s partnership with eBay follows fellow regional e-commerce venture Souq’s announcement in December 2017, which saw the enterprise, thanks to its acquisition by Amazon earlier that same year, offer its customers in the region the opportunity to shop over million products on Amazon.
IMAGE CREDIT CHALHOUB GROUP, MOHAMED ALABBAR
Patrick Chalhoub, Co-CEO, Chalhoub Group