Dar Ventures, the venture capital arm of Dar Al-Handasah, has announced a collaboration with global innovation platform Plug and Play to expand DarE, a program dedicated to supporting startups in architecture, engineering, construction, and the broader built environment. The program is designed to connect participating startups with major companies, investors, industry experts, and international markets.
Program Overview and Collaboration
• Program name: DarE, operated by Dar Ventures in collaboration with Plug and Play.
• Focus: startups developing technologies for architecture, engineering, construction, infrastructure, and the built environment.
• Primary goal: strengthen the next phase of DarE and expand its reach across global growth markets.
• Collaboration model: combines Dar Al-Handasah's engineering expertise, technical capabilities, and project network with Plug and Play's global innovation, investment, and startup acceleration ecosystem.
• Core support: helps startups turn technology solutions into commercially viable applications for construction, engineering, infrastructure, and related built environment sectors.
• Key opportunities: testing solutions through real-world use cases, building relationships with major companies, accessing investors and capital, and entering new markets.
Global Community and Ecosystem Approach
• Through DarE, Dar Ventures is building a global community focused on architecture, engineering, construction, and built environment technology.
• Startups gain access to sector expertise, commercial opportunities, strategic relationships, and investment networks.
• The next phase extends beyond a traditional accelerator model, with the goal of creating a continuous ecosystem that brings together startups, industry leaders, investors, major companies, and experts involved in designing, building, operating, and managing the built environment.
• The program helps startups validate the commercial and technical viability of their solutions through real-world projects.
• It supports the development of strategic relationships with industry organizations and provides access to investment networks.
• DarE also helps participating companies enter new markets and expand internationally.
• The program is developing a global DarE alumni community to maintain relationships after each cohort ends and create further opportunities for collaboration, investment, knowledge exchange, and commercial expansion across the built environment ecosystem.
Sector Focus: AI, IoT, and Smart Cities
• Participating startups benefit from Plug and Play's international network across sectors connected to the built environment.
• Priority areas include construction, infrastructure, Internet of Things technologies, artificial intelligence, smart cities, sustainability, and enterprise technology.
• The program operates at a time when the built environment sector is being transformed by increasing adoption of AI, automation, data technologies, digital connectivity, and sustainability solutions.
• DarE focuses on startups developing technologies that can improve how the built environment is designed, built, operated, and managed.
• It also targets solutions addressing operational, technical, and commercial challenges faced by companies and projects across the sector.
• Participating startups gain access to Dar Al-Handasah's technical and engineering expertise to help refine their solutions and assess their applicability in construction, infrastructure, and related industries.
Target Companies and Eligibility
• DarE primarily targets startups with global growth potential, particularly those operating in or seeking access to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
• Applications are also open to startups from other regions worldwide.
• Eligible startup stages include Pre-seed, Seed, and Pre-series A.
• Companies should have developed a usable minimum viable product or a market-ready product.
• Applicants are expected to demonstrate initial evidence of market validation or customer interest.
• Startups should also show clear potential for commercial adoption, growth, scalability, and international expansion.
Program Structure and Support
• The program runs for 12 weeks.
• Selected startups receive specialized support tailored to their needs and growth stage.
• The program includes one-on-one mentoring and advisory sessions.
• Participants gain direct exposure to companies and organizations operating across the built environment sector.
• Startups can engage with investors, corporations, and industry partners to explore commercial and investment opportunities.
• The program supports access to international markets, the development of strategic partnerships, and the testing of solutions in real-world operating environments.
• This support is intended to help startups turn developed technologies into commercially applicable, scalable products and solutions.
Plug and Play Network and Dar Group Scale
• The collaboration gives DarE participants access to Plug and Play's global network, which includes more than 550 corporate and government partners across more than 60 offices worldwide.
• Plug and Play has supported the growth of more than 10,000 startups since 2012.
• Its ecosystem spans more than 25 sectors, providing participants with access to a broad network of partners, experts, investors, and potential customers.
• The collaboration aims to use this network to connect DarE startups with global commercial and investment opportunities.
• It also supports access to large organizations, potential customers, and new markets while helping accelerate commercial adoption of participating startups' solutions.
• Dar Ventures is the venture capital arm of Dar Al-Handasah, an international design and engineering firm and a founding member of Dar Group.
• Dar Group employs more than 55,000 people from over 70 countries and operates through approximately 450 offices worldwide.
• Its expertise spans the built environment, construction, transport, energy, water, environment, aviation, defense, commercial development, and related growth sectors.
• The group includes a network of more than 100 companies and investments in 13 businesses operating across the built environment in multiple geographies.
• This ecosystem gives participating startups access to a broad network of technical expertise, projects, potential partners, and international relationships.
Leadership Perspectives
• Faisal Al Shaer, co-founder of Dar Ventures, said the built environment remains one of the world's largest industries while many parts of the sector have yet to realize the full potential of technology.
• He said this creates an opportunity to accelerate how cities and infrastructure are designed, built, and managed, and that DarE aims to expand access to technologies and innovations capable of contributing to this transformation.
• He also highlighted that combining specialized built environment expertise with technological innovation can help startups turn their solutions into commercially viable applications.
• Nader Abu Shadi, co-founder of Dar Ventures, said DarE was established as a platform to support entrepreneurs and help startups advance their technologies and businesses to later stages of growth.
• He added that the collaboration with Plug and Play expands the program's ability to identify promising founders and connect them with relevant expertise, customers, markets, and investors.
• Participating companies may also benefit from opportunities across the wider Dar ecosystem and gain access to capital that can support growth and expansion.
• Karima El Hakim, Plug and Play partner responsible for Africa, highlighted Dar Al-Handasah's global expertise across multiple areas of the built environment.
• She said the next phase of DarE will combine that sector expertise with Plug and Play's global innovation, investment, and corporate network to connect entrepreneurs more directly with industry stakeholders.
• The collaboration also aims to accelerate commercial adoption of startup technologies and support solutions that could contribute to the future development of the global construction and built environment sectors.
Application and Timeline
• Dar Ventures and Plug and Play have opened applications for the next DarE cohort.
• Application Deadline: 24 October 2026.
• Program activities are scheduled to begin in November 2026.
With applications open until 24 October 2026 and program activities beginning in November 2026, DarE offers a structured pathway for startups seeking to validate their solutions in real built environment projects, engage with major companies and investors, and expand internationally. The collaboration brings together Dar Al-Handasah's sector expertise and Plug and Play's global innovation network to support emerging technologies across the built environment.