More startups and entrepreneurship stakeholders have started to adapt and enhance their services in light of the COVID-19 – known as the “coronavirus” – spread, in an aim to help customers and partners get through this phase safely and healthy.
Highlights from the ecosystem:
1. The Cairo Angels seek solutions for “We’ve got your back” initiative with EGP 100,000
Angel investment network The Cairo Angels is supporting the #احنا_في_ضهرك (“We’ve got your back”) initiative with EGP 100,000, which aims at helping elderly or vulnerable people living alone complete their shopping and errands. The network is seeking to establish a secure and updated database for volunteers, whose identity can be verified through social media accounts and ID cards, with the inclusion of reviews. Hence, existing startups and/or startup founders are needed to develop the product and launch it within one week. Applications are accepted until March 25th, 2020.
2. Taskty offers sanitization services for companies, factories
Home improvement website Taskty built teams to offer sanitization services for companies and factories alike at cheap prices, following the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Egyptian Ministry of Health. Additionally, Taskty is conducting phone training with the cleaners, technicians, and workers that are registered on their website on how to best keep themselves and their customers safe.
3. estshara launches “Salamet Masr” initiative
Medical consultation platform estshara launched the Salamet Masr initiative to help fight COVID-19, by providing free medical consultations on the coronavirus through its application by consulting a doctor via a voice call or text chat. Moreover, the app spreads awareness and educates the community about the symptoms and methods of preventing the disease. Users can access the free consultations by entering the promo code “freedoc” in the estshara application, available until March 31, 2020. estshara is a platform that provides online healthcare consultations, aiming to make healthcare services accessible to everyone in the MENA region.
4. WideBot builds free Arabic-speaking chatbots for businesses
Arabic chatbot company WideBot is offering three months of bot building for free on their platform so that businesses can completely shift their communication with other brands, employees and customers online. Using the promo code “BeSafe” allows interested businesses and startups to set up their chatbots, and thus, reduce face-to-face interactions. Widebot is the first Arabic-focused bot-builder platform, which does not require coding and uses AI to maximize conversions and increase loyalty.
5. TakeStep offers free sessions, launches COVID-19 symptom-checker with Al-Tibbi
Egyptian healthcare startup TakeStep now offers startups and their families free psychiatric sessions in order to help them cope with the psychological impact of the COVID-19 spread worldwide. Psychologists are coining the term “corona phobia” to describe how people are affected by the panic and fear that comes along with the virus-spread. This could include anxiety, depression, as well as severe fear of germs. Additionally, TakeStep partnered with Al-Tibbi to launch a free symptom-checker for the coronavirus, in which website visitors can enter the symptoms they feel, and be diagnosed either positive or negative for COVID-19.
6. Brainy Squad launches free online consultations for businesses
Creative agency Brainy Squad launched free online consultation sessions to support businesses facing economic consequences of the spread of COVID-19. These sessions provide expertise to help businesses adopt the best digital transformation tactics to ensure continuity and growth under the current conditions. Brainy Squad is a creative one-stop-shop for businesses’ digital and creative needs.
7. Breadfast waives delivery fees, adds more products for customers’ convenience
Online native grocery application Breadfast added more commodities to its offering at their customers’ convenience, in support of the ”stay at home” safety measures. These products include fruits, vegetables, groceries, hand sanitizers, and face masks. Additionally, the company applied special safety standards at all stages of production, packaging, and delivery, while customers can leave a note to have their order left at the door. Breadfast also waived all delivery fees until the end of the month in support of customers’ circumstances during the current times. Breadfast is an online grocery application that produces fresh bakeries using products like eggs and flour also produced by Breadfast, in addition to providing other groceries delivered daily to their customers’ doorstep.