Arabnet Arabnet

Mawwell is an international reward-based crowdfunding platform. The service will allow project owners to run campaigns in order to raise money from pledgers for their projects. In return, pledgers will be able to pre-order goods or services at a competitive price or receive rewards.

The platform, which is based in the UK, will be available in Arabic and English and will put special emphasize on MENA-based talent and creative people seeking international exposure and support.

The service is currently closing the first round of projects and is set to launch in the summer.

The story so far

Mawwell was founded by a startup investment professional who happens to be a geek and who is surrounded by a team of digital marketers, geeks, and art fanatics! The identity of these individuals currently remains a secret, but Mawwell promises that this info will be shared soon.

Mawwell was born because of the strikingly lack of financial support provided to project owners who have creative and innovative ideas too "small" to generate enough revenues for VCs and too risky for bankers, especially in MENA. The platform was built to bridge the gap between project owners and people wanting to support a project in exchange of receiving exclusive rewards.

How does it work?

Project owners will set their funding goal. Contrary to existing MENA crowdfunding platforms, pledges will be paid automatically to the project owner if, and only if, the campaign's goal is reached or exceeded by the deadline. Otherwise, all pledges will be automatically cancelled and no transaction will occur.

Mawwell, in return, takes a percentage of the amount of money successfully raised by project owners.

Who can submit?

Mawwell welcomes creative and innovative project owners above 18 years old. People between the ages of 13 and 18 are should have parental or legal guardian consent. The service welcomes music, technology, movies, photography, design, fashion, art, publishing, and gaming projects. Charity projects will not be considered.

Thoughts on the competition

Mawwell stated: "There are great reward-based crowdfunding platforms all around the world and this is fantastic news for project owners looking to get their idea off the ground as well as for pledgers looking to receive exclusive and unique rewards. The more platforms there will be, the better. In MENA, we salute the pioneering of Aflamnah which specializes in crowdfunding for movies. More globally we are impressed with the success of Kickstarter in the US, Indiegogo and Ulule on an international basis."