FifthEdge, has been awarded a place on the exclusive Global Microsoft for Startups program. Powered by artificial intelligence and smart automation, the technology was chosen because of its potential to revolutionise construction recruitment, reducing costs and increasing efficiency for employers through innovative technology.

FifthEdge will be part of Microsoft’s global initiative dedicated to accelerating the trajectory of high-potential startups to enable growth at scale. Microsoft has engaged a team of its experts to explore and engage a selection of middle eastern homegrown, unique and innovative startup businesses in an effort to support economic recovery and growth, both regionally and globally. As a program member, FifthEdge will have exclusive access to Microsoft technology, mentorship and business support, enabling FifthEdge to maximise the adoption of the most recent advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and learning technology without having to develop them from scratch.

FifthEdge will use the Microsoft Azure global marketplace to scale quickly and reach a global audience in a short time, with built-in redundancy and security, and offer its support to employer brands operating regionally and globally.

“We’re honoured to be among such a select group of companies chosen to join the Microsoft for Startups program, and we plan to leverage this amazing opportunity to its fullest,” said FifthEdge’s founder Marcus Taylor.

“To be chosen against such fierce regional competition by a giant such as Microsoft is amazing in its own right, but our participation in the program comes at a critical time for both our company and the construction industry, as we move to recover from the pandemic, which has left the construction industry reeling,” he said.

Ali Samir Oosman, Strategic Partnerships & Deal Flow – Microsoft for Startups MEA, said: “The construction sector is an important growth driver across the Middle East. With construction practices having evolved rapidly as we build higher and use new materials, it is essential to ensure the right talent pool is readily available. This is what excites us at Microsoft for Startups about FifthEdge – they are innovating to ensure talent availability across the region in order to efficiently complete a project safely and budgeted in line with the demanding requirements of the sector. We hope to support them with access to Microsoft’s technology and growth opportunities across the Microsoft ecosystem.”