Lebanon’s NAR Technologies Acquired by US-based B3bar Holdings

Lebanon-born startup NAR Technologies - a platform specialised in automating drone inspection management processes using cutting-edge tech - has been acquired by US-based B3Bar Holdings. Founded by Charlie El Khoury and Nicolas Zaatar, the startup is part of Leap Ventures’ portfolio, an investment firm that eyes some of the MENA region’s budding innovators.

NAR was backed up from its inception, with Leap Ventures and Speed Accelerator fuelling the startup with seed and enabling Khoury and Zaatar to advance their drone solutions; which involve intricate AI-software to give clients unmatched leverage on their own drone technology. NAR’s service processes and analyses juggernaut amounts of data in an efficient process that utilises both human input and A.I. The result of both makes for a swift system that provides analytics and findings in real-time.

“With NAR, drone pilots can manage and work with data in real-time and literally on the fly,” says B3Bar CCO Mothusi Pahl. “At B3Bar, our clients are ‘boots-on-the-ground’ engineers, inspectors and contractors. As we continue our expansion infrastructure and utilities, NAR brings proven tools that immediately reduce OPEX and help our clients deliver faster.”

NAR was inducted into Speed Accelerator after nabbing Microsoft’s Imagine Cup; an annual global competition hosted by the tech giant that calls on student developers to tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues. The win gained the startup traction, later aiding in investment and seed funding. Moreover, all the attention landed NAR the opportunity to participate in Silicon Valley’s LebNet Ignite immersion programme, an NGO focused on Lebanese professionals based in North America.

The Lebanese startup’s success is attributed to the founders’ passion for acquainting the market with the technology. “Charlie and Nicolas seemed very eager from the beginning to make it big, and they leveraged every Speed mentor they could find,” said Speed Accelerator CEO Sami Abou Saad. “You cannot but appreciate their persistence. They are a prime example of Lebanese talent developing innovative technologies to create value that serves global markets.”