Derawi Tides joins FasterCapital LaunchUp to scale tidal energy
AUSTIN, Texas United States & Dubai, UAE - Jul 22, 2025
Derawi Tides and FasterCapital today announced a strategic partnership through FasterCapital’s LaunchUp program to accelerate development of a 7 km canal and tidal turbine system in Inchiri, Mauritania. The collaboration targets commercial deployment of a solution expected to generate ~3 TWh/year of predictable, emission-free energy for regional markets and global impact.
Market opportunity & problem statement
Global electricity demand and decarbonization targets are driving rapid growth in renewable baseload solutions. Tidal and marine energy markets are projected to expand as countries seek predictable, low-carbon alternatives to intermittent generation. Large below-sea-level depressions with tidal access remain largely untapped; Sudqi Canal addresses this white space by converting natural tidal differentials into utility-scale power, offering a compelling alternative to conventional infrastructure and reducing reliance on fossil-fuel imports.
Startup solution & differentiation
Derawi Tides proposes excavating a 7-km canal connecting a 2,000 km² below-sea-level depression near Nouakchott to the Atlantic, leveraging tidal head differentials and high-efficiency turbines to produce ~3 TWh/year. The design emphasizes environmental safeguards, biodiversity enhancement, and grid-ready integration with optional storage. Early site studies, tidal modeling and community engagement have validated feasibility; the concept differentiates through scale, predictability of output, and lower lifecycle emissions versus thermal plants or large-scale desalination-coupled projects.
FasterCapital partnership value
Through the LaunchUp program, FasterCapital will provide technical validation, go-to-market advisory, investor readiness coaching and introductions to strategic partners across the UAE and international energy markets. FasterCapital’s selective criteria and track record in scaling capital-efficient, tech-enabled ventures provide an independent validation signal. The partnership targets completion of advanced engineering, environmental assessments and seed capital rounds within 12–18 months to move toward construction readiness.
Executive quotes
“[Sudqi Canal] represents the kind of bold, infrastructure-scale innovation that can shift regional energy markets,” said Hesham Zreik. “FasterCapital’s LaunchUp is designed to accelerate founders with viable, scalable solutions — and this project aligns with our thesis on climate-forward infrastructure.” Founder Yazan dereyah added, “Partnering with FasterCapital gives us the technical, financial and market access to refine our design, fast-track permitting and engage regional stakeholders. We aim to make tidal baseload a reality for West Africa and beyond.”
Growth trajectory & future plans
Near-term milestones include final FEED-level modeling, environmental permitting and a seed funding round (target $5–8 million) to support canal engineering and pilot turbine installation. Longer-term plans include phased construction, regional grid integration and export partnerships, with ambitions to replicate the model in other coastal depressions globally.
About Derawi Tides
Derawi Tides is a renewable infrastructure initiative founded by Yazan R. S. Khalil to harness tidal differentials in Mauritania for large-scale clean power generation. The project combines engineering, environmental stewardship and local economic development to deliver predictable, low-carbon electricity.
About FasterCapital
FasterCapital is a global startup studio and venture incubator that accelerates technology ventures through capital, mentoring and market access. Its LaunchUp program focuses on scalable, capital-efficient innovations across energy, fintech and deep tech.