Hope Ventures, the investment arm of Hope Fund, and the United Arab Emirate’s Ministry of Economy partner on the expansion of Bahrain’s first entrepreneurial-themed reality show, Beban, in its highly anticipated second season.

The show’s expansion aligns with Hope’s mission to co-invest in high-potential, scalable, Bahraini-founded businesses and strategically accelerate their business growth into international markets. It will further support shortlisted Bahraini businesses through various means, such as the show’s distribution and airing on major UAE-based networks, therefore, providing added exposure for entrepreneurs around the GCC and the region.

Moreover, entrepreneurs will benefit from the ease of access to diversified UAE investors and strategic partners that will fast-track their businesses’ growth, cross-country expertise and knowledge sharing, and support in their regional expansion plans that lead up to scale internationally.

Commenting on the partnership, H.E. Aymen bin Tawfiq Almoayed, Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs and Chairman of Hope Fund, has shared: “We launched Beban to create an investment platform to showcase promising businesses and provide them with the opportunity to raise investments that can strategically contribute to their growth and expansion.”

He further added: “This partnership with the United Arab Emirates will further empower us to achieve this goal, as it will give entrepreneurs access to diverse investors, promote cross-border knowledge exchange between entrepreneurs, and provide regional exposure to businesses on the show. The success of the first season of Beban is a testament to the positive impact that such an initiative can have on the ecosystem, and we are confident in our plans of making season 2 bigger, louder, and more exciting.”

For his part, H.E. Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates, emphasized the value of the partnership between “The Entrepreneurial Nation” in the UAE and Hope Ventures in the Kingdom of Bahrain through Beban show. He further noted that it represents a key step forward in strengthening ties between entrepreneurs in both countries and easing their access to regional expertise, strategic business development opportunities, and equity investment opportunities in their respective markets in a manner that enhances the prosperity and growth of entrepreneurship and economic progress in both neighboring countries.

Hope Ventures thanks His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Affairs and Youth Affairs, for His guidance and unwavering support that led to the creation and development of Beban, which contributes to the shaping of a robust, regional investment ecosystem.

It is noteworthy to mention that shortlisted entrepreneurs from Bahrain and the UAE will undergo an intensive bootcamp delivered by Brinc MENA, where they will be provided with the tools and knowledge necessary to enhance their business models, access expert advice, and ensure they are ready to pitch to a panel of investors on T.V.

To stay up to date with all-things-Beban, make sure you follow the show’s accounts on social media @bebantvshow. You can also contact the Hope Ventures team via e-mail at (hello@hopefund.bh) for further support and guidance.