• The four-week program is run by the Crown Prince’s International Alumni Association (CPISPAA) and Flat6Labs in Bahrain
• Students will gain startup experience through workshops, mentorship, and hands-on learning

 The Crown Prince’s International Scholarship Program Alumni Association (CPISPAA) and Flat6Labs, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s leading seed and early-stage venture capital firm, launched their annual Innovation Challenge. The Challenge aims to support Bahrain’s vision to develop highly skilled and talented entrepreneurs and to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem. The four-week program, which runs until the 13^th of July, equips 23 students and recent graduates with valuable skills that will support their future entrepreneurial careers and ambitions.  

The students joining the program are from the American University of Bahrain, Bahrain Polytechnic, University of Bahrain, and other universities and boarding schools in the US, UK, and GCC. The program will be conducted virtually. Students will receive mentorship and guidance for four weeks from experienced startup founders to enhance their skills.

“Practical startup skills are instrumental in today’s world for students and fresh graduates. Flat6Labs is happy to partner with CPISPAA to develop students’ ideas into tangible, sustainable products that will create impact,” said Saleh Abbas, Managing Director of Flat6Labs in Bahrain. “As regional leaders in the startup ecosystem, we are confident that the Innovation Program will provide students with the foundations of entrepreneurship and embed valuable design thinking, problem-solving, and pitching skills.”

Mahmood Abdulla, President of CPISPAA, said: “CPISPAA is committed to developing talent and supporting the youth in Bahrain. Through this rigorous program crafted with Flat6Labs, the Innovation Challenge serves the most ambitious of students and fosters the next generation of startup founders in Bahrain.”

CPISPAA launched in 2019 with the goal of mobilizing CPISP Alumni to support Bahraini youth through educational events, professional workshops, and networking events. Flat6Labs launched in Bahrain in 2018 and has invested in 50 startup companies. The company recently announced in a statement that it has successfully created over 200 jobs in the Kingdom of Bahrain.