StartUp Bahrain, the leading startup ecosystem platform in the Kingdom of Bahrain, held its first pitching event as part of the StartUp Bahrain Pitch series. The event was held in collaboration the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), the Economic Development Board and Bahrain Development Bank. During the event, seven local startups pitched their concepts to a panel of judges in the presence of investors and ecosystem leaders for potential investment opportunities and a grand prize for the first place winner.

Bahrain is home to a rich startup ecosystem and is the ideal launchpad for businesses to start and expand locally and regionally. Furthermore, the kingdom prioritized fostering entrepreneurship and providing support for startups across various stages of their growth journey. As part of these efforts, access to finance was at the front and center as it is a key element in the development and growth of startups. For this reason, several key stakeholders in Bahrain’s ecosystem came together to launch the StartUp Bahrain Pitch initiative to provide a platform for Bahraini startups to connect with investors and secure funding.

On this occasion, Mr. Ali Hasan, Executive Director of Programs and Partnership Development at the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) emphasized Tamkeen’s commitment to empowering the startup ecosystem in Bahrain through tailored support programs and initiatives. He stated: “We made it a priority to tackle one of the key obstacles startups’ growth, which is access to funding and finance. StartUp Bahrain Pitch allows entrepreneurs at the same stage of development to pitch in front of a panel of local and international investors to secure funding necessary for them to grow and expand.”

He added: “Startups need funding to hire the talent they require, expand their operations to new segments and markets, develop new services and products, and innovate, all which can lead to a positive impact across the national economy.”

The startups pitched technology-based concepts that provided innovative solutions within various sectors, such as tourism, real estate, education, gaming, creative industries, and more. The concepts were well-received by the judges who commended the startups on their efforts and following a thorough judging process announced the winner, Fablemill, an award-winning boutique production house and advisory firm focused on amplifying stories from the Arab world.

Commenting on their win, Ms. Eman AlSabah, Founder of Fablemill, expressed gratitude to the various stakeholders involved in organizing this initiative and discussed plans for growing Fablemill, stating: “We are proud to have won the first edition of the StartUp Bahrain Pitch competition. Fablemill has ambitious plans ahead to continue developing Arab stories which reflect local heritage, traditions, and mythology while also amplifying female voices and empowering local creative talent. Events like the pitch competition bring us closer to developing our project pipeline, and we are tremendously grateful for the support and guidance provided by Tamkeen, the Economic Development Board, Bahrain Development Bank, and the wider StartUp Bahrain community.”

Over the years, Tamkeen supported entrepreneurs and startups in Bahrain through various programs and initiatives, supporting in the process 19K entrepreneurs launch new businesses and facilitating access to financing for over 7,000 small and micro enterprises. Moreover, Tamkeen introduced specialized entrepreneurship programs and initiatives such as the Young Entrepreneur (Mashroo3i 2.0) program, the Global-Ready Entrepreneur program, and more.

StartUp Bahrain is set to open applications for the next cohort of StartUp Bahrain Pitch. Entrepreneurs looking to enhance their pitching skills and pitch in front of seasoned investors should keep an eye on their official channels to make the most out of this opportunity.