Manama: Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy and Chairman of Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat), attended the closing of the fifth edition of StartUp Bahrain Weekend, organised by the StartUp Bahrain initiative, the Kingdom of Bahrain's national start-up platform supported by the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), at the American University of Bahrain (AUBH).
According to Bahrain News Agency, the event gathered over 200 entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and marketers. The winners were Team As-humi in first place, Echelon in second, and Bestook in third, while Team Salesfy won the "DOO" Choice Award and Gymna won the "NineDots" Choice Award.
Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa underlined Bahrain's commitment to supporting youth entrepreneurship as a key driver of economic development. He highlighted the rapid growth of the Kingdom's entrepreneurial ecosystem and its achievements, supported by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the government's efforts to implement the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to advance economic growth and create quality opportunities for citizens.
The Finance Minister noted that the StartUp Bahrain Weekend initiative is a successful national model that encourages Bahraini youth to innovate and transform ideas into entrepreneurial projects that drive economic growth and enhance Bahrain's competitiveness regionally and globally. He added that start-ups are among the main engines of the global economy and are expected to generate over 14% of jobs worldwide within the next five years, making them a vital source of growth. He emphasised that start-ups play a major role in promoting innovation through the increased use of artificial intelligence and digital solutions, making them essential to building the economies of the future.
He commended the role of Tamkeen, chaired by His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Minister of the Prime Minister's Court and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tamkeen, for its support of programmes aimed at developing national talent, enhancing entrepreneurship, and advancing an innovation- and knowledge-based economy.
Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa also highlighted the government's efforts to foster a supportive environment for entrepreneurship by facilitating access to funding and simplifying regulations. He noted that Bahrain is ranked among the top start-up ecosystems in the Middle East and North Africa, according to the Global Startup Ecosystem Report. He called for celebrating Bahrain's entrepreneurial community for its courage in creating jobs, its innovation for the future, and its contribution to the resilience of the national economy.
During the event, an annual competition for students from the University of Bahrain's (UoB) College of Business Administration was announced, in partnership with Tamkeen. The initiative was launched by Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of UoB, to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship among graduates, support business creation, and contribute to national economic development.
The event was held in collaboration with local and regional partners, including Brink, General Assembly Bahrain, Reboot Coding Institute, Spring Venture Services, Ordable, NineDots, Unipal, AUBH, and DOO.
The 54-hour programme included intensive sessions led by more than 20 experts from leading institutions and companies in Bahrain. The keynote address was delivered by Ali Alalawi, founder of Unipal, who underlined the importance of such initiatives as platforms for turning creative ideas into real projects with lasting economic impact.
On her part, Salma Houari, Director of the Investcorp Innovation Lab at AUBH, said that StartUp Bahrain Weekend serves as an ideal platform to support high-potential teams, adding that the partnership with StartUp Bahrain allows winners to join the Innovation Lab's incubation programme, which offers MIT-style mentorship and pathways for collaboration with companies towards investment readiness.