Manama : StartUp Bahrain, the leading platform for startups in Bahrain, supported by the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), hosted its highly anticipated StartUp Bahrain Pitch series at Youth City 2030.
The event was attended by Rawan bint Najeeb Tawfeeqi, the Minister of Youth Affairs, Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez, Chief Executive of the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) and Dalal Al Qais, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Development Bank (BDB).
The event was organised in collaboration with key industry stakeholders, including the Ministry of Industry & Commerce, the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), Bahrain Economic Development Board, and Bahrain Development Bank (BDB).
During the event, Tuba Terekli, Misk 2030 Leader, gave a keynote that covered key insights about pursuing entrepreneurship and succeeding at it.
The event showcased 5 Bahraini startups presenting their innovative ideas to a panel of experienced local and regional judges that included: Hassan Ikram, Founder and CEO of Cotyledon Co; Ahmed Eid، Investment Associate at Techstars; and Tuba Terekli, a Misk 2030 Leader; and Laith Zraikat, Founder of 12x VC.
The featured startups included Bayader, an educational app designed to develop the mindset and character of entrepreneurs through targeted training programs; Twazn, an innovative robo-advisory and digital investment platform that provides clients with access to highly affordable, customised investment portfolios tailored to their unique risk profiles; Numuw, a specialist platform for child and adolescent behavioral health, offering seamless collaboration between families/schools and certified experts; ArabiQuest, an Arabic language platform aimed at children designed with gamified literacy modules; and PetPal, a subscription-based service that solves the lack of personalization in the pet industry by delivering monthly boxes for cats and dogs.
After carefully evaluating each startup, the judges awarded first place to ArabiQuest, founded by Aqeela Allahyari, and second place to Numuw, founded by Ingy Alireza. Reflecting on their significant win, Aqeela Abbas expressed deep gratitude for the chance to showcase her startup on a national platform.
“We’re beyond grateful for the incredible support from Bahrain’s vibrant entrepreneurial community, including the Ministry of Industry & Commerce, the Economic Development Board, Tamkeen, and Bahrain Development Bank,” Aqeela said.
“This competition has been a crucial turning point for us, offering the opportunities and resources we needed to elevate our startup. The guidance from StartUp Bahrain and the encouragement from all the key players have truly shaped our journey, and we’re excited to continue growing and innovating in Bahrain.”
