Pitch your startup away and thrive with Bahrain’s popular competition. Learn from industry experts, network with like-minded individuals, showcase your best self before esteemed judges, and secure incredible awards to bring your vision to life.
Your time to shine.
Apply
Your application will undergo evaluation and you will be contacted accordingly.
StartUp Bahrain Pitch is brought to you by Tamkeen, Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), Ministry of Industry & Commerce (MoIC), and Bahrain Development Bank (BDB).
1
THE APPLICATION
Requirements
Applying for the latest StartUp Bahrain cohort is easy! You’ll need to fill out a form and wait for the organizing team to get back to you with an acceptance or rejection letter. Here’s some of the information we may require during your application process:
- Personal Details: Information such as the applicant’s name, email, phone number, nationality, age, and Identity Number (CPR) will be required.
- Employment & Educational Details: Information around your current employment status and educational background will be required.
- Startup Details: Information around your startup, it’s Commercial Registration (CR), it’s revenue, stage, founding, product, and customers will be required.
- Team Details: Information around your team, co-founders, and their roles, may be required.
Applying does not guarantee a spot in this course. Your application will undergo evaluation and you will be contacted accordingly.
Criteria
Your startup needs to meet the following criteria when applying for StartUp Bahrain Pitch.
✔︎ A minimum viable product ready to showcase.
✔︎ A high potential for scalability with an innovative concept.
✔︎ A product/service relevant to the local/regional market.
✔︎ Be Bahrain-based with an existing Commercial Registration (CR).
The criteria may be adjusted from time to time based on the requirements of the program.
2
THE BOOTCAMP
Bootcamp
Raise: The Art of Fundraising is your starting point, the training you need to prepare you for pitching and investment. The 2-week bootcamp will cover everything to help you prepare for fundraising and pitching before investors. You will gain a solid foundation in entrepreneurship and be better equipped to launch and grow.
- Duration: 2-Weeks, 4-Hour Evening Classes
Delivery
The bootcamp will be delivered through hands-on workshops, and fireside chats with one-on-one office hours.
Facilitator
The training bootcamp is being conducted by Spring Venture Services. They empower MENA founders to build the next wave of exceptional startups. Backed by Al-Waha Fund of Funds, and global venture capital firm Hambro Perks, they equip founders with capital, expert in-house capability, and verification from MENA’s leading investors to build startups with a greater probability of success.
Modules
The bootcamp’s training include the following modules.
✔︎ Introduction to Global Investment Ecosystem
✔︎ Startup Success Stories
✔︎ New Funding Rounds
✔︎ Equity Crowdfunding
✔︎ Art of Pitching to Investors
✔︎ Key Investment Documents
✔︎ Data Room
✔︎ Business Development and Value Creation
✔︎ The Problem/Solution Fit and Product/Market-fit
✔︎ Valuation
✔︎ Exit Strategies
✔︎ Post Investment Monitoring
✔︎ Determine your Required Investment Size
The training modules may be adjusted from time to time based on the requirements of the training.
3
THE PITCH
Event
This is the main event, the pitch night will give you your time to shine. Present your startup before an incredible audience and a panel of esteemed judges and get the chance to win the grand prize after weeks of hard work.
The event will give shortlisted participating startups the opportunity to each present their startups, followed by an evaluation, and concluding with a winner being announced. The winners will receive a cash prize deployed against meeting milestones and could also have the opportunity to receive further funding or support from program partners.
Agenda
The agenda for the main event at the StartUp Bahrain Pitch normally follows the following format:
- Arrival, Registration, Networking: Attendance registration and networking while everyone gathers.
- Welcoming Speech: Welcoming remarks from key stakeholders of the event.
- Keynote Speech: Inspirational and insightful speech from a world-class keynote speaker.
- Pitches: A several-minute pitch followed by questions/answers with the judges for each of the participating startups.
- Short Break: A networking break for the attendees while the judges evaluate the results.
- Winner Announcement: The winner is announced and is awarded the StartUp Bahrain Pitch prize.
- Closing Speech: Final closing remarks followed by optional networking between the attendees.
The event's agenda may change from time to time based on the requirements of the event.
THE REVIEWS
Participating in the StartUp Bahrain Pitch expanded our network, boosted visibility, and facilitated meaningful discussions with potential investors. — Participant
The opportunity to pitch to a panel of judges was invaluable. I got great feedback and learned how to improve what we’re working on with our startup. — Winner ????
I had the privilege of finally meeting a key investor I had been eager to connect with. Our conversation exceeded expectations, we discussed potential alignment of our vision. — Participant
Startup Bahrain Pitch gave us some answers to things that we were thinking about for a while. Our win really validated that we are on the right track. The recognition feels good! — Winner ????
It ignited a fire in me to push my business even harder and aim for its future growth. I want to scale it up and make Bahrain’s startup ecosystem truly proud. — Participant
The sense of community was really inspiring. It was great to be surrounded by other entrepreneurs and investors who are all supportive of each other. — Winner ????
The connections were the best part of the event! I’ve got so many contacts after the event and gained traction for Rokn’s offerings. — Winner ????
The connections I established, provided our startup with unprecedented visibility and opened doors to collaboration opportunities that aligned perfectly. — Participant
Working with family and the right people makes all the difference. Having a strong and dynamic team is everything. — Winner ????
Our win pushed us and motivated us to do and work more. We got listed in 3 supermarkets and 5 other retailers (including gyms, cafes, online platforms, and health stores). We are working on exporting our products to Saudi Arabia soon! — Winner ????
Met great and talented people through the training and got connected to a fantastic panel of judges. Learning from one another is great especially since it was from diverse industries. — Winner ????
Connecting with fellow entrepreneurs, showcasing to potential investors, and engaging in serious investment talks were standout takeaways. — Participant
The networking opportunities were amazing. I met so many awesome people who could potentially become our partners or customers. — Winner ????
The energy of the crowd was absolutely invigorating. It’s motivating to see so many people enthusiastic about innovation and entrepreneurship. — Participant
Rokn is more validated after the pitching event. It was a valuable opportunity to receive validation and feedback from experienced professionals, industry experts and potential customers. — Winner ????
I would say the questions, comments and insights shared after the pitch. This feedback helped shaping Rokn’s direction toward success. Also it was very crucial to build my confidence, improve the storytelling of Rokn and effectively communicate its essence. — Winner ????
I’m happy that this win affected Ahmed (Down Syndrome kid who attended the event with me as a live case) positively! He is holding this memory as an achievement in his life which really shows Rokn vision in supporting special needs children. — Winner ????
I gained some valuable mentorship and had some insightful conversations about Real Estate. Interestingly, many seemed to benefit from my knowledge as well, which was a pleasant surprise. The exchange was definitely a two-way street. — Participant
