- In its 6th edition, Zainnovate has successfully made efforts to support Bahrain's Vision 2030 as a leading tech and startup hub
- Zain Bahrain has helped create an entrepreneurial environment in the Kingdom by providing the necessary support for the SME sector.
Manama: Zain Bahrain, a leading telecommunications provider in the Kingdom, is proud to announce it has successfully concluded the 6th edition of Zainnovate in partnership with Alkeri and Oqal Angel Investors Network. Through the Zainnovate initiative, Oqal Angel Investors Network, the first Angel investor community in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Alkeri Partners, a Bahrain based startup foundry, successfully supported securing investors from its network to invest in three of its Bahrain Chapter cohort startups in the GCC. Okadoc, a Dubai based booking platform for doctors; Dalooni, a Bahrain based e-commerce application and Unipal, a Bahrain-based student platform application based in Bahrain.
Since its launch in 2019, the Zainnovate initiative has hosted 6 editions both physically and virtually and has seen 19 startup founders pitch their business ideas to investors to raise funds during the ‘Demo Day’ sessions. Three cohort startups successfully gained the attention of investors from the Oqal Angel Investors Network. With a total attendance of 40 pax per event, Zainnovate has been a huge success amongst the startup community since its launch. Zain Bahrain has positively managed to host the event at their premises pre pandemic and virtually during the pandemic to continuously support startups to grow, develop, and sustain even during challenging times, in addition to creating an entrepreneurial environment in the Kingdom. By providing a strategic platform such as Zainnovate, Zain Bahrain has uninterruptedly made efforts to support Bahrain's Vision 2030 as a leading tech and startup hub in the region that offers the necessary support for the SME sector.
Zain Bahrain virtually hosted the 6th edition of Zainnovate which consisted of three sessions. The opening session was addressed by Sheikh Abdulla bin Khalid Al Khalifa, Director, Communications & Investor Relations at Zain Bahrain, followed by Mr. Jamal A. Al-Hazeem, Chairman of Alkeri Partners and Oqal Bahrain Chapter, and Mr. Khaled Zainalabedin, Managing Partner of Alkeri Partners and Founder and President of Oqal Bahrain Chapter.
The second session was addressed by Guest Speaker Mr. Roberto Wyszkowski, Partner at Sia Partners. Mr. Wyszkowski, whose experience spans over 20 years across various industries, spoke in-depth about ‘the need for CVCs in the GCC, its importance and impact on the GCC’s startup ecosystem and economy'.
The third session, ‘Demo Day’ included three leading startups in the sport, automotive technology, and health & lifestyle technology sectors from the GCC region. The first pitch was by Fahad Al Rashdan from Meras, the first specialized sportswear marketplace in Kuwait, followed by Glenn Harwood from Algo Driven, a Dubai-based B2B automotive data startup, and Hamad Saad from Nourishers, a Bahrain-based startup focusing on health and lifestyle technology.
Commenting on hosting the 6th successful Zainnovate event, Sheikh Abdulla bin Khalid Al Khalifa, Director, Communications & Investor Relations at Zain Bahrain said, “Zainnovate is an initiative which we at Zain Bahrain are extremely proud and passionate about. We are pleased that the startups have received strong support from the investors in the Oqal Angels Network to further the development of their businesses despite challenging times, which validates our view to support Bahrain's Vision 2030 as a leading tech and startup hub. We wish the startups who have pitched during the 6th edition of Zainnovate every success, and we will continue our efforts to nurture an entrepreneurial environment in the Kingdom.”
Speaking on the occasion, Khaled Zainalabedin, Managing Partner of Alkeri Partners, and Founder and President of Oqal Bahrain Chapter said, “During the demo day we always ensure that a robust due diligence process is followed. We, along with our partners and investors, see the founding team's commitment, their innovative platform, as well as the enormous impact we can create together to provide something new to the market. If you see the positives of the pandemic, it has accelerated digital trends, and the companies that have raised funding has everything an investor looks for in an investment—a passionate team of experienced entrepreneurs, a bold and disruptive vision, defensible technology, and an enormous market opportunity. It is indeed a proud moment for all of us, and we hope to provide more startups with opportunities in the future.”
Zainnovate targets different types of people, such as startup founders who want to pitch their new business ideas or those who are looking to learn from industry experts. With the support of Oqal Angel Investors Network; Zain Bahrain is contributing towards creating the startup ecosystem in Bahrain by providing a platform for exceptional minds that are building companies which will redefine the future. This initiative is in line with Zain Bahrain’s corporate sustainability and social responsibility strategy focusing on three core pillars: Innovation, Thought Leadership, and Youth Empowerment.
-Ends-
For press inquiries, please contact:
Karen Paes
Gulf Marcom W.L.L
karen@gulfmarcom.com
+973 36644021
About Zain Bahrain
Zain Bahrain, a telecommunications industry innovator focused on enhancing customer experience, was awarded a mobile telecom license on 22 April 2003 and commenced commercial operations on 28 December 2003. The operation promptly placed Bahrain on the world telecom map through the introduction of many mobile technology innovations that continue to this day with nationwide high-speed 4G LTE services being offered through the Kingdom's most advanced mobile network. Zain Bahrain, listed on the Bahrain Bourse (Ticker: ZAINBH), is part of Zain Group, a leading telecommunications operator across the Middle East and Africa, which provides mobile voice and data services to 7.6 million active customers as at 30 June 2020. With a commercial presence in eight countries, Zain operates in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and South Sudan. In Lebanon, the Group manages 'touch' on behalf of the government. In Morocco, Zain has a 15.5% stake in 'INWI,' through a joint venture. For more information, please email info@bh.zain.com or visit: www.bh.zain.com
© Press Release 2020
Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.
The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.
