NBB signs strategic partnership agreement with StartUp Bahrain

MANAMA: National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has signed an agreement to become StartUp Bahrain’s newest strategic partner.

The bank aims to ramp up its efforts to lead the financial sector’s support in growing and developing the startup ecosystem, its startups and stakeholders under its #TeamBahrain vision.

The strategic partnership was announced and signed at NBB’s headquarters in Manama.

The announcement was made in the presence of representatives from the bank and StartUp Bahrain stakeholders.

Commenting, NBB head of commercial and SMEs Arif Janahi said, “We recognise the importance of supporting initiatives that promote the growth and development of the kingdom’s startup ecosystem. Through our partnership with StartUp Bahrain, we look forward to stepping into the next wave of innovation and contributing towards the kingdom’s national efforts to progress as a digital economy. We endeavour to support and empower local talent to realise their goal of becoming future business leaders, while helping them to unleash their full potential and thrive in today’s business environment.”

Speaking on the partnership, StartUp Bahrain representative Bader Kamal said, “I believe actions speak louder than words and this partnership is a clear testimony of NBB’s vision and drive to help grow and develop the startup ecosystem and the innovation it brings to Bahrain’s digital economy. We are excited to see how Bahrain’s largest financial institution will play a major role in the development and support of the ecosystem’s startups, events, happenings and strategic opportunities. Bahrain’s digital economy is developed through the efforts of all its public and private stakeholders, and we are proud to have the National Bank of Bahrain become one of our strategic partners to making that happen.”

Economic Development Bank (EDB) head of startups Pakiza Abdulrahman said: “With its trailblasing approach to open banking, NBB showed how traditional financial institutions can collaborate with and learn from innovative startups in order to adapt and thrive in the digital economy. But digital transformation is a two-way street. This new partnership with StartUp Bahrain will be an opportunity for young challengers and disruptors to learn from one of Bahrain’s most established financial institutions. It is collaborative, mutually beneficial partnerships like this that Bahrain’s thriving, world-class startup ecosystem is founded upon.”

Founded in 2017 as a national platform for innovative and scalable startups, StartUp Bahrain aims to help grow and develop the ecosystem in collaboration with corporates, investors, accelerators, incubators, educational institutions and the Bahrain government.

Its partnership with NBB will further boost the ecosystem’s goals to becoming one of the most prominent and actively growing ecosystems in the region.

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