Hosted by Bahrain FinTech Bay and in Strategic Partnership with the National Bank of Bahrain; Startup Weekend is scheduled to happen on 21st – 24th November, 2019 from 6:30 pm onwards. The new edition of Startup Weekend will focus on FinTech Talent; which will bridge the gap between FinTech enthusiasts and corporates in Bahrain. Exclusive Education Partners of the event include the University of Bahrain and Bahrain Polytechnic. In addition, GDG Manama will be the official Knowledge Partners.
Startup Weekend is an intense 54 – hour event which focuses on building a web or mobile application which could form the basis of a credible business over the course of a weekend. Participants will be challenged to create a prototype of their minimum viable product (MVP) that should set out to solve, and address FinTech challenges within the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the GCC region. The 3-day event will present the current Fintech landscape, and outline how customers’ expectations are changing, with the ever increasing demand for services and goods to be provided through digital channels. Education and Knowledge partners will provide workshops and mentorship sessions to support the teams in all the stages of creating an idea from forming the team, building actual product, and pitching them.
Since 2011, Startup Weekend has created a community of passionate entrepreneurs on a mission to provide experiential education for entrepreneurs. Participants get the chance to launch a business idea by connecting with the right people and actively working together within a local community of coaches, mentors, investors, and sponsors.
Khalid Saad, CEO of Bahrain FinTech Bay, “We are delighted as Bahrain FinTech Bay to be hosting Startup Weekend for the second year in a row. Building on last year’s successful event, this year’s focus will be on developing startups that address problem statements within the FinTech ecosystem. This is in line with our mission to further support the development of Bahrain’s FinTech ecosystem and the country’s ambitions in becoming an increasingly innovation and digitally-driven economy.”
Yaser Alsharifi, Chief Strategy Officer at National Bank of Bahrain: “This platform is the ultimate platform for new entrepreneurs to look for a team, create a prototype of an idea, validate their business idea, and receive feedback from experienced entrepreneurs, all in one weekend. Government initiatives pursuing Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 have led to the creation of the ideal ecosystem for startups and smaller businesses. At NBB, we want to be at the forefront of nurturing the ecosystem where ideas can come to life, and transform the way we do things in everyday life.”