StartUp Bahrain Pitch Competition Announces Winners of Its 18th Edition
As part of its ongoing efforts to support and empower entrepreneurship and startups-and building on the success of previous editions of StartUp Bahrain Pitch in fostering an innovative and dynamic ecosystem-StartUp Bahrain, the Kingdom’s leading startup platform supported by the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), hosted the latest edition of the StartUp Bahrain Pitch series. The event was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry & Commerce, the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), the Bahrain Economic Development Board, and the Bahrain Development Bank (BDB).
The event featured a judging panel of leading experts and seasoned investors in the field of entrepreneurship, including Stephanie Nour, Partner at Nuwa Capital and keynote speaker; Ronald Daher, Chief Executive Officer at AstroLabs; Hasan Haider, Founder and Partner at Plus VC; and Laith Al Khalili, Associate Director at Mumtalakat.
The participating Bahraini startups varied in industry, starting with Unlabeled, a mobile app that enables SMEs to instantly create e-commerce websites without technical skills; Jaras, a platform that helps children explore and learn through short educational clips and interactive activities that build skills and encourage movement; Wajba-a digital platform that allows F&B providers to sell surplus items at discounted prices, reducing food waste while making meals more affordable; and WeFit-a fitness tech platform that connects users with gyms and trainers and enables instant booking for memberships, classes, and personal training.
After the evaluation by the judging panel the top two winning teams were announced, “Wajba” was crowned with first place and “Jaras” in second place.
On this occasion, Ghassan Esfahani, the founder of “Wajba” stated: We are delighted to have secured first place in the StartUp Bahrain Pitch rounds, which aim to support and promote entrepreneurship and emerging startups. Undoubtedly, today marks a new milestone in our continuous journey of hard work towards achieving further growth and success.”
In addition, Walaa Al Araibi of “Jaras” extended their sincere appreciation, saying: “We are grateful to all the entities that provided the support needed to make this initiative a success. We also express our appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the StartUp Bahrain Pitch rounds, which provided us with a valuable and rewarding experience in engaging with the entrepreneurship community and exploring new opportunities and horizons for growth and development.”
This support aligns with Tamkeen’s strategic priorities for 2025, which focus on enhancing the position and competitiveness of Bahrainis in the private sector, equipping Bahrainis with suitable skills for career development in the private sector, and prioritizing enterprise growth, digitization, and sustainability, and supporting the development of the ecosystem surrounding the labor market and private sector.
