
Standard Chartered, Bahrain FinTech Bay select 10 female-led startups
The programme is part of Standard Chartered's global Futuremakers Women in Tech Initiative, and is supported by strategic partners including Tamkeen, the Supreme Council for Women (SCW), United Nations Industrial Development Organization Investment and Technology Promotion Office (UNIDO ITPO Bahrain) and Innovate for Bahrain. The programme is designed to equip Bahraini women with the tools, networks, and knowledge to accelerate their ventures and contribute to a more inclusive tech ecosystem.
Following a competitive application and evaluation process, ten founders were selected based on the strength of their ideas, the potential for market traction, and alignment with innovation and technology enablement goals. The selection event was held at Innovate for Bahrain in the presence of Afnan Al Zayani, Member of the Supreme Council for Women; Bader Sater, CEO, Bahrain FinTech Bay; Noora Al Nusuf, Head of Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing, Bahrain, Iraq and Qatar, Standard Chartered; Faisal Alahmed, Senior Officer - Enterprise Programmes, Programmes Partnership Development, Tamkeen; and Ameer Hassan Abubakr, National Investment Promotion Expert, UNIDO ITPO Bahrain. The selected startups span a wide range of industries, including agritech, information technology, e-learning, fintech, marketing automation, and healthtech, among other sectors.
The selected ten startups are: Tamam Technology, Information Technology; Engine, FinTech; TellSaleem, HealthTech; Wajba, Marketplace, Food & Beverage; Nabni, Architecture, Real Estate, and Industrial Engineering; AGRI AI, AgriTech; Voxa, Remote Education, Learning, Training; Sadeed Technology, Retail Technology, SAAS; Goodies, Food & Beverage Marketplace and Planway, Event management.
Over the next eight weeks, these female entrepreneurs will undergo a curated acceleration journey featuring expert-led workshops, one-onone mentorship, and pitch development sessions. The programme will also connect wthem with ecosystem leaders and past alumni, fostering a strong network of support and collaboration. The programme will conclude with a Demo Day, where participants will pitch their ventures to a judging panel, and three winners will be selected to receive financial awards and 3 months' access to a co-working space.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Tribune
31 minutes ago
- Daily Tribune
Price of deception
Top court upholds jail terms in Tamkeen fraud over fake job contracts Bahrain's top court has upheld prison terms for two men who faked job contracts for 23 ghost workers in order to extract BD86,000 from Tamkeen's employment support fund. The Court of Cassation confirmed the three-year jail sentences handed to both defendants. The first was also fined BD5,000 and will be deported once he completes his sentence. The second was ordered to pay BD1,000. Acquittal In the same ruling, judges overturned an earlier acquittal and sentenced a third man to three years in prison and a BD1,000 fine. The scheme involved bogus employment paperwork and forged wage transfers submitted to Tamkeen, which had been running a fund to support private sector jobs. The contracts named 23 people who were never employed and never worked at the company listed. Although the firm was registered with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and had enrolled the so-called employees with the Social Insurance Organisation and the Ministry of Labour, it had no active premises. Field visits carried out by Tamkeen found no trace of operations at the address on record or anywhere else. The Public Prosecution said the first defendant submitted fake contracts bearing forged signatures to make it appear that real salaries had been paid. Investigators said the aim was to tap into Tamkeen's payroll support. The Fourth Lower Criminal Court sentenced the first and second defendants to prison and fined them. The first was also to be deported. Appeal A third man was cleared at trial but later convicted on appeal. The High Criminal Appeals Court upheld the sentences for the first two. The Public Prosecution challenged the acquittal of the third man, leading to the Court of Cassation's decision. The complaint was filed by Tamkeen with the Anti-Corruption Directorate, part of the General Directorate for Combating Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security. The directorate's findings confirmed that the business owner had worked with two others to present fake paperwork and siphon money from the fund. The second defendant was charged with forging ten contracts, while the third was also found to have been involved in forging documents and aiding the first in claiming the funds. The court ordered the confiscation of the seized material.


Daily Tribune
9 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Mentorship Programme Reaches 150 Milestone
TDT | Manama CFA Society Bahrain has marked a key milestone in Bahrain's financial workforce development, completing its 150th mentor-mentee pairing under the Qodwa mentorship programme. The seventh cycle of the initiative concluded this week, with 18 participants graduating in a ceremony supported by longtime partner Ahli United Bank. Qodwa, launched in 2018, is the flagship mentorship platform of CFA Society Bahrain. It connects experienced investment professionals with aspiring talents eager to grow in areas such as portfolio management, advisory, and financial analysis. Over seven cycles, the programme has engaged 80 mentors and delivered more than 120 hours of structured training. Structured growth for future leaders Speaking at the close of the cycle, Zeeba Askar, President of CFA Society Bahrain, described the programme as a journey of meaningful impact and excellence. She said the Society is committed to evolving Qodwa further to meet emerging market needs and support the Kingdom's broader financial development. 'We take great pride in witnessing the graduation of this seventh cohort,' Askar said. 'This milestone reflects our ongoing effort to build a skilled, confident, and competitive local finance community.' She also credited Ahli United Bank for its continued role in supporting the programme's success. Ahli United Bank reaffirmed its strategic commitment to Qodwa, describing it as a key element of its long-term social responsibility and human capital strategy. The bank said its focus on mentorship reflects its belief in preparing the next generation of national leaders in the financial sector. 'Our partnership with CFA Society Bahrain supports our shared goal of empowering Bahraini youth and building a capable, future-ready workforce,' the bank stated. The Qodwa programme is tailored to develop practical, leadership-focused skills. It includes mentor training to ensure that coaches are equipped with essential guidance techniques and that mentees benefit from both technical and soft-skill development. Each cycle is designed not just to build knowledge but to foster a dynamic exchange between seasoned professionals and emerging talent. Participants are guided through academic, behavioural, and career-oriented challenges with the goal of accelerating professional growth.


Daily Tribune
9 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
France's Soft Power Shines Through Alumni
TDT | Manama The French Embassy in Bahrain turned its spotlight on the human stories behind international diplomacy on Sunday, hosting a celebration of Bahraini professionals who studied in France and went on to shape careers in law, business, and academia. Held at the Residence of France and led by His Excellency Éric Giraud-Telme, the Ambassador of France to the Kingdom of Bahrain, the event marked Alumni Day 2025, part of the global Campus France initiative that unites more than 530,000 alumni from 136 countries. The celebration brought together around 60 guests, including former scholarship recipients, French-language enthusiasts, academic partners, and members of the cultural community. They gathered to reflect on how their experiences in France had shaped both their worldviews and professional journeys. From scholarships to success Among the alumni honoured was Jenan Ghareeb, who teaches at Ahlia University and previously studied French at CAVILAM in Vichy, France. She received a language scholarship from the French Embassy in 2022 and shared how the experience deepened her connection to French culture and education. Also recognised was Dr. Walid El-Masri, who completed his doctorate in law from the University of Strasbourg in 1991 and is now a professor at the University of Bahrain. His story served as a reminder of the long-standing educational bridge between France and Bahrain. Hasan Majed, CEO of Installux Gulf and an engineering graduate of Université de Technologie de Compiègne, also addressed the gathering, reflecting on how studying in France broadened his business and technical horizons. Alumni Day was launched globally in 2023 by Campus France, the national agency that promotes French higher education abroad. The initiative aims to strengthen bonds among international alumni and highlight the cultural and academic impact of studying in France.