The Labour Fund (Tamkeen) concluded the local edition of the Entrepreneurship World Cup 2024, announcing the qualification of 3 Bahraini entrepreneurs: Ahmed Faraj, Founder of Lumofy, Emad AlKooheji Founder of Doobi, and Mansoor AlBuhumaid, Founder of Photon, for the next stage of the EWC 250 competition.

During the ceremony, participating entrepreneurs pitched their businesses to the judging panel comprising Dr. Marwa Al-Sabbagh, Director of Local Impact Investments Manager at Mumtalakat; Nawaf Al-Koheji, CEO of Tenmou; Marwa AlEskafi, Director of Entrepreneurship, Technology and Strategic Initiatives at Tamkeen; and Ameen Altajer, CEO of Infiniteware.

On this occasion, Mr. Esam Hammad, Executive Director of Marketing and Customer Experience at The Labour Fund (Tamkeen) celebrated Bahrain’s vibrant startup ecosystem which offers entrepreneurs ample opportunities to launch and grow startups. He stated: “We are immensely proud of the startups that showcased their innovative concepts today. Bahrain’s startup ecosystem offers a robust support framework that empowers entrepreneurship and innovation across various economic sectors.”

The qualifiers will represent Bahrain in the next stage of the competition, featuring 250 entrepreneurs who will be narrowed down to 100 finalists. The finals are scheduled to take place in Riyadh in November.

The Entrepreneurship World Cup is one of the largest global competitions for startups, with over 370,000 entrepreneurs participating from more than 200 countries since its launch in 2019. The competition has awarded over $3 million in cash prizes, along with in-kind prizes valued at over $150 million.

The competition targets entrepreneurs at various stages of their project development, from ideation to expansion, by providing them with training opportunities through intensive bootcamps led by experts. It also aims to connect them with mentors and investors to foster partnerships, support their entrepreneurial journey, and build sustainable institutions capable of growth and development.

Tamkeen's support for this competition for the fourth consecutive year aligns with its strategic priorities for 2024 focused on economic impact and the private sector under three pillars; increasing economic participation through employment opportunities for new market entrants, expanding career development opportunities available to the Bahraini workforce, and further developing the private sector by supporting enterprises and boosting productivity through the adoption of technology.