Fifteen of the best seed stage startups in the GCC will make presentations at the “Seedstars GCC” event in order gain a slot in the annual Seedstars Summit – the entrepreneurship forum for emerging markets – and win up to $1 million in equity investment.
The Seedstars World team is coming to Manama, Bahrain, for the third time to hold a dynamic pitch event in the region on September 9, said a statement.
The companies selected to pitch at the event need to be less than two years old, have raised less than $500,000 in funding and have built a minimum viable product, ideally with existing traction, it said. The team, in its search, is also focused on the startup’s regional and global scalability. With a strong network of international partners such as BBVA, Merck, Enel, Trecc and Standard Bank, Seedstars World is looking for smart startups that solve regional issues and develop profitable products for the global market, to support their regional businesses and growth, it added.
Up to 15 of the best seed stage startups from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman will be invited to pitch for the opportunity to compete at the Seedstars Summit, that annually takes place in Switzerland, said a statement.
In order to provide local entrepreneurs with this opportunity and aiming to deliver the best possible event, Seedstars World is closely working with CH9, who is representing the initiative throughout the year.
CH9 is a business accelerator that envisions to enhance the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Bahrain and the GCC region by providing a platform that supports and inspires entrepreneurs.
Mohamed Altawash, founder and managing director of CH9, said: “The number of talented entrepreneurs in this region is phenomenal, and CH9 would like to help these entrepreneurs gain visibility.”
In Saudi Arabia, the Badir Program for Technology Incubators and Accelerators at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) is at the forefront in providing support to technological startups, along with Endeavor Saudi Arabia, another non-profit organisation under the auspices of the Ministry of Commerce.
