INJAZ Bahrain hosts the 17th Annual Young Entrepreneurs Competition
This year's competition carries added significance as INJAZ Bahrain celebrates its 20th anniversary—marking two decades of empowering young minds and nurturing the Kingdom's future business leaders.
The event featured a diverse array of 20 student companies, with 10 each from high school and university and levels. The students participated in intensive assessments, team-building activities, and inspiration sessions over two days, culminating in a grand Awards Ceremony that recognized outstanding achievements across various categories.
This year, the competition also introduced five signature awards to highlight exceptional achievements. These include the 'Excellence in ESG Award' by Bapco Energies, "Best Booth and Brand Award' by BASREC, 'Rising CEO Award' by bni, 'Best Financial Performance Award' by CrediMax and "Excellence in Technology Award' by NBB
Distinguished individuals served as judges in both the High School Track and the University Track, including representatives from prominent organizations including Ms. Dana Alhaddad from 'Beyon'; Eng. Jassim Darwish from 'GPIC'; Mr. Nezar Habib from 'stc Bahrain' and Mr.Yasser Al Khaja from 'Investcorp Holdings' in the High School Track; Mr. Abdulaziz Tawfeeqi from 'Infracorp'; Mr. Ali Alaradi from 'BDB'; Mr. Amin Sultan from 'Alba'; and Ms. Marwa Aleskafi from 'Tamkeen' in the University Track.
INJAZ Bahrain also hosted signature awards judges; Ms. Buthaina Amin from 'Bapco Energies'; Ms. Narjis Almoosawi from 'BASREC'; Ms. Nada Mohamed from 'CrediMax'; Mr. Amgad Abdelaal from 'NBB' and Ms. Rayan Al Mahmood, Mr. Ammar Al Raees and Mr. Abdulla Al Basteki from 'bni'.
The 2025 award winners include:
Sadaf from British School of Bahrain won 2025 Innovative Venture Award for the High School Track
Netajna from Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance won 2025 Innovative Venture Award for the University Track
Nzr3 from Hidd Secondary Girls School won 2025 Global Impact Award for the High School Track
Pitrolas from University of Bahrain won 2025 Global Impact Award for the University Track
ReKlay from Naseem International School won 2025 Product of the Year for the High School Track
Tabog from University of Bahrain won 2025 Product of the Year for the University Track
Theemar from Beacon Private School won 2025 Company of the Year for the High School Track
Ga6ra from American University of Bahrain won 2025 Company of the Year for the University Track
Doobii from Al Falah Schools won Excellence in ESG Award (Presented by Bapco Energies)
Sadaf from British School of Bahrain won Best Booth and Brand Award (Presented by BASREC)
Tabog from University of Bahrain won Best Financial Performance Award (Presented by CrediMax)
Ga6ra from American University of Bahrain won Excellence in Technology Award (Presented by NBB)
Hood AlBuerki from Al Falah Schools won Rising CEO Award (Presented by bni)
Two major announcements were made during the event: the official launch of the INJAZ Bahrain Company Program Series, a documentary series chronicling the journeys of participating students, and the closing ceremony of the second cycle of Entaliq by NBB, powered by INJAZ Bahrain, where student achievements and learnings were celebrated alongside NBB and INJAZ representatives.
The event was generously supported by platinum sponsors Alba and Tamkeen, along with gold sponsor Beyon, and signature sponsors Bapco Energies, BASREC, bni, CrediMax, and NBB, underscoring the commitment of corporate Bahrain in nurturing young entrepreneurial talent.
Commenting on the success of this year's competition, Her Highness Sheikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa emphasized, 'INJAZ Bahrain remains dedicated to empowering our youth, providing them with platforms to unleash their creative potential and contribute to a thriving knowledge-based economy. As we celebrate 20 years of inspiring and equipping the next generation, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners, sponsors, volunteers, educators, and staff whose unwavering support has been instrumental in achieving our mission and driving lasting impact across the Kingdom.'
The winning teams of the"2025 Company of the Year" awards will represent Bahrain at the regional Young Entrepreneurs competition organized by INJAZ Al Arab in November 2025 that will be held in Egypt, showcasing their achievements on a broader stage.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
6 hours ago
- Zawya
Flat6Labs Grows Bigger: Introducing F6 Group to launch F6 Ventures, the new venture capital arm
F6 Group, a newly formed entity integrating venture capital and entrepreneurial support, announces its official launch, anchored by two powerful arms: F6 Ventures, a newly launched seed-stage investment firm, and Flat6Labs ( the region's most recognized startup accelerator platform. Together, they represent a bold evolution of the company's 14-year journey, bringing sharper focus, expanded reach, and deeper capabilities to support founders and ecosystems across the Middle East and Africa. At the core of this transformation is F6 Ventures, the Group's dedicated venture capital arm to be managing six funds with over $90 million in assets under management (AUM) and a track record of 300+ companies invested into by the Partners. Focused on seed and early-stage investments across the Middle East and Africa, F6 Ventures is positioned to become a market leader in seed-stage investing across emerging ecosystems, as it addresses a pressing funding gap at the most critical phase of startup development: the pre-seed and seed stages. Co-Founded by Dina el-Shenoufy and Ramez El-Serafy, the firm leverages F6 Group's extensive regional presence and legacy of empowering entrepreneurial talent, through the long-standing work of Flat6Labs, previously under the leadership of el-Shenoufy and El-Serafy, to back visionary founders, scale tech-driven innovation, and create lasting value for stakeholders. 'F6 Ventures marks a new era in our journey, bringing focused capital and sharper execution to support the region's boldest founders.' said Dina el-Shenoufy, Co-Founder and General Partner at F6 Ventures. 'We are extending our commitment to early-stage startups to help them scale from idea to impact.' Backed by the extensive regional footprint and entrepreneurial legacy of F6 Group and headquartered in Cairo, with offices in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Amman Tunis, and Nairobi, F6 Ventures is also led by the regional partners, namely Eyad Albayouk, Ryaan Sharif, Rasha Manna, Walid Triki, and Christine Namara. Together, this seasoned leadership team brings decades of experience in venture capital, entrepreneurship, and market development across the Middle East and Africa. 'Over more than a decade, we've empowered thousands of founders and helped bold ideas grow into market-leading startups. I'm excited to begin this new chapter with F6 Ventures helping founders scale faster and drive the next wave of innovation,' said Ramez El-Serafy, Co-Founder and General Partner at F6 Ventures. Meanwhile, maintaining the regionally renowned brand name, and with the leadership of newly appointed CEO, Yehia Houry, Flat6Labs sharpens its focus on founder support, innovation, and ecosystem growth across emerging markets. Building on more than 14 years of proven impact, it remains the region's leading platform for world-class startup programs and ecosystem-building initiatives, deepening its mission to empower entrepreneurs and drive regional innovation . Both entities operate under the unified structure of F6 Group led by Dina el-Shenoufy as CEO and Hany Al Sonbaty, Founder and Chairman, ensuring a unified strategy that combines venture capital and entrepreneurial support programs to advance innovation across emerging markets. Looking ahead, F6 Ventures plans to launch multiple new regional funds across Africa, the GCC, and Levant, with a goal of expanding its AUMs to $200 million and investing in over 200 companies within the next five years. F6 Group brings together venture capital and founder support under one platform, purpose-built to serve startups across emerging markets. By aligning investment and programmatic expertise, F6 Group delivers unmatched access to capital, programs, and expertise - turning visionary founders into market leaders. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Flat6Labs. For press inquiries, contact info@
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
Sir Richard Branson joins jury for Zayed Sustainability Prize
is among the high-profile names confirmed as members of the jury for the Zayed Sustainability Prize on Tuesday. Other names include Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Development, Mariam Al Mehairi, Head of the Office of International Affairs, Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State, Dr Nawal Al Hosany, UAE's Permanent Representative to the International Renewable Energy Agency, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, former President of Iceland, Dr Andreas Jacobs, Chairman of INSEAD, Wang Chuan-fu, chairman and CEO of BYD, Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, President, Indigenous Women & Peoples Association of Chad Cochair, and Dr Ing Christian Bruch, President and CEO of Siemens Energy. The Zayed Sustainability Prize, now in its 17th year, received 7,761 entries from 173 countries for its 2026 awards event, vying for recognition in its six categories of Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action and Global High Schools. Delivering sustainable solutions The surge in applications marked a 30 per cent increase on the previous awards cycle, with a notable increase in technology-focused projects such as AI and FinTech tools. 'The record number of submissions to this year's prize cycle reflects a growing global commitment to practical, scalable solutions that deliver long-term impact," said Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and director general of the Zayed Sustainability Prize. "Across all categories, the increased use of AI and other advanced technologies highlights how innovation is being harnessed to drive inclusive, community-led progress." The prize, which honours the legacy of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, empowers small to medium-sized enterprises, non-profit organisations and high schools to deliver high-impact, sustainable solutions. Analysis of the 2026 cycle has shown 85 per cent of submissions came from developing or emerging economies, with India, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan, Brazil and Indonesia among the top contributing nations. Winners will be announced at the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony on January 13, 2026, during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. Each of the five category winners will receive $1 million, while high schools – representing the world's regions – will be awarded $150,000 each to implement or expand their sustainability projects.
Gulf Business
8 hours ago
- Gulf Business
Asian Paints launches world's first internal curing concrete additive in UAE
Image: Asian Paints 'With CureAssure, we're not just launching a product; we're redefining a foundational step in construction. This innovation reflects our commitment to sustainable solutions that work in the real world,' said Joseph Eapen, CEO of Asian Paints. Joseph Eapen, CEO of Asian Paints Curing is one of the most critical but often overlooked phases in concrete construction, influencing structural strength and durability. In the Middle East, this step is frequently compromised by extreme temperatures, labour constraints, and compressed project timelines. These site challenges often result in shrinkage cracks and reduced long-term performance. Asian Paints' CureAssure addresses these issues by introducing internal curing directly into the concrete mix. The additive enables hydration to occur from within, eliminating the need for external water or surface curing compounds. This approach reduces plastic shrinkage and cracking, ensures greater durability, and guarantees consistency across varying site conditions. It also aligns the performance of on-site concrete with laboratory-tested standards — a vital requirement for real-world reliability. 'Developing CureAssure meant rethinking curing from the inside out,' said Amit DasGupta, chief senior manager – Technology, AP Global. 'Rather than treating symptoms on the surface, we focused on solving the root cause, by embedding water availability directly where it's needed. The result is a more robust, reliable concrete structure, regardless of the environment it's placed in.' CureAssure has received approval from Dubai Municipality and validation from ICC-ES. Free of hazardous substances, it is compatible with all types of Portland cement, pozzolanic blends, and both water-reducing (WR) and set-retarding (SR) admixtures. The additive meets globally recognised standards including ACI 308 guidelines for internal curing, ACI 318 structural durability provisions, ASTM C494/C494M Type S, and EN 934-2 European admixture compatibility norms. Aligned with the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, CureAssure's elimination of external curing also removes the need for desalinated water in the construction process. Asian Paints estimates that the water saved annually could fill 3,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools, irrigate over 6,000 acres of desert farmland, or meet the monthly water needs of 450,000 households. The solution also contributes to low-carbon, zero-waste construction practices by reducing the need for water transport, on-site manpower, and curing-related emissions. With over 80 years of expertise in coatings and construction materials, Asian Paints is among the top two paint companies in Asia and operates 26 manufacturing plants across 15 countries. The launch of CureAssure represents a strategic expansion of its regional footprint and underscores the company's commitment to delivering smarter, safer, and more sustainable infrastructure solutions across the GCC.
