Fikra participants conclude 3-month training

Prepare for final ceremony

Photos from the event

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 17: Gulf Bank has announced that participants of Fikra Program are progressing as planned, the entrepreneurs just concluded the 20 entrepreneurship training programs scheduled for this edition, over the period of three months, and are now in the mentoring stage, and then will start preparing for the final ceremony in April 2018, where the entrepreneurs will pitch their ideas to the public and investors.

The mentoring stage has begun on Feb 4, with a networking session where Fikra Program entrepreneurs met the 15 mentors from different industries that are assigned to their teams, following that session the entrepreneurs will be meeting with their mentors on a weekly basis.

Following the closing ceremony, the annual AIM Startup Pitch Competition will be held, of which a number of Fikra Program entrepreneurs from both second and third edition will take part. The 2018 AIM Startup Pitch Competition will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre in April 2018, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum.

Initiative

AIM Startup 2018 Pitch Competition is an initiative by the Ministry of Economy in the UAE which identifies and fosters startups from the region. The 5 selected winners in this year’s Kuwait AIM Startup pitch competition are: 851 Animation from Fikra Program — 3rd Edition, Young Doctors Academy from Fikra Program — 3rd Edition, Environmental Projects Supports Company from Fikra Program — 3rd Edition and Kindaishen from Fikra Program — 2nd Edition and Nabta Health. Participants were selected from KSA, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Jordan.

Laila Al-Qatami, Assistant General Manager for Corporate communications at Gulf Bank said: “We are glad that participants of Fikra Program are progressing as planned and making use of every single opportunity offered to them. We see a great potential in each individual and wish the whole group best of luck. Looking forward to the final ceremony and to the upcoming editions of this successful program”

Gulf Bank is proud to be a gold sponsor of the Fikra Program for the second consecutive year. Fikra Program is an intensive entrepreneurship training program that provides aspiring entrepreneurs with the technical skills and business knowledge needed to launch their own businesses such as leadership skills, comprehensive business plan design, mentorship, financial analysis, media exposure, investment opportunities, and others.

Fikra Program is under the patronage of HE Khaled Al-Roudan, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Acting Minister of State for Youth Affairs and is proudly supported by Ministry of State for Youth Affairs; The National Fund for SME Development; Gulf Bank; AlHamra Real Estate Company; Ali Abdulwahab Al-Mutawa Commercial Co; Markaz Financial Center; Lexus Kuwait as a part of Al-Sayer Group; and Grand Cinemas. Fikra Program is managed by Cubical Services Business Incubator.

For further details about Gulf Banks’ initiatives, please visit the Bank’s website: www.e-gulfbank.com or its social media accounts.

A photo from the event