GFH Bank, a Bahrain-based financial institution, has joined the StartUp Bahrain University of Bahrain initiative as a featured partner. The collaboration, powered by the Labour Fund “Tamkeen,” aims to build a stronger pipeline for student-led startups by increasing private sector involvement in evaluating and enabling early-stage projects.
Quick Facts
- Over 1,000 students participated in the program.
- 91 student-founded projects advanced to semi-finals.
- GFH Bank will provide a BD 500 student startup award.
Bridging the Gap Between Students and the Private Sector
GFH’s participation directly supports the program’s student startup fund and its award pool. As part of its contribution, the bank is introducing the “GFH Award,” a BD 500 prize designated for a standout student startup team. This move is part of a broader effort to provide tangible resources and validation to young entrepreneurs.
“GFH’s support strengthens the bridge between student ambition and the private sector,” commented Maram Murad, Event Lead at StartUp Bahrain. “When major institutions back student founders early, it gives teams more confidence, more credibility and a clearer reason to continue building beyond the program.”
This partnership aligns with Tamkeen’s 2026 strategic goals, which include boosting private sector competitiveness and connecting local skills with market needs to stimulate startup growth.
A Practical Pathway for University Entrepreneurs
The StartUp Bahrain University of Bahrain program, held from May 12–17, 2026, brought together more than 1,000 students who formed over 160 teams. The initiative provided a hands-on experience, guiding students from initial idea generation to building early project prototypes through mentorship, workshops, and pitch eliminations. From the initial cohort, 91 projects moved to the semi-final stage, with 10 finalist teams scheduled to pitch in June.
“GFH is pleased to support a program that gives students practical exposure to entrepreneurship and early venture building,” said Razi Almerbati, CEO of GFH Capital. “Bahrain’s future economy will depend on young people who can identify opportunities, work in teams and build solutions with discipline, and this initiative creates a meaningful platform for that.”
The program featured keynotes from Ali Mohsen, CEO of DOO, and Ali Alalawi, CEO of Unipal. Students attended sessions on idea generation, pitching, finance, no-code tools, AI, and product development, with support from over 44 mentors from organizations like Tamkeen, AstroLabs, and Amazon Web Services.
About GFH Bank
GFH Bank is a Bahrain-based financial institution offering investment banking, asset management, wealth management and real estate-related services to clients and investors across regional and international markets.
About StartUp Bahrain
StartUp Bahrain is the national platform for startups in the Kingdom of Bahrain, convening founders, partners and policy makers through programs, events and content to accelerate entrepreneurship. Its University of Bahrain program connects students with hands-on startup building, mentorship, and pitching opportunities.
Source: Zawya
