Underscoring Mind the Bridge’s growing international presence, December’s session of Startup School will include participants from Italy, Spain, and France, as well as 10 startups from Kuwait’s Brilliant Lab. Sponsored by Kuwait’s Ministry of Youth, the newly established BL is the first startup accelerator in the Middle East, fostering the growth of entrepreneurs and new family ventures in Kuwait and other countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Accompanied by managing director Neda Al-Dihany, who co-founded BL with his wife, the startups will join us after spending two weeks in an accelerator program at the Instituto de Empresa Business School in Madrid.
“Brilliant Lab helps young, talented individuals in the Arab world find the proper channels of financial and strategic support to move their business plan forward,” explained Al-Dihany. “We are looking forward to having an eye-opening Silicon Valley experience, exchanging business ideas and culture.”
Kuwait and the GCC comprise a youthful region where young adults are developing new businesses. However, talented individuals in the Arab world can find it hard to find financial and strategic support to move forward. BL’s mission is to help these individuals achieve success through its accelerator program, and the conviction that the youth of the region can accomplish their goals to achieve a significant impact on the economy of the countries where they operate. “That is why we have established ourselves as the region’s main hub for young business talents and entrepreneurs — we believe it IS possible!” added Al-Dihany.
The 10 Kuwaiti participants (nine men and one woman) bring a broad array of innovative startup projects in various stages of development, from an educational-services web platform to a token-based mobile payment system. In my interviews with several of the business founders I learned they all share a common vision — the desire to show that Kuwaiti entrepreneurs are capable of realizing their vision and to make Kuwait the entrepreneurial hub of the Middle East.
“I have always dreamed that Kuwait can be the Silicon Valley of the Middle East.” — Hamad Al Mutawa, Founder of Next Payment, December Startup School participant
Charles Versaggi
Director, MtB Startup School