AI-POWERED educational robot ‘Robot Ahmed’ clinched first place at the 26th edition of the StartUp Bahrain Pitch, followed by AI energy management platform ‘Evoha’ in second place.
The high-profile event, hosted by national startup platform StartUp Bahrain and powered by the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), showcased a competitive lineup of innovative, tech-driven local businesses pitching to a panel of expert judges and investors.
The event was attended by key leadership figures, including Sustainable Development Minister and Bahrain Economic Development Board chief executive officer Noor Al Khulaif, Tamkeen chief executive Maha Mofeez, and Bahrain Development Bank Group chief executive Dalal Al Qais, alongside members of the SME Development Board and Tamkeen’s board of directors.
Held in collaboration with the SMEs Development Board, the pitch series serves as an interactive platform for local entrepreneurs to secure mentorship, gain investor exposure, and accelerate their expansion plans.
Alongside winners Robot Ahmed and Evoha, the competition featured two other prominent tech startups: Jumruk, a platform automating customs clearance, and As-humi, a digital trading platform.
The panel of expert judges and speakers guiding the startups included DOO chief operating officer Husain Haji, who served as the keynote speaker; JEO Capital Management founding partner Mashael Fairooz, Noor Consultancy and Coaching founder Noorhan AlZann, and Mumtalakat associate director for investments Laith Al Khalili.
Expressing pride in the first-place win, Hanadi Al Onazi from Robot Ahmed highlighted the startup’s roots in Tamkeen’s Mashroo3i programme.
“This win marks an important milestone and reflects our team’s efforts to meet market needs,” Ms Al Onazi said. “Our journey began with Mashroo3i, which laid the foundation for our project, and we are deeply proud of the progress that has culminated in this success.”
Second-place winner Nawaf Hamadi from Evoha noted that the achievement provides strong motivation to scale up their business model. He added that the pitch opened new horizons for growth, development, and sustainability by directly connecting them with ecosystem specialists and investors.
Tamkeen’s continuous backing of StartUp Bahrain aligns with its 2026 strategic priorities, which focus on fostering high-economic-impact initiatives, driving private sector competitiveness, and adopting innovative approaches to stimulate sustainable economic growth.
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