Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.newsofbahrain.com
NBB and Bahrain FinTech Bay launch the third Innovation Programme, inviting young innovators to develop AI-powered fintech solutions for a chance to win $10,000 and a three-month incubation placement.
The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has announced the launch of the third edition of the NBB Innovation Programme in partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB). This year’s programme is built around AI and challenges young innovators in Bahrain to develop deployable solutions aligned with the Bank’s priorities.
Titled “AI-Ready Founders,” the programme was announced following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NBB and BFB during Fintech Forward 2026. Applications open from 7th October 2026 and close on 26th November 2026. The programme will run from 4th to 28th January 2027 at Bahrain FinTech Bay in Arcapita.
Designed as a four-week in-person programme, AI-Ready Founders will select five teams of innovators aged 21 and above to take a fintech or AI concept from early-stage development through to a live, deployed product. Teams will shape their solutions around NBB’s priorities across Retail, Corporate and SME banking, gaining direct exposure to real commercial considerations within the financial sector.
Participants will use a set of AI tools for market research, business modelling, product launch, AI customer support setup, and investor pitch preparation. Each team will also take part in sessions led by NBB, receive direct feedback on their product from the Bank, and get mentorship and one-to-one coaching from the Bahrain FinTech Bay team to refine their solutions before the final pitch.
Commenting on the launch, Razi Amin, Group Chief Technology Officer at NBB, said, “Innovation becomes truly valuable when it is grounded in a clear business need. This programme allows emerging founders to work with the realities of banking, understand the commercial and operational details behind a product, and test how AI can be applied to create something relevant and scalable. For NBB, it is equally an investment in the local capabilities that will help shape the next generation of financial services.”
Following the application phase, a joint NBB and BFB Selection Committee will assess candidates from 29th November to 3rd December 2026, with onboarding for the selected teams taking place from 27th to 31st December.
The programme will conclude with a Demo Day on 1st February 2027, where the five teams will present their solutions to a judging panel comprising representatives from NBB, BFB, and Bahrain’s broader fintech ecosystem. Each submission will be assessed on innovation and use of AI, market potential and business model, team capability and execution, scalability and impact, and quality of the final pitch. The winning team will receive a USD 10,000 cash prize and a three-month incubation placement at Bahrain FinTech Bay.
Suzy Al Zeerah, Chief Operating Officer of BFB, commented, “Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 calls for an economy led by the private sector, with Bahrainis ready to compete for, and create the jobs that growth brings. That depends on young people getting the chance to build real businesses early, with something genuinely at stake. The strength of this programme lies in giving founders the conditions to move quickly from an early idea into something a team can run. We look forward to seeing the calibre of ideas this cohort brings and what it says about the fintech talent Bahrain is producing right now.”
The NBB Innovation Programme continues to connect emerging talent with practical opportunities to apply modern technologies to the needs of the financial services sector. The initiative reflects the Bank’s broader focus on nurturing capabilities that can translate into meaningful outcomes for the Kingdom’s fintech ecosystem.
