Bahrain Development Bank is keeping SME finance in the spotlight, following a month of outreach tied to its newly launched SME Fund. In November, BDB ran an activation roadshow to walk founders through eligibility, documentation, and the application process before and during the first application window, according to the bank’s press release.

The roadshow featured onsite sessions at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 10 and 11 November, Marassi Galleria from 13 to 15 November, and the Bahraini Women Development Centre Riyadat on 17 and 18 November. The aim was simple: give SMEs a direct line to BDB teams to understand criteria, paperwork, and financing options.

Commenting on the initiative, Ms. Dalal Al Qais, Group Chief Executive Officer of BDB, said, “The SME Fund is a landmark national initiative that reflects our continued commitment to delivering innovative financing solutions that support businesses operational for over two years in achieving sustained scale. Through this fund, we aim to accelerate SME growth and enhance the sector’s competitiveness, in line with the Kingdom’s economic development goals.” This quote is from BDB’s press release.

The fund is managed by BDB, with Tamkeen support and partner banks Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, the National Bank of Bahrain, and Al Salam Bank listed on BDB’s official SME Fund page. That same page also sets out the baseline eligibility requirements, including holding an active Commercial Registration and being operational for at least two years, plus the main submission route.

Momentum continued into December. BDB recently concluded its “Empowering the Entrepreneurship and SME Ecosystem in the Kingdom of Bahrain” event on 11 December 2025 at the Bahrain Chamber Majlis Hall, organised in collaboration with the Bahrain Chamber and the Bahrain SMEs Development Society, as reported by BizBahrain. The gathering highlighted financing solutions and included a panel and Q and A for SMEs. Gulf Daily News also reported on the event and its focus on SMEs as a cornerstone for Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 goals in its 14 December 2025 coverage.

For SMEs preparing an application, BDB’s SME Fund page lists the core documents to line up early, including audited financial statements for the past three years, the latest management accounts, and bank statements for the last six months, then submit via BDB’s main branch and contact the team on 17511000 for guidance.