Bahrain has graduated its first in-person cohorts of Certified Angel Investors and Investment-Ready Entrepreneurs after six days of World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF) training, a milestone that tightens the early-stage funding loop for local startups.
Delivered at the WBAF Bahrain Country Office and backed by the Economic Development Board, Tamkeen, Bahrain Development Bank, Startup Bahrain, and the Bahrain Entrepreneurs Organisation, the QBAC+ and QBAC Basic bootcamps blended deal-flow theory with pitching drills before ending in a proficiency exam and live investor presentations. Graduates received globally recognised certificates and a WBAF digital identity card—credentials designed to fast-track syndicate participation and cross-border co-investment. WBAF chair Baybars Altuntas told attendees that Bahrain’s post-pandemic priority is access to finance; by certifying angels and founders simultaneously, the ecosystem can “match smart money with investable deal flow” instead of waiting for foreign capital.
The model has already been rolled out at the London Stock Exchange and Thailand’s NSTDA, but Bahrain is the first Gulf country to host it on-site after piloting a virtual edition in 2021. For Tamkeen and the EDB, the courses plug directly into the Economic Recovery Plan’s talent-building goals and the kingdom’s ICT strategy, which aims to position Bahrain as a regional digital-innovation hub by 2026. Organisers plan follow-on workshops covering term-sheet structuring and portfolio management, while WBAF says it will mobilise its partners—including the Islamic Development Bank and the European Investment Fund—once a critical mass of certified angels is active. Early reactions from participants suggest the dual-track format shortens the learning curve on valuation, board governance and exit planning—areas that have historically stalled Bahraini seed rounds.
“Educating angel investors has become a worldwide trend that aims to enhance their contribution to the startups they invest in,” said Feryal Nass, WBAF Bahrain country director.
Applications for the next QBAC cohorts open soon via the WBAF Bahrain Office.
