Manama, Oct. 14 (BNA): Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the world’s largest aluminum smelter on a single site, is pleased to announce its advancement to the accelerator phase of the Open Innovation Programme, a strategic collaboration with Bahrain’s Labour Fund (Tamkeen) and Brinc MENA, with the selection of three Bahraini startups and SMEs to join this phase following a thorough evaluation process. This milestone builds on Alba’s early participation as the first company in Bahrain to join this program, demonstrating Alba’s dedication to promoting innovation and empowering local businesses to grow and prosper.
Alba, Tamkeen, Brinc MENA Shortlist Three Bahraini SMEs for Open Innovation Programme
Under the Open Innovation Programme, the chosen SMEs will embark on a six-month accelerator phase. During this time, Alba and Brinc will provide them with financial assistance, specialized mentoring, and technical advice as they jointly develop proof-of-concept (POC) solutions that use cutting-edge technologies like AI and IoT to address particular data integration and asset reliability issues at Alba. Dyanvate and Infiniteware were chosen for the Asset Reliability Challenge, while UData was chosen for the Data Management Challenge.
A Steering Committee will choose one winner each challenge for pilot implementation inside Alba’s operations once each startup or SME presents their proofs of concept to the committee in the fifth month. The SMEs that made the short list will collaborate closely with Alba and Brinc MENA specialists to test and improve their solutions, with the goal of implementing them more widely throughout Alba’s operations.
Alba’s CEO, Ali Al Baqali, stated: “Alba’s operational excellence is based on innovation. We can engage with Bahraini startups and SMEs to develop technology-driven solutions to operational problems while encouraging entrepreneurship and long-term economic resilience thanks to our partnership with Tamkeen and Brinc MENA.”
“The selection of these startups reflects the real value the Open Innovation Program offers,” said Yasin Aboudaoud, Chief Development Officer and Member of Parliament at Brinc. We are paving the way for closer cooperation and real economic effect by linking high-potential Bahraini SMEs with Alba’s intricate operational challenges.
The entire scouting and evaluation process was overseen by Brinc MENA, Tamkeen’s designated innovation partner, who used strict criteria to guarantee conformity with the program’s objectives. The presence of Bahraini founders, demonstrated technical proficiency, innovative readiness, and the capacity to function within the program’s governance framework and effectively address business concerns were among the crucial criteria. A joint committee comprising officials from Alba, Tamkeen, and Brinc MENA conducted interviews with the SMEs that made the short list as part of the evaluation phase. The top-performing businesses were chosen for the accelerator round after startups showcased their skills, founder backgrounds, and suggested solutions. The final assessment was conducted using a systematic scoring matrix.
