The Bahrain Chapter of ICAI Hosts a Successful Start-Up Majlis Event
WFY Bureau, Bahrain: On October 26, 2024, the Bahrain Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (BCICAI) held its “Start-Up Majlis” at Crowne Plaza, Manama.
The event featured a lineup of speakers and valuable networking opportunities, fostering connections within Bahrain’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. CA Bharti Maheshwari served as the Master of Ceremony, while Chairperson CA Vivek Gupta opened the event with a vision for cultivating impactful ideas and relationships.
The guest of honor, Mr. Mohammed Abdulali Al-Ali, vice chairman of Hope Ventures, emphasized the importance of strong CFOs for business turnarounds and introduced the transformative “power of zero.” The keynote speaker, Mr. Nawaf Mohamed AlKoheji, former CEO of Tenmou, shared insights on building a robust start-up ecosystem, highlighting the significance of strong founders and strategic growth areas.
Mr. Arunoday Ganguly, the National Director of BNI Bahrain, spoke during the event. He underscored the importance of networking as a tool for entrepreneurs, providing the audience with a short glimpse of BNI as the world’s largest global referral marketing organization, operating in 78 countries around the globe.
Technical sessions featured industry leaders Anish Maheshwari of VSure Investment Affairs Limited, who discussed investment strategies, while Gururajan Krishnamurthy from Zoho shared the company’s journey and growth in the MENA region. A highlight was the first-ever start-up pitching competition, featuring Rizq and Unfade. Rizq, a B2B platform for finance automation, and Unfade, which empowers artisans, delivered compelling pitches. Unfade ultimately won for its innovative concept.
Narayanan Ganapathy moderated a panel discussion at the event’s conclusion, where Prashant Kumar Shrivastava and Nasra Al Abrawi discussed the challenges and opportunities facing entrepreneurs in the region. Whilst Mr. Shrivastava commented that partnerships with investors augurs well for startups, contributing to their growth and path to profitability.
