MENA’s first fintech venture studio to boost region’s startup ecosystem

MENA’s first fintech venture studio to boost region’s startup ecosystem

Al Waha Fund of Funds, managed by Bahrain Development Bank, and international investment firm Hambro Perks have announced the launch of HP Spring Studios, the MENA region’s first fintech venture studio. HP Spring Studios, which will be based out of its new headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, represents a significant boost for MENA’s fintech and startup ecosystem. The studio will both co-found and invest directly into next generation fintech startups with exceptional entrepreneurs. An in-house team covering the full capability spectrum across product, engineering, and operations will help accelerate startups towards product/market fit. Startups will work closely with Al Waha and Hambro Perks’ local and global network of private and public institutions, including National Bank of Bahrain, Mumtalakat, and Batelco, to drive customer traction and secure future funding rounds to exit. HP Spring Studios is strategically located in Bahrain, where startups will benefit from a fintech friendly regulatory environment and close relationships with the Central Bank of Bahrain and Bahrain Economic Development Board, to enable rapid launch to market. Bahrain will also act as an ideal location to serve the rest of the MENA region. Hambro Perks, headquartered in London, with offices in Riyadh, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, has built, invested