A previous visit by ZGI entrepreneurs to Microsoft's headquarters in the US.

KUWAIT: Zain, the leading digital service provider in Kuwait, announced that tomorrow will be the last day for applying to the sixth edition of the Zain Great Idea (ZGI) tech startup accelerator program, which has seen wide participation from Kuwait-based entrepreneurs to enter their tech startups and ideas into the program.

As of today, ZGI - which comes this year in an all-virtual format to abide by health guidelines imposed due to COVID-19 - has witnessed many submissions by entrepreneurs and idea owners, both who own startups that have just begun their journey or those in the process of establishing them. Submissions particularly centered around startups working in tech and digital transformation areas.

After the registration period ends, ZGI's judging panel will review all applications thoroughly and select the participants who will progress into the next phase; the virtual bootcamp. The bootcamp, which will be completely virtual this year and continues for four weeks, will feature workshops, training sessions, panel discussions, and more, facilitated by world-class experts, academics, and trainers from top international educational institutions such as IE Business School, MIT, Stanford, and more. In addition, one-to-one sessions with top experts in various fields will be offered for every finalist.

ZGI offers a refreshed opportunity for local talents and Kuwait's entrepreneurial community, as it has been one of the most successful initiatives Zain presented to the Kuwaiti market as part of its comprehensive innovation and entrepreneurship strategy. Throughout 10 successful years, ZGI empowered, trained, and invested in hundreds of creative and driven Kuwaiti youth, of which many now own thriving and active Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to this day in local and regional markets.

Zain's program comes in joint collaboration with Brilliant Lab, a startup Accelerator Service from Kuwait, and Mind the Bridge, a global organization based in Silicon Valley that bridges the world through entrepreneurship education for startups, enterprises, and investors to succeed in global markets.

Zain is well aware of the crucial role played by private sector organizations in supporting social and economic sustainability projects. Springing from its growing commitment towards practicing its social responsibility, the company is committed to printing a positive impact through all its activities. This has led Zain to embrace the most influential issues in the community, including the support of youth, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

A ZGI entrepreneur showcases his startup during a previous event.

Terms and conditions

Applying for the Bootcamp and the investment committee is open to persons from all nationalities, aged 21 and above. Noting that priority goes to Kuwaiti startups. The applicant must be the founder or co-founder of the startup. Team submissions are acceptable, but only two persons who are nominated by the team may participate in the Zain Great Idea Bootcamp. Startups may be implemented in Kuwait or in any other country, and they may be implemented within the tech and digital transformation industry.

The investment committee consists of members from Rasameel Investment Company, Brilliant Lab, and Zain's management. 10 startups from the ZGI Bootcamp will be selected to advance to Phase 5 - The Zain Media and Business Support. Candidates will be provided with both Arabic and English versions of the Terms and Conditions of the program for their information and acceptance. In case of any ambiguity between the two versions, the Arabic version shall prevail.

How to apply:

After agreeing to the terms and conditions, applicants should apply their tech startup idea by filling out the online form at zaingreatidea.com and attach any supporting documents or videos (if available).

Virtual Bootcamp:

Eligible applicants will participate in the virtual Bootcamp phase. Throughout four weeks, they will learn the essentials of accelerating their tech startups via workshops, training sessions, and panel discussions featured by world-class facilitators and trainers from top international institutions, including IE Business School, MIT, Stanford, and more.

Zain Co-developing and services:

If the startup passes the judging panel, entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to benefit from Zain's leading experiences in areas that are essential to any startup, including marketing, advertising, customer care, public relations, digital partnerships, business/consultancy/legal services, and much more.

Virtual Zain Demo Day event:

At the end of the program, all finalists will be hosted at a virtual Zain Demo Day event, through which they will present and pitch their final startups to investors, business partners, and others, giving them the opportunity to transform their ideas and startups into a profitable business.