A new competition has been launched in Qatar to improve the startup culture and attract talent from around the world. Led by Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, the Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council, and the European Innovation Academy, the three-week virtual program is aimed at inspiring students to develop social entrepreneurship startups.

Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the world’s largest single-site aluminium smelter, will co-fund and collaborate with selected startups and SMEs to implement proof-of-concept projects. Alba’s participation marks a significant step towards driving innovation and economic growth in Bahrain’s industrial sector while also enhancing the competitiveness of Bahraini talent in the private sector.

Saudi Venture Capital (SVC) has announced its investment in Global Ventures III, an early-stage venture capital fund managed by Dubai-based Global Ventures, with a fund size exceeding $150m.

Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem Hub71 has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the emirate’s Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an as a way of helping accelerate social tech entrepreneurship and bringing lasting social impact to the emirate.