Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB), a leading hub for financial technology innovation in the MENA region, earlier this week announced the inception of the MENA Innovation Academy (MENA-IA). The initiative is dedicated to cultivating talent, fostering fintech expertise, nurturing an innovation mindset, and enhancing career readiness within financial organizations across the MENA region.
MENA-IA will be established in partnership with the Reboot Coding Institute (Reboot01), a leading academic and training institution renowned for its cutting-edge programs and industry-aligned curriculum. This collaboration ensures that the academy will deliver top-tier education and training, leveraging the combined expertise of BFB and Reboot01.
The academy will bring unparalleled expertise and academic excellence to its programs in partnership with top global universities. These partnerships will enable the academy to offer a diverse range of courses and programs, including fintech, insurtech, regtech, digital transformation, strategy and leadership, and technical courses. This comprehensive approach is a key differentiator of the collaboration between BFB and Reboot01, ensuring that participants gain both broad industry knowledge and deep technical skills.
The inaugural program of the academy will be led by the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and its esteemed Berkeley-AMENA Entrepreneurship and Development (Berkeley-AMENA) to bring unparalleled expertise to the academy. UCB is recognized as a global leader in research around artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data, particularly in areas related to finance, financial analytics, and fintech.
UCB will deliver and certify the course on Artificial Intelligence in FinTech, set to begin on 18 November. This 8-week program is tailored for non-technical professionals to upskill and learn applied uses of generative AI tools for financial institutions. With applications now open, interested participants are encouraged to register through our website. Utilizing a hybrid delivery model, spaces are limited to 50 participants, ensuring an engaging and focused learning experience. Applications are now open and interested applicants can apply on the official portal of MENA-IA.
This offering is just one of the many programs planned for the year. The MENA Innovation Academy is committed to delivering a diverse range of courses and workshops, catering to the evolving needs of professionals in the financial and technology sectors. With a robust curriculum and a focus on practical, real-world applications, the academy aims to be a cornerstone of professional development in the region.
Expressing his enthusiasm for MENA Innovation Academy and sharing its vision, Bader Sater, CEO of Bahrain FinTech Bay stated,
“Developing fintech talent has always been at the core of Bahrain FinTech Bay’s mission. For years, we have dedicated ourselves to nurturing the next generation of fintech leaders. We are now excited to take this commitment to a new level by scaling our efforts into a full-fledged Academy. The MENA Innovation Academy represents a significant milestone in our journey to empower professionals across the region with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the dynamic fintech landscape.”
Yanal Jallad, Managing Director of Reboot Coding Institute, said,
“At Reboot, we are proud to be at the forefront of Bahrain’s tech education landscape, developing talent to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving digital economy. This partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay marks a pivotal moment for us as we expand into the fintech space. The MENA Innovation Academy will play a key role in shaping the future of fintech in the Kingdom, aligning with Bahrain’s strategic vision of driving innovation and growth across industries.”
Dariush Zahedi, Director at AMENA Center for Entrepreneurship & Development, University of California, Berkeley, shared,
“We are excited to collaborate with the MENA Innovation Academy to deliver this cutting-edge course on AI in FinTech. AI and Generative AI are rapidly transforming the financial services industry, and through this hands-on, project-based workshop, participants will gain the essential skills for addressing real-world financial challenges using advanced AI tools. This collaboration reflects our commitment to fostering innovation and equipping professionals with the expertise to navigate the future of FinTech.”
