- What
- Three-week fintech accelerator; the 2025 winner got USD 10,000 plus incubation at BFB.
- Who
- Early-stage fintech startups and founder teams with validated ideas ready to scale.
nbbonline.com/news/20994 · How we check ↗
See NBB Innovation Programme on the map next to the other 23 programmes in Bahrain — and filter the whole Gulf by type, deadline and equity.
Open the map →In detail
NBB Innovation Programme is a bank fintech accelerator in Bahrain. Three-week fintech accelerator of the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) run with Bahrain FinTech Bay for early-stage fintech startups. The 2025 edition, themed “Future of AI Integration”, ran three tracks (Fintech Founders, NBB and BFB) and ended with a Demo Day; the winning team received a USD 10,000 cash prize, a three-month incubation at Bahrain FinTech Bay and potential partnership discussions with NBB.
- Amount
- 2025 winner: USD 10,000 cash prize + three-month incubation at Bahrain FinTech Bay
- Terms
- Not published
- Eligibility
- Early-stage fintech startups and founder teams with validated ideas ready to scale (2025 edition)
- Sectors
- Fintech · AI in banking
- Benefits
- Mentorship from fintech founders and NBB bankers
- Bahrain FinTech Bay workshops
- Demo Day
- Status
- Closed — the 2025 edition took applications from 12 October to 8 December 2025 and ended with its Demo Day on 4 February 2026 (checked September 2026)
What the source says
“The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has announced the launch of the NBB Innovation Programme 2025 in strategic partnership with Bahrain Fintech Bay (BFB). The initiative was unveiled during Fintech Forward 2025 as a three-week accelerator designed to empower early-stage fintech startups with the tools, expertise, and mentorship required to integrate AI, refine business models, and scale their solutions.”
“the inaugural edition of the Programme will centre around the theme of “Future of AI Integration,””
“The three-week programme will culminate in a Demo Day on 4th February 2026, where selected finalists will pitch their solutions to a panel of judges. The winning team will receive $10,000 cash prize, a three-month incubation at Bahrain Fintech Bay, and the opportunity for potential partnership discussions with NBB for real-world implementation.”
“Applications are open from 12th October to 8th December 2025, and are welcome from early-stage fintech startups and founder teams with validated ideas ready to scale.”
“The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has announced the conclusion of the NBB Innovation Programme 2025, a three-week accelerator launched in partnership with Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB).”
“The winning team was awarded a USD 10,000 cash prize and a three-month incubation period at Bahrain FinTech Bay, where they will receive additional support to refine and enhance their solution.”
Closing soon on the map
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Compare accelerators & incubators in Bahrain
| Cost | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| NBB Innovation ProgrammeThree-week fintech accelerator; the 2025 winner got USD 10,000 plus incubation at BFB. | USD 10,000 | Not published | Closed |
| Flat6Labs BahrainAccelerator support. | not published | Not published | Closed |
| InspireU BahrainCompetitive financial grants; possible investment via stc’s corporate VC. | not published | Not published | Active |
| Bahrain FinTech BayAccelerator and incubation programmes. | not published | Not published | Active |
| BrincAccelerator support with potential investment. | not published | Not published | Active |
| Innovate for Bahrain (I4BH)Women in Tech: up to USD 35,000 equity-free from Standard Chartered; 8 weeks. | up to USD 35,000 | No equity | Closed |
| Tamkeen × Startupbootcamp AI AcceleratorShare of $4M in programme-wide direct investments. | not published | Not published | Active |
Highest amount in each programme’s own “What” line. Other currencies converted for sorting only (Gulf pegs; KWD, EUR, GBP approximate).
All accelerators & incubators in Bahrain → · Across the Gulf →
Questions founders ask
What does NBB Innovation Programme offer?
Three-week fintech accelerator; the 2025 winner got USD 10,000 plus incubation at BFB.
Is it open now?
No — it is currently closed. The status on this page follows the programme’s own site.
How do I apply?
No application form is published. Its website is the way in.
Sources
Primary source · nbbonline.com/news/20994