DOO and Indi Souq, two home-grown startups, have secured places in the 2025 stc inspireU program, giving them funding, mentorship and regional exposure that can fast-track their next growth milestones.

The selection capped a two-day bootcamp at stc Bahrain’s headquarters where 20 early-stage ventures refined business models with coaches Al Harith Al Attawi of Shafra Technology Labs and Hisham Al Saati of Siin before pitching to a panel led by Jahez chief executive Jawad Jawad and inspireU head Abdulrahman Al Zuhair. Judges weighed innovation, market reach and impact, ultimately choosing Doo, an on-demand home-services marketplace, and Indi Souq, a creator-economy platform that connects independent designers to shoppers.

Each winner now receives seed capital, a year of hands-on mentorship and access to stc’s corporate network, plus slots at regional and global tech exhibitions. For founders, the appeal goes beyond cash: alumni tap direct partnerships with stc units across Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, opening procurement doors that are often shut to early-stage firms. Launched in 2015, inspireU has helped more than 100 startups raise follow-on investment and, in Bahrain, dovetails with national efforts to diversify GDP by scaling digital businesses.

“This initiative aims to empower Bahrain’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by equipping start-ups with the tools and resources needed to succeed in today’s competitive market.”

Founders keen to join the next inspireU cohort can register interest now on the program’s portal.