Bahrain FinTech Bay (BFB) reports the inception of the MENA Innovation Academy (MENA-IA), aimed at cultivating talent, fostering FinTech expertise, nurturing an innovation mindset, and enhancing career readiness within financial organisations across the MENA region.
MENA-IA will be established in partnership with the Reboot Coding Institute (Reboot01), an academic and training institution.
Partnerships with global universities will enable the academy to offer a range of courses and programmes, including FinTech, InsurTech, RegTech, digital transformation, strategy and leadership, and technical courses.
An inaugural programme will be led by the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and its Berkeley-AMENA Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center (Berkeley-AMENA. UCB is known for its research around artificial intelligence, machine learning, and Big Data, particularly in areas related to finance, financial analytics, and FinTech.
They will deliver and certify the course on Artificial Intelligence in FinTech, set to begin on 18th November. This eight-week programme 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 online.
Utilising a hybrid delivery model, spaces are limited to 50 participants. Applications are now open and interested applicants can apply here.
Bader Sater, CEO at Bahrain FinTech Bay, says: “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 at Reboot Coding Institute, comments: “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.”