Learn from those
who've built it.

Ameer is the Founder & CEO of Tree Projects, a company specialised in strategic studies and development of smart platforms. He spent 20 years at Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) as Manager of Process Automation Systems, developing mission-critical automation software and leading major projects.

He holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering from King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals and an Executive Diploma from Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.

Since 2009, Ameer has provided consultancy to government and international bodies including Tamkeen, Bahrain EDB, Bahrain Chamber of Commerce, and the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE – USA). He is a member of the advisory board for Tamkeen and Bahrain Polytechnic.

Dr. Shaikh Saqer Al Khalifa is a member of Bahrain's Royal Family and serves as Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Education Bahrain, leading the kingdom's Youth Centers and Commissions network — serving over 36 centers across Bahrain's towns and villages.

He spent a decade in the United States, completing his PhD at Claremont Graduate University and serving as Media Attaché at the Bahraini Embassy in Washington, D.C. He is passionate about youth development, leadership, and public policy.

A Guinness World Record holder recognised at the TCS London Marathon 2025, Dr. Saqer is known for his adventurous spirit and commitment to inspiring Bahrain's next generation of leaders.

Khalid Jalal is a C-Level Executive with over 25 years of experience in ICT and digital transformation. He is Bahrain's first and current Country Head for Artificial Intelligence with IGOAI, and serves on the Advisory Board of the Technology and Business Society, Bahrain.

For 9 years he served as Senior Group ICT Manager at GARMCO, and previously worked with ASRY, Zurich, BNH Group, and DATAMAS. As a Toastmaster, he is deeply committed to public speaking and leadership development.

Khalid has received multiple CIO, CXO, Digital Transformation, and Project Execution awards on local, regional, and global scales. He serves humanity through the LIONS Club of Bahrain.

Mateo Ramos is the CEO of Foodvest Holding WLL — Bahrain's leading F&B investment company operating brands including Caribou Coffee, Fuddruckers, Marble Slab Creamery, and Francesco's Pizza. Under his leadership, Foodvest has doubled in size and expanded into Saudi Arabia.

Mateo specialises in M&A and business turnarounds. In 2021, he led the company's exit from the Venture Capital Bank portfolio, transitioning to complete ownership by private investors. Previously, he served as GM of F&B at Chalhoub Group and Country Operations Manager at The Olayan Group.

He holds a degree in Political Science & Economics from the University of Washington and is a regular speaker at regional F&B and retail leadership forums.

May Al Haji leads Core Business Services at stc Bahrain — one of the kingdom's leading telecom and digital enablers. She brings over a decade of experience in cross-cultural and challenging market environments, with a focus on device portfolio management, digital marketing, and vendor partnerships.

At stc Bahrain, May plays a key role in driving the company's digital transformation agenda — including 5G, AI, and enterprise solutions. She has been instrumental in shaping the company's B2B strategy and its collaboration with global technology partners.

May is a frequent speaker at Kickstart events on the topics of AI, telecom innovation, and digital readiness for startups.

Mohammed Ali Kabeer is the Managing Director of QSCert Middle East, a Senior Management Systems Consultant, and an IRCA-approved Lead Auditor with over 20 years of experience in Quality, Health & Safety, Environmental, Food Safety, and Information Security Management.

His expertise spans Gap Assessment, Management System Development, Process Integration, Training & Development, and Auditing across a wide range of industries in the Middle East and internationally.

Mohammed helps Kickstart founders build robust operational frameworks and compliance systems — essential for scaling a business and attracting institutional clients and investors.

Pria Masson has over 15 years of experience in investment banking and business advisory. After completing her MBA in 2005, she worked with multinational firms including JPMorgan, Standard & Poor's Infrastructure Advisory, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and BDO.

As an independent consultant for over a decade, Pria has helped startups and new businesses with their strategy, business plans, and pitch decks — working directly with founders at the most critical stages of their growth journey.

She brings a rare combination of institutional finance rigour and hands-on startup advisory experience, making her an invaluable resource for Kickstart members seeking investment.

Ratish Pandey is an experienced business coach, executive coach, mentor, and sales effectiveness trainer who works with clients globally. A gold-level executive coach from ActionCoach — the world's #1 business coaching company — he tailors his coaching to each client's motivational triggers.

Recognised by Entrepreneur.com India as Acharya/Mentor of the Year (2022) and Entrepreneur of the Year in Business Services (2021), Ratish has also been recognised as Coach with Best Client Results in both 2021 and 2022.

A Chartered Accountant by education, he has built profitable businesses in India and the Middle East. As an angel investor, he holds interests in Legal Tech, Health, EdTech, AgriTech, EV, and Consumer Electronics.

Robin Teurlings is the Founder & CEO of The Startup Buddy — Southeast Asia's largest virtual Accelerator-as-a-Service, and the program partner behind Kickstart Bahrain's EdTech Cohort. He is also Managing Partner of the Zero Emissions Fund and an Executive Education Fellow at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

A stem cell researcher turned entrepreneur, Robin started his first enterprise at age 12 and made his first angel investment at 25. He built The Startup Buddy to give every founder access to the tools, mentors, and resources that elite accelerator programs provide — but at scale and online.

Trusted by AWS, Standard Chartered, and the High Commission of Canada, The Startup Buddy has supported thousands of founders across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.

Sura Al-Refaie is a Senior Trainer and Business Development Manager at the Leadership & Innovation Learning Institute (LiLi), based in Dubai. She is an ICF-certified coach specialising in leadership development, executive coaching, and team performance.

With extensive experience delivering training and developmental solutions across the Middle East, Sura works with organisations to build cultures of excellence through innovative, technology-powered learning programmes. Her clients include leaders across multiple industries in the GCC.

At Kickstart, Sura mentors founders on building high-performance teams, developing leadership presence, and managing the personal growth demands of being a startup founder.

Tijan Ali Onallah is the Founder and CEO of Mecal — a luxury men's accessories e-commerce platform operating across Jordan, Bahrain, and the wider Arab region. What started as a university passion project was relaunched in 2016 as a scalable startup, achieving 850% revenue growth between 2017 and 2018.

Mecal raised a $150,000 seed round led by Ibtikar Fund in 2017, followed by a $400,000 Pre-Series A in 2019. The platform sells across 30+ product categories and has expanded into corporate gifting, serving clients including Majid Al Futtaim, Huawei, and Zain.

Tijan brings real founder experience — from idea to investor pitch to scaling — and mentors Kickstart members on e-commerce, product design, and fundraising strategy.

Tosin Arowojolu is a professional civil engineer who moved from the United States to Bahrain in 2009. She is the CEO of Leadership Excel Consultancy, focused on leadership and communication strategies for building high-performance teams. She is a certified leadership coach, speaker, trainer, and DISC behavioural analysis consultant with the John Maxwell Group.

A certified #IamRemarkable facilitator (a Google initiative), Tosin is also a past president of the American Women's Association of Bahrain (AWA) — the first non-Bahraini NGO to receive a grant for the award-winning Bahrain Quilt Project. She is a current board member of the American Chamber of Commerce, Bahrain.

A recipient of the Global Woman Leadership Award and the GIFEW Professional Woman Award, Tosin is an active member of multiple organisations including Bahrain Businesswomen's Society, Lions International, and Toastmasters International.

Wassim Elsayegh is the Founder and Managing Director of Kickstart Bahrain and CEO of Melqart Consulting WLL. A senior business consultant with over 15 years of international experience, he has excelled in customer relationship development, sales management, networking, public relations, marketing, and business development.

Wassim is recognised for his consultancy services in company formation — onshore and offshore — and has partnered with over 130 agents worldwide across most offshore jurisdictions, as well as law firms across the GCC, MENA, and Europe.

Previously Sales Manager at ITP Publishing Group (Time Out Bahrain), Wassim brings a unique combination of media, business development, and startup ecosystem expertise to his mentoring work with Kickstart members.