LONDON, Nov 18:  Kuwait’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Bader Al-Munaikh, said Kuwait is keen to deepen cooperation between young Kuwaiti entrepreneurs and the British business community, stressing the importance of fostering successful cross-border investment partnerships.

Speaking Monday evening at an event organized by the Kuwait Tech Hub for Entrepreneurship and hosted at the Kuwaiti Embassy in London, Ambassador Al-Munaikh said the gathering offers a vital platform for Kuwaiti digital startups to engage in dialogue, build networks, and collaborate with UK counterparts. He expressed hope that the event would generate new investments and joint projects that further strengthen the already robust ties between the two nations.

He noted that Kuwait has seen a remarkable rise in young entrepreneurs in recent years, many of whom have turned their ideas and creativity into successful ventures in Kuwait, the Gulf region, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Trade between Kuwait and the UK grew by eight percent in 2024, he added, explaining that the momentum was driven not only by major institutions but also by entrepreneurs and small businesses fueling innovation and job creation in both countries.

The event featured presentations from five Kuwaiti teams — Cont Team, Erlium, Brently, Shoplitex, and Tafsil — whose digital projects support Kuwait’s ongoing digital transformation in line with the goals of Kuwait Vision 2035. The teams earned their trip to London through the Kuwait Tech Hub Entrepreneurship Program to explore the UK startup ecosystem.

The Entrepreneurship Program, overseen by the Public Authority for Youth, began in June and concludes in December. In October, it held a competition inviting young innovators to pitch their ideas before government officials, investors, entrepreneurs, and mentors. Supported by the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA) and Boeing, with collaboration from Meta, the program aims to strengthen business innovation and build an attractive, sustainable investment environment for technology-focused SMEs — offering support from concept development to global market entry.

Boeing has also agreed to implement and operate the Kuwait Digital City project, the first artificial intelligence city dedicated to youth.