The Ministry of Industry and Commerce has launched the National Innovation Strategy (2025–2035) during Global Entrepreneurship Week at the American University of Bahrain (AUBH). The Strategy aims to position the Kingdom of Bahrain as a leading regional hub for innovation and to accelerate the shift towards a knowledge- and creativity-based economy.
The launch took place in the presence of H.E. Mr. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce, alongside key national partners from the public, private, and academic sectors, including the Ministry of Finance and National Economy, the Ministry of Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Higher Education Council, the Economic Development Board (EDB), Tamkeen, the University of Bahrain, and the Information & eGovernment Authority.
The Minister affirmed that the Strategy aligns with the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to build a diversified and sustainable economy, and with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to support innovation, productivity, and the development of promising sectors. He noted that the Strategy serves as a national roadmap to strengthen integration between government, the private sector, and academia, advancing innovation in education, industry, scientific research, and entrepreneurship, and enhancing Bahrain’s competitiveness regionally and globally.
His Excellency explained that the Strategy is built on four main pillars: supporting the Research and Development (R&D) ecosystem by identifying national priorities, improving policies, supporting research programs, encouraging technology-based startups, and launching a National R&D Award; enhancing education and talent building by integrating STEM disciplines into curricula and offering advanced training in future technology fields; strengthening intellectual property by updating IP laws, expanding cooperation with international patent offices, improving IP registration, and allocating a portion of university revenues to support scientific research; and finally, promoting innovation and data by developing a digital ecosystem, improving mechanisms for measuring R&D and innovation, and requiring institutions to disclose their investments in this area.
The Strategy sets clear performance indicators, including doubling national patent registrations by 2027, increasing industrial design and trademark registrations by 2030, training over 6,000 Bahrainis in innovation fields, raising R&D investment to 2% of GDP by 2035, and positioning Bahrain among the top 50 countries in the Global Innovation Index. A National Task Force comprising representatives from governmental, academic, and private sectors has been formed to oversee implementation and monitor progress. The Minister concluded that the National Innovation Strategy represents a qualitative step towards a more prosperous future built on people, creativity, and knowledge, reinforcing Bahrain’s status as a regional center for innovation and technology and supporting the goals of Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.
