• During the Beban TV show, two startups based in Bahrain, Right Calories and Motolines, secured a total investment of $347,000 from Hope Ventures, the investment arm of Hope Fund.
• Right Calories, a foodtech founded by Abdulla Sulaibeekh, has received an investment of $265,000. It is dedicated to providing customers with nutritious and healthy food options.
• The other winner is Motolines, an e-commerce platform for automotive parts established in 2020 by Ahmed Ashour, which has secured an investment of $82,000.
• The investment will fuel the growth and expansion of the two startups in Bahrain.

Press release:

Hope Ventures, the investment arm of Hope Fund, announces its investment in two Bahrain-based businesses, Right Calories and Motolines, through the sixth episode of the entrepreneurship-themed reality television show and the region’s first private-public investment platform, Beban.

Through Beban, ‘Right Calories’ a Bahrain-based healthy restaurant that provides accurately calculated nutrition, high quality, and affordable meals through A La Carte, meal planning & prep, and catering services, founded by Abdulla Sulaibeekh, raised $265,000 from Hope Ventures. Motolines, an e-commerce platform connecting customers with vendors in the automotive parts and services industries, represented by co-founder and CEO Ahmed Ashoor, raised $82,000, also from Hope Ventures.

As an investment firm, Hope Ventures invests in scalable businesses that are deeply rooted in their commitment to building value with forward-thinking founders who revolutionize their respective sectors. The firm offers strategic capital to accelerate the growth of its portfolio companies into new markets through its vast resources of private and public partners as well as a regional network of industry-expert mentors.

H.E. Aymen bin Tawfiq Almoayed, Chairman of Hope Fund, who also moderates the episode, represents Hope Ventures on Beban. Hope Ventures’ investment in both businesses reflects its commitment to investing in founders who demonstrate knowledge of their industries with clear aspirations and plans to grow and expand on a regional level.

Abdulla Sulaibeekh, Founder of Right Calories, commented on their investment by saying, “Beban was more than a reality show to us. It has been a holistic growth experience, starting from the bootcamp up to the show, where we received valuable specialized training that helped develop our business leading up to pitching on the show. We are honored to have been trusted by Hope Ventures to invest in our business and be part of our journey to transform communities into health-conscious communities, expand Right Calories across the GCC, and cater to all age categories.”

Also commenting on their successful fundraising, Ahmed Ashoor, Co-Founder and CEO of Motolines, shared: "We, at Motolines, are thrilled to be one of the businesses granted the opportunity to participate in Beban. The experience is inspirational in every aspect, and the benefits from the program go beyond mere funding, extending to the development and refinement of entrepreneurial skills through tailored training programs. Today, with Motolines securing investment, we can expand our scope and embark on the entrepreneurial journey in regional markets, reaching out to the global arena."

It is noteworthy to mention that the Beban TV show is the region’s first private-public investment platform through its partnerships with the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (UAE), the SME Development Authority (Oman), GFH Capital (KSA), Zain Kuwait and the Sabah Al Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity (Kuwait), and the Labor Fund Tamkeen (Bahrain).

Beban season 3 was filmed in the Middle East’s newest exhibition and convention center, Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB), and showcases 41 businesses from across the MENA region as they pitch in front of a panel of regional, reputable investors for equity investment and strategic business development opportunities that can accelerate the growth of these businesses into new markets.