This AI Alliance is Set to Drive Bahrain’s $1 Billion Biotech Leap
The initiative is expected to generate over $1 billion in value through new biotech assets and IP.
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[Image source: Chetan Jha/MITSMR Middle East]
As Gulf economies accelerate efforts to diversify beyond oil, Bahrain is turning its focus to innovation-driven sectors such as biotechnology and AI.
In a move that underscores this national pivot toward a knowledge-based economy, Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Co. BSC(c) (“Mumtalakat”), the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, has entered a strategic partnership with SandboxAQ, a global leader in artificial intelligence and quantum technologies, to build a cutting-edge biotech ecosystem in Bahrain.
Under the agreement, Bahrain will leverage SandboxAQ’s advanced software and quantitative AI capabilities to identify and develop novel drug targets and therapeutics. The initiative is projected to create more than $1 billion in value for the Kingdom through the development of new biotech assets and intellectual property.
A joint research committee will guide a three-year program designed to position Bahrain as a regional hub for biotech innovation, fostering cross-sector collaboration and advancing the country’s ambitions in life sciences and digital transformation.
“This partnership with SandboxAQ marks a significant milestone in our mission to diversify Bahrain’s economy and foster a thriving health sector,” said HE Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, CEO of Mumtalakat.
“By combining our national resources with SandboxAQ’s world-class expertise in AI and large quantitative models to create new and innovative drugs, we are laying the foundation for a new era of innovation in the health sector and economic growth in the Kingdom,” he added.
Jack Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ, said, “We are honoured to partner with Mumtalakat and the Kingdom of Bahrain to catalyse a new IP-generating biotech economy. Our collaboration will harness the power of AI to accelerate drug discovery and will attract more investment to the Kingdom.”
The partnership reflects Mumtalakat’s broader strategy to optimise and diversify its portfolio, ensuring sustainable long-term financial returns. It also aligns with Bahrain’s vision of becoming a regional centre for advanced technology and life sciences, leveraging AI, data, and scientific research to drive innovation-led economic growth.
