The Wataniya Entrepreneurship Incubation Hub
Board of Experts
Background
The Wataniya Entrepreneurship Incubation Hub was established to foster innovation, support early-stage startups, and promote an entrepreneurial culture aligned with national development priorities. To ensure the quality, relevance, and sustainability of the incubated ventures, the Hub is guided by a Board of Experts composed of distinguished professionals from academia, industry, finance, technology, and entrepreneurship.
The Board of Experts serves as a strategic and technical advisory body, bringing together multidisciplinary expertise and practical experience to support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen governance, and enhance the impact of the Hub’s programmes. Its role is essential in bridging academic knowledge with market realities and ensuring that supported projects have strong potential for growth, scalability, and social and economic impact.
Objectives
The main objectives of the Board of Experts are to:
- Ensure the selection of high-quality, innovative, and viable entrepreneurial projects for inclusion in the Hub.
- Provide strategic guidance and technical oversight to support the Hub’s mission and long-term sustainability.
- Mentor and support entrepreneurs in developing robust business models, products, and market strategies.
- Promote best practices in entrepreneurship, innovation, and startup incubation.
- Strengthen linkages between entrepreneurs, industry, investors, and relevant national and international stakeholders.
Functions and Responsibilities
The Board of Experts undertakes the following key functions:
- Assessment and Selection of Projects
- Review and evaluate proposed entrepreneurial projects submitted to the Hub.
- Assess projects based on predefined criteria, including innovation, feasibility, market potential, scalability, sustainability, and social or economic impact.
- Participate in interviews, pitching sessions, and final selection of projects to be incubated within the Hub.
- Mentoring and Capacity Building
- Provide structured mentoring and technical support to selected entrepreneurs.
- Offer guidance on business planning, financial management, product development, marketing, intellectual property, and regulatory issues.
- Support entrepreneurs in refining their business models and preparing for market entry or scale-up.
- Strategic Advisory Role
- Advise the Hub’s management on strategic directions, programme design, and continuous improvement.
- Contribute to the development of policies, guidelines, and performance indicators for the incubation programs.
- Identify emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges in entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems.
- Networking and Resource Mobilisation
- Facilitate connections between entrepreneurs and potential investors, industry partners, mentors, and support institutions.
- Support fundraising efforts and the identification of grants, partnerships, and sponsorship opportunities.
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Monitor the progress and performance of incubated projects.
- Provide feedback and recommendations to enhance outcomes and address challenges faced by entrepreneurs.