The Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity, part of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, is taking applications for its Acceleration Program 2026, run with the open-innovation platform Mind the Bridge. It is aimed at projects in food and water security, and registration closes on 12 November 2026.
Who can apply
- Kuwaiti nationals only, aged 21 to 35.
- A project past the idea stage: a prototype, an MVP or a beta.
- Relevance to food or water security. Software, hardware, web-based and AI solutions get priority.
- Fluent English, the working language of the programme.
- The ability to obtain a US or Schengen visa.
You do not need a registered company, and a project can tackle food or water rather than both. University students with a capstone project in the field, inventors, activists and entrepreneurs are all eligible.
What counts
On the food side: advanced and controlled-environment growing, food safety and traceability, and supply-chain resilience. On the water side: smart irrigation, water reuse, leak detection, and monitoring and conservation technology.
The calendar
- 12 November: registration deadline.
- 16 to 23 November: the Kuwait sprint, covering validation, business models and pitching.
- 23 November: pitch day, when the top ten are chosen.
- 8 to 17 December: an international mission to Barcelona for the ten finalists.
- 15 December: international demo day in Barcelona.
How to apply
Use the Apply Now button at acceleration.sacgc.org. Finalists picked for Barcelona arrange their own visa and travel documents within the deadline they are given.
Photo: Hydroponic lettuce on growing racks in Réunion, not from the programme. Photograph by Rémih, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Source: The programme page on the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity website, checked 7 October 2026, and the centre’s statement as carried by Al-Anba.
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