'Warba' announces registration opening for 'Rwad 7.0' program

Waha Bank announced the opening of registrations for the seventh edition of its innovation program, “ROWAD 7.0,” in collaboration with the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). This year’s edition is themed “The Future of Banking,” aiming to explore and develop innovative solutions based on the latest emerging technologies and their applications in the banking sector.

The launch of the new edition aligns with Waha Bank’s strategy to support innovation, empower young talent, and encourage advanced banking ideas and solutions that can contribute to the development of banking services. The program targets undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students from Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries who are currently studying in the United Kingdom.

Speaking on the occasion, Anwar Al-Ghaith, Executive Vice President of Digital Transformation and Operations at Waha Bank, said: “ROWAD 7.0 represents an extension of the bank’s commitment to supporting innovation and providing an environment that enables young talent to transform their ideas into practical, implementable solutions. We view this program as a platform that brings together knowledge, technology, and creativity, offering participants a real opportunity to understand the future challenges facing the banking sector and to develop innovative solutions to address them.”

He added: “Choosing the theme ‘The Future of Banking’ for the seventh edition reflects the importance of leveraging rapid technological advancements, particularly advanced technologies, which are now effectively reshaping customer experiences and developing financial operations and services. Through ROWAD 7.0, we aim to encourage students and young talent to think differently and apply their academic knowledge to innovate solutions that deliver real value to the banking sector.”

Al-Ghaith emphasized that investing in young talent is one of the key pathways to supporting the innovation ecosystem, noting that Waha Bank continues to build partnerships and programs that provide participants with opportunities for learning, experimentation, and development, in line with the global transformations occurring in the financial and banking sectors.

ROWAD 7.0 focuses on exploring cases related to the latest advanced technologies and studying how these technologies can be leveraged in the banking industry, thereby enabling participants to present innovative ideas and solutions that address future needs and challenges in the sector.

The program aims to enhance participants’ innovative thinking, translate theoretical knowledge into practical applications, and provide students with the opportunity to develop new ideas within an environment focused on innovation, technology, and banking services.

The program concludes with a Demo Day in London, the UK capital, where participating teams will have the opportunity to present their projects and innovative solutions in December.

The program invites students currently studying in the United Kingdom at the undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral levels to register and participate in this innovative experience. Registration will be open to students from Kuwait and GCC countries.

Participation offers students an opportunity to develop their innovation and teamwork skills, gain a deeper understanding of the potential applications of technology in the banking sector, and develop solutions and ideas to be presented to a panel of experts during the final stage of the program.

Through these awards, the program aims to motivate participants to present innovative and scalable ideas, encourage them to continue working on their projects, and transform them from mere concepts into solutions that can deliver future value.

The “Rwad 7.0” program is organized in collaboration between Wabra and DIFC, as part of efforts to support innovation and provide new opportunities for young talents to engage with the latest developments in technology and financial services.

This partnership underscores the importance of collaboration between financial institutions and specialized innovation ecosystems, contributing to the creation of a conducive environment for developing new ideas and aligning them with the evolving needs of the banking sector. In the previous edition, participants were given the opportunity to visit DIFC’s headquarters in Dubai to gain valuable expertise in banking innovation, and this opportunity will be offered again to participants in the current edition.

The launch of the seventh edition of “Rwad” reaffirms the program’s continuity as one of Wabra’s key innovation initiatives, providing a platform that brings together students, idea holders, and talented individuals with the banking sector, and encouraging them to explore the potential offered by modern technology.

Through these initiatives, Wabra continues to emphasize its commitment to supporting innovation as a core value underpinning its business development and its ability to keep pace with the rapid transformations in the banking industry, alongside investing in the competencies and talents capable of contributing to the development of future banking solutions.