01
Find It
Identify a real problem that matters. Think about who is affected, why it exists, and what it would mean to solve it. The best ideas are grounded in real-world observation not theory.
How It Works
Before You Apply
You don't need a finished business. You need a real problem, a credible idea for solving it, and the drive to build.
02
Form Your Team
Apply as an individual or assemble a team of up to four. The strongest teams bring complementary skills - commercial thinking, technical capability, and relentless execution drive.
03
Submit and Commit
Complete your application honestly and in full. Commit to the programme schedule. If selected, this is a year of real work not a one-night pitch.
WHO CAN APPLY
Built for young nationals across the GCC who are ready to build.
Ideas Made Real is open to GCC nationals aged 18-30 and with exception up to 35 based in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, or the UAE who are ready to commit to the full programme schedule, not just a submission.
These requirements are designed to ensure fairness, comparability, route discipline, IP protection, employer confidence, safeguarding and readiness for a GCC-wide delivery model. All criteria are mandatory unless an explicit written exception is approved by the Programme Director and recorded in the cycle settings sheet.
Core IMR eligibility: GCC Nationals aged 18-30 at time of application submission.- Corporate National Talent nominations may be accepted up to age 35 by exception where the applicant is part of a recognised National Development, graduate, innovation or high-potential programme and has employer approval.
- Applicants may apply through one approved route: Corporate National Talent Track, Overseas GCC Student Track, Open Entrepreneur Track, University/Alumni route, or Future Entrepreneurs feeder route.
- Applicants must be GCC Nationals from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates (UAE), or meet the approved cycle rules for GCC national participation while studying overseas.
- Idea is original to the applicant/team or properly disclosed; external collaborators, employer-derived ideas, third-party intellectual property (IP), confidential information and material use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools must be declared.
- Employer-nominated or work-derived ideas require employer consent, line-manager awareness where applicable, IP declaration, conflict disclosure and confidentiality controls before assessment, filming or prototype development.
- Applicants must commit to the programme schedule, required sessions, assessment requirements, mentor engagement and any approved travel to Dubai for later stages.
- Agreement to safeguarding requirements, code of conduct, privacy notice, AI-use guidance, IP declaration, employer consent requirements where applicable, and media release policy.
- Each team must nominate one team lead, one GCC country of record, and one intake route for administration, travel, partner reporting and data-control purposes.
Not eligible: employees or immediate family of organising partners, judges, or programme Founders.
How to Apply
A process built to find the best builders, not the best presenters
Step 01
Apply Online
Apply Online Submit your idea, team details, problem statement, and 90 day execution plan through the online application portal.
Step 02
Eligibility
Check age, GCC nationality, university link, and application completeness verified by the programme operations team.
Step 03
Review
Every eligible application is independently reviewed. It is therefore critical that the application is fully completed to give the best chance of being shortlisted.
Step 04
50 Shortlisted Candidates
The strongest 50 applications are shortlisted and invited to in-country GCC Assessment Centres.
Step 05
Assessment Centre and Decision
All 50 shortlisted candidates attend an in-country Assessment Centre in their GCC country - no travel to Dubai required. The top 20 advance to the Mentorship and Refinement phase. All 50 receive formal written feedback.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
A progressive scorecard that rewards builders at every stage.
Our rubric evolves across each gate - from written application through Assessment Centre to the Live Showcase. It is publishes in advance. No surprises. No favourites.
Team25%
Commitment, diversity, and coachability. The right people matters as much as the right idea.
Idea and Innovations25%
Problem clarify, originality, and real-world feasibility.
Impact and Relevance25%
Economics, social, or commercial potential, Alignment with GCC national and regional priorities
Execution and Viability25%
A credible plan, realistic resources, and a clear path to market.
THE FALCON TROPHY
Not just an award.A launchpad
The Falcon Trophy is awarded to the Ideas Made Real champion at the GCC national showcase. It does not represent the best pitch on the night. It represents the most capable enterpreneur across a full year of real work, tested ideas, and built prototypes.
The Falcon is a symbol of vision, precision, and decisive execution - the qualities we look for in every participant. But the trophy is only the beginning.
14
Months of post-award support the champion receives (November 2026 through October 2027)
04
The four support pillars the champion gets throughout that year are: Legal and IP, Prototype Development, PR and Media, Financial Framework (plus Vistage mentorship)
Q4 2026
The champion's post-award support programme officially begins - the morning after the showcase
WHAT PARTICIPATE RECEIVES
Everything you need to turn a credible idea into a viable business.
This is the most significant part of IMR. We do not just select participants and send them to workshops. We nurture the idea with them. Here is exactly what every stage of the programme delivers.
The programme bridges the gap between ambition and execution. It does not simply celebrate ideas - it funds them, mentors them, builds on them, and backs them with a full year of post-award support for the champion.
Every stage is transparent, merit-based, and governed by an independent panel. No predetermined outcomes. Just the best ideas, built by the best people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ideas Made Real doesn't end on the night. It starts there.
Everything you need to know before you apply.
Ready to build something real?
Open to GCC Nationals aged 18-30 and by exception up to 35 across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and UAE.
