Ideas Made Real Supporting the GCC’s next generation of founders from concept to launch.
Every successful business starts with an idea. But turning that idea into a viable business requires more than ambition. It takes guidance, mentorship, market understanding, practical support and the determination to build, test and refine.
Supporting GCC Entrepreneurs from Early Ideas to Viable Ventures
That is the thinking behind Ideas Made Real (IMR), a GCC-wide entrepreneurship development program helping young GCC nationals transform early-stage concepts into credible, commercially viable ventures. Rather than simply looking for the best pitch, IMR focuses on people who can identify genuine problems, develop meaningful solutions and demonstrate the commitment to make them happen.
It Starts With an Idea, Not a Finished Business
Applicants do not need a finished business, working product or fully developed business plan to apply. Instead, IMR is looking for individuals who have identified a real problem and developed a credible idea for addressing it.
Applicants should consider who experiences the problem, why it exists, what their proposed solution could look like and what they would do next with the right support. Research, customer feedback, pilots or early testing can strengthen an application, but the emphasis is on potential, clarity and the willingness to learn and execute.
Who Can Apply?
Ideas Made Real is open to GCC nationals aged 18–30 from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Corporate National Talent nominations may, by exception, be considered for applicants up to age 35 where they are participating in an approved development, graduate, innovation or high-potential program with employer approval.
Applicants can apply individually or as part of a team of up to four people. For the team applications, the Team Leader and lead applicant submitting the application must be a GCC national, while other team members may be of any nationality.
Several application routes are available, including the Open Entrepreneur, University/Alumni, Corporate National Talent, Overseas GCC Student and Future Entrepreneurs tracks.
What Does the Application Involve?
The application considers both the idea and the person behind it. Applicants explain the problem they want to solve, their proposed solution, target customer and market, while considering feasibility and potential economic, social or environmental impact.
They are also asked to provide a 90-day execution plan, outlining what they aim to achieve during the early development phase.
Applications are assessed across four equally weighted areas: Team, Idea and Innovation, Impact and Relevance, and Execution and Viability. This reflects IMR’s belief that a strong idea is only one part of building a successful venture.
From 50 Candidates to Five Finalists
The program takes promising concepts from application through to practical development. The strongest 50 candidates are invited to GCC Assessment Centres, with the top 20 progressing into mentorship and idea refinement. Five finalists then move into prototype development with Avela Global, where their concepts can be built, tested and refined.
For Zhupar Teleubayeva, Managing Director for the Middle East at Avela Global, the opportunity goes beyond identifying a handful of promising startups. The wider objective is to build a stronger pipeline of GCC entrepreneurs with the confidence and practical capabilities to take ideas forward.
Avela Global plays a central role through venture architecture and hands-on prototype execution, helping participants move beyond simply learning about entrepreneurship to actually building something tangible.
As the GCC continues to diversify its economies and encourage innovation, developing entrepreneurial capability among young nationals is increasingly important. Ideas Made Real provides a bridge between an individual’s early ambition and the practical realities of building a business, proving that you do not need to have everything figured out before you start; you need a problem worth solving, a credible idea and the determination to turn it into action.
Saudi Projects spoke with Zhupar Teleubayeva to discuss the thinking behind Ideas Made Real, the role of mentorship and prototyping, and how the programme is supporting the next generation of GCC entrepreneurs.
SAUDI PROJECTS: Why launch Ideas Made Real now?
ZHUPAR TELEUBAYEYA: The timing feels right because the GCC is placing such a strong focus on developing national talent, entrepreneurship and creating new opportunities for the next generation. There is a lot of ambition in the region, but having a good idea is only the beginning. What often makes the difference is having access to experienced people who can help you navigate what comes next.
That is an important part of why we created Ideas Made Real. We wanted to offer more than a platform for submitting ideas. Successful participants will have access to one year of mentorship from experienced CEOs and business leaders, alongside practical support to develop their ideas and work towards a prototype.
We believe this combination of fresh thinking from the next generation and real-world experience from established business leaders is particularly relevant now, as the GCC continues to build and diversify its future economy.
SAUDI PROJECTS: What does a winning idea look like?
ZHUPAR TELEUBAYEYA: For us, a winning idea doesn’t have to be complicated. It should solve a real problem, respond to a genuine need, or offer a better way of doing something. It should have clear potential to be developed into something practical and valuable. But we are not looking at the idea alone. The person or team behind it is equally important. We want participants who are passionate about what they are building, but who are also coachable, open-minded and committed. Being able to receive constructive feedback, adapt when necessary and work collaboratively with mentors, experts and other team members will be an important part of the journey.A strong applicant doesn’t need to have all the answers from the beginning. We are looking for people who are curious, committed, willing to learn and prepared to put in the work to take their idea further.Ultimately, a winning idea for us is a promising concept combined with the right mindset and the right people behind it.
SAUDI PROJECTS: How polished does an idea need to be?
ZHUPAR TELEUBAYEYA: It doesn’t need to be fully developed. Applicants can come to us at an early stage. They need to be able to explain the idea, the problem it addresses and why they believe it has potential. Part of the purpose of Ideas Made Real is to help develop and strengthen that idea through guidance, mentoring and practical support.
SAUDI PROJECTS: Are you backing ideas or people?
ZHUPAR TELEUBAYEYA: Both, because one cannot really succeed without the other. A strong idea gives us something to believe in, but it is the person or team behind it who ultimately determines how far that idea can go.Ideas rarely remain exactly as they started. As they are developed, tested and challenged, they may change direction or become something even stronger. That is why we also look at the people behind them; their commitment, resilience and ability to take an idea from concept through the challenges of actually building it.
SAUDI PROJECTS: Why is prototyping so important?
ZHUPAR TELEUBAYEYA: A prototype takes an idea from something you can talk about to something you can actually see, test and improve. It helps identify what works, what needs to change and whether the concept has real potential. It is one of the most important steps in turning an idea into a viable product.
SAUDI PROJECTS: How does Avela help bring ideas to life?
ZHUPAR TELEUBAYEYA: Avela brings more than two decades of experience in product development, sourcing and manufacturing, having worked with hundreds of manufacturers across the Asia-Pacific region. Over the years, we have helped many of our clients take an idea from something as simple as a sketch on a napkin through development, prototyping and towards a finished product.
That experience is what we bring to Ideas Made Real. We work closely with selected participants to understand their concept, ask the right questions and look at how it can be practically developed and manufactured. We can support them through areas such as design development, materials, sourcing, prototyping, manufacturing and commercial considerations.
SAUDI PROJECTS: What’s your message to those hesitant to apply?
ZHUPAR TELEUBAYEYA: Don’t wait for your idea to be perfect. If you have identified a real problem and believe you have a solution, take that first step and apply.Ideas Made Real is designed to give you access to the mentorship, practical expertise and support that can help you develop your thinking and turn an early-stage idea into something tangible.
Turning “What If?” Into “What Next?”
The most compelling aspect of Ideas Made Real is its focus on the entrepreneurial journey, not just the outcome. Successful businesses are rarely built in a straight line. Ideas evolve, assumptions are challenged, and products and business models are refined through learning and real-world testing. The ability to adapt and persevere is often what separates a promising concept from a sustainable venture.
Applications are currently being invited through the Ideas Made Real program.
