Two new AWS Cloud Innovation Centers to open in Bahrain

This week, Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced two new AWS Cloud Innovation Centers (CICs) in Bahrain at the University of Bahrain (UoB) and at Bahrain Polytechnic (BP). Teresa Carlson, vice president of worldwide public sector at AWS, made the announcement at the annual re:Invent conference in Las Vegas. Both CICs will be supported by Tamkeen, a public authority in Bahrain focused on workforce development.

A CIC is a long-term, public-private collaboration between a public sector organization and AWS that serves as a customer innovation capability to solve public sector challenges that will address, over time, the real-life problems or opportunities facing governmental organizations. These two new CICs will focus on accelerating the digital transformation of the public sector in Bahrain.

Two new AWS Cloud Innovation Centers in Bahrain announced at the annual re:Invent conference

One of the first challenges will be presented from the Ministry of Agriculture, which hopes to transform the agriculture industry by using machine learning (ML), data analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), and other cloud technologies for precision farming, water and irrigation control, and livestock management and monitoring.

“We have seen cloud computing transform public sectors across the world. By launching Cloud Innovation Centers powered by AWS, the University of Bahrain, Bahrain Polytechnic, and Tamkeen can support the country’s digital transformation. With the recent launch of the AWS Middle East Region in Bahrain, we are bringing the most advanced cloud technologies closer to customers, students, and education institutions in the region to enable them to innovate even faster and develop new products and services that solve for local needs,” said Teresa Carlson, vice president worldwide public sector at AWS.

Dr. Ebrahim Mohammed Janahi, Chief Executive at Tamkeen, said, “Partnering with the University of Bahrain, alongside Bahrain Polytechnic and Amazon Web Services to support Cloud Innovation Centers is an important step towards digital transformation. This will ensure maximum outreach to Bahrainis to start utilizing and embedding cloud technology within their organizations and institutions.” He also adds that one of Tamkeen’s many goals is to drive innovation within Bahrain, allowing Bahrainis the liberty to create and design feasible, smart, and sustainable solutions that would elevate and strengthen the country’s economic competitiveness.

The new CICs at UoB and BP join a global and growing network of other CICs around the world including California Polytechnic University Digital Transformation Hub and Arizona State University Smart City CIC (USA), Munich University of Applied Sciences (MUAS) Digital Transformation Lab and CODE University of Applied Sciences Better Future Lab (Germany), Sciences Po Public Innovation Lab (France), Busan City CIC (South Korea), Swinburne Data for Social Good CIC and RMIT University Cyber Ready CIC (Australia), and the University of British Columbia Community Health and Wellbeing CIC (Canada).

Any entity that supplies or operates as a public sector, education, and nonprofit organization is invited to submit their challenges to either the UoB CIC at uobcic@polytechnic.bh or Bahrain Polytechnic CIC at bpcic@uob.edu.bh from January 1, 2020. Learn more about the AWS Cloud Innovation Centers program.