Applicant businesses must be based and registered in Kuwait and able to attend the full duration of the KDSC Accelerator Programme (which is currently scheduled to be an in-person programme based in Kuwait City, but may be adjusted given the regional situation).

With an emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility, the programme is open to all Kuwaiti nationals, regardless of gender, disability, education, or economic background.

As a programme of the Youth Public Authority, all applicants must be aged 18-35 as of the programme start date (14th of September 2026). If you are aged 15-17, please get in touch to hear about YPA programmes available for your age group.

Applicants must be beyond the idea stage and operating at the Seed to Series A level. This means:

• A product or service is already live in the market or at least being piloted
• The company has demonstrated at least some traction.

Traction should include, but is not limited to:

• Paying customers or recurring revenue; and/ or
• Successful pilots or paid proof-of-concepts; and/ or
• Active users with clear engagement metrics; and/ or
• Repeat customers, renewals, or expansion; and/ or
• Signed contracts, LOIs with credible conversion potential, or a validated sales pipeline.

Applicants should demonstrate that they are solving a real and valuable problem, with evidence that customers are responding.

Applicants will be assessed on:

• Clarity of the customer problem and target segment
• Evidence of demand (revenue, usage, pilots, retention, or repeat behaviour),
• Customer insights and feedback informing product development,
• Differentiation and why customers choose this solution over alternatives.

We are looking for Kuwaiti companies with the potential to scale within Kuwait and internationally. Evaluation will include applicants’:

• Market size and growth potential,
• Competitive landscape and strategic positioning,
• Scalability of the product, technology, and delivery model,
• Readiness to grow beyond early adopters into a repeatable business.

Applicants should demonstrate a credible path to sustainable growth. Applicants will be evaluated on their:

• Revenue model and pricing logic,
• Early unit economics or indicators of commercial viability,
• Go-to-market strategy and traction to date,
• Clear growth priorities and how the programme would accelerate them,
• Fundraising readiness, where applicable (use of funds, milestones, investor fit).

At this stage, execution matters as much as vision. Applicants will be assessed on their:

• Founder–market fit and commitment,
• Balance of skills across product, technology, sales, and operations,
• Ability to make decisions, learn quickly, and adapt,
• Coachability and openness to feedback.

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Clear objectives for participating in the programme,
• Willingness to actively engage in sessions, mentoring, and peer learning,
• Commitment to data-driven growth and transparent progress tracking,
• Availability to participate fully for the duration of the programme.