Bahrain This Week meets up with Ahmed Al Quyim, the 23 year old co-founder of The Hive. Ahmed is a fresh graduate from Bahrain Polytechnic with a Bachelor’s degree in Information and Communication Technology
majoring in Management and Information Systems. He shares with us his ideas about entrepreneurship and what could just be the recipe to success.
Has technology been a calling for you right from the beginning?
Since an early age I have been attracted to technology, taking stuff apart and trying to create stuff; I even ended up burning some of my stuff. Growing up, I met some people who share the same passion, so we were working with electronics and created our mini-projects as a mini-community.
Tell us briefly about how The Hive was founded and when.
The Hive was founded early this year, when my friends and I were discussing the kind of collaboration in
projects and the access to tools and resources we wanted to have. We couldn’t find a place in Bahrain where
we could meet up, socialise and work together on our projects; so we thought, why not do it ourselves?
What were the initial challenges and how did you overcome them?
As the idea is new in the region, the main challenge was introducing the concept to the people, as the details can be a bit technical. Initially, we tried to link it to familiar activities and known places, yet we didn’t convey the right message. After some marketing tips, people started adapting to the idea and the concept behind it by knowing the products and services and how it could benefit them.
What are the obstacles that you are still encountering?
Our topmost concern currently is the workspace location. As youth is our main focus, we are looking to
locate ourselves somewhere near the education area and the cities around it, as we aim for easy access
to the workspace in order to provide a quality user experience while interacting with The Hive.
How has The Hive grown or evolved since its inception?
The workspace is not open yet; we are still in the planning and setting up phase. However, we have been
participating in Startup competitions and workshops, and that helped us a lot in creating the business side of The Hive. Also, we have been receiving continuous support from the Rowad Team from Bahrain Development Bank and Tenmou.
How is The Hive unique from its competitors?
Nowadays anyone can order anything online. The Hive provides the platform for both teams and individuals to learn, make and share their ideas and projects with the support of a community that shares the same passion.
Is technology making life easier or more complicated?
Technology nowadays aims to automate everything around us, especially since Internet of Things (IoT) was introduced. Most of the tech startups nowadays aim to provide a solution or fulfill a need to ease the user’s daily life, like an application that helps you control the lights in your residence or sensor that can check the soil moisture and sends notification to
your smartphone or even as simple as a food ordering app.
What is your message to aspiring entrepreneurs?
The road to success is not easy; it comes through hard work, determination and sacrifice. Just hold tight, stay strong, don’t give up and pursue your dreams.