As the founder of the Creative Business Network (CBN), Rasmus Wiinstedt Tscherning has spent over a decade nurturing creative entrepreneurs worldwide. During his visit to Bahrain for the Global Women’s Economic Forum, shared his creative insight with Woman This Month.
CBN was founded with a clear objective: to support creative startups in turning their ideas into sustainable businesses. What began as a Danish competition in 2010 soon grew into a global network operating in over 80 countries.
“We try to bring creative solutions to life or to the world,” says Mr. Tscherning. “We’re not in the business because we think we need more hats, gloves and shoes – but because we need more sustainable fashion, life-saving devices or whatever creatives can come up with.”
One of CBN’s standout initiatives is the Creative Business Cup, a global startup competition that has seen strong participation from Bahrain. “Bahrain actually came second last year, which shows the strength of its creative entrepreneurs,” he notes.
Bahrain as a Creative Hub
Mr. Tscherning sees great potential in Bahrain as a regional centre for creativity and innovation. He has been in discussions with key stakeholders about hosting the Creative Business Cup global finals in Bahrain in 2026. “If we could get the right people together, Bahrain could be the host,” he states. “But it requires commitment – venue, funding, hotels for speakers and organisation. It needs to come from here.”
With Bahrain’s increasing focus on SMEs and startups, he believes this could be a defining moment for the country’s creative sector. “The economic future of Bahrain is in small businesses. There is a huge opportunity for creative entrepreneurs here.”
Empowering Women in Business
His visit to Bahrain coincided with the Global Women’s Economic Forum, where he highlighted the importance of female entrepreneurship. “Women’s empowerment makes a lot of sense, simply from a market perspective – it creates jobs and growth,” he explains. “The reason why many Scandinavian countries are wealthy is because the whole workforce was working. Having a fully active workforce benefits the economy.”
He believes Bahrain is already making strides in this area. “Women here are doing it for themselves. They just need more platforms to showcase their work.”
Mentorship and Market Access
While funding is crucial, Mr. Tscherning stresses the value of knowledge-sharing and mentorship. “Startups often think they need an investor, but what they actually need is knowledge,” he explains. “If they can bootstrap or get public funding, they might not even need external investment.”
CBN facilitates mentorship through programmes such as Foreign Mentor Weekends, where international experts provide intensive support to local startups. “Imagine 10–15 mentors coming to Bahrain for a weekend to help 20–30 startups refine their pitch and market strategies,” he suggests.
An Expanding Future
Mr. Tscherning is already thinking about the future of CBN and his own role. “Everyone has their time. My time as CEO may be coming to an end in the next few years,” he admits. “I’ve written myself into a corner with logistics and management – I’d much rather focus on the creative side.”
However, his commitment to Bahrain remains strong. “This is a unique market, and if the momentum continues, Bahrain could be at the forefront of the creative industries in the region.”
