In this startup news for 2025, we explore how Orral Nadjari, the founder of Britishvolt, is making strides with plans to establish new battery factories in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This move signals a shift in global energy tech innovation and highlights the strategic benefits of expanding into the Gulf region's emerging clean tech market. Alongside industry updates, we’ll provide helpful tools for entrepreneurs, guide you through startup lessons from Orral Nadjari’s ambitious projects, and include resources like PlayPal, an AI friend from Fe/male Switch, to aid you in your entrepreneurial journey.
Orral Nadjari’s Gulf Plans: A Bold Move in Battery Manufacturing
Orral Nadjari, a former financial investor with a background in clean tech, gained fame for founding Britishvolt and spearheading the development of a £3.8 billion gigafactory to manufacture EV batteries in northeast England. Following Britishvolt’s collapse in 2023 due to funding shortfalls and governance issues, Nadjari is turning his focus to the GCC. Here’s what we know so far:
Key Details About the New Gulf Battery Factories
- Location: Nadjari is eyeing opportunities across the Gulf region, although the exact country remains undisclosed.
- Applications: Battery production targeted for premium sports EVs, robotics, and eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) vehicles.
- Project Scale: Plans involve battery factories with footprints of 40,000–50,000 square meters, demonstrating a large investment scale.
- Strategy: Nadjari considers GCC governance to be friendlier to clean tech innovation due to the monarchic, long-term-driven policymaking, which avoids volatility caused by democratic election cycles in regions like the UK.
Startup Lessons from Britishvolt’s Journey
Britishvolt’s rise and fall offers profound lessons for entrepreneurs. Here’s how you can avoid common pitfalls while scaling your own startup:
Lessons Learned
- Ensure Reliable Funding Streams
- Britishvolt’s downfall stemmed from inadequate private funding and missed government milestones.
- Tip: Use the F/MS EU Grant Finder and Application Writer to quickly locate EU grants tailored for your startup and receive auto-generated application drafts.
- Prioritize Governance
- Governance issues, including the use of funds for questionable activities (yoga lessons, private jets), complicated Britishvolt’s trajectory.
- Tip: Review all agreements with tools like the AI Startup Lawyer to avoid contract loopholes that could harm your venture.
- Adapt and Pivot
- Britishvolt faced roadblocks but left behind valuable lessons that Nadjari is now applying to new Gulf projects.
- Tip: Validate your startup ideas in the F/MS SANDBOX, where steps like idea validation and audience assessment can prepare you for risks ahead.
How Entrepreneurs Can Benefit in 2025
With the global energy sector adapting to sustainability demands, regions like the GCC are primed for clean tech investment due to their diversification goals. Nadjari’s bold move illustrates opportunities for startup founders to tap into international markets.
Steps to Take Today
- Learn and Network in Startup Ecosystems:
- If the Gulf region is attracting your attention, understand their startup-friendly opportunities, much like Malta for startups. Watch this insightful interview about Malta’s Startup Visa Program with Brian Camilleri from Malta Enterprise Startup Visa in Malta.
- Use AI Tools for Productivity:
- Tools like PlayPal can mimic Orral Nadjari’s visionary planning behavior. Try PlayPal to brainstorm ideas, validate problem statements, or gain advice tailored to your workflow needs.
- Expand Beyond Your Comfort Zone:
- Nadjari’s move from Europe to the Middle East shows the importance of exploring new markets. Find the right entry strategy with platforms like F/MS Startup Game, designed for navigating diverse regions and industries.
Common Startup Mistakes to Avoid
- Underestimating Market Dynamics in New Regions
- The Gulf has different government support models compared to Europe. Conduct a thorough risk-benefit analysis before diving in.
- Neglecting Governance
- Mismanagement of funds and unclear leadership often drives startups into turmoil, ensure transparency is your priority.
- Failing to Secure IP (Intellectual Property)
- With Nadjari focusing on partnerships for battery tech innovation, IP protection should be part of your strategy. Learn about IP strategies on platforms like CADChain, Violetta Bonenkamp’s startup initiative.
Why Use PlayPal?
PlayPal, developed by Fe/male Switch and founded by Violetta Bonenkamp, is your AI companion tailored for entrepreneurs. It’s perfect for stepping into Nadjari’s visionary shoes:
- Problem Validation: Chat with PlayPal to refine your ideas.
- Strategic Advice: Receive guidance on launching product ideas.
- Accessible Support: PlayPal is free to use; perfect for early-stage entrepreneurs.
Learn more about PlayPal here.
Conclusion
In 2025, startup founders like Orral Nadjari highlight the importance of innovation, adaptability, and long-term planning. By leveraging tools such as F/MS EU Grant Finder and platforms like PlayPal, entrepreneurs can confidently navigate their journey while learning from industry giants’ successes and mistakes.
As global markets open up in regions like the GCC, coupled with tools tailored for entrepreneurs, now is the time to build, scale, and thrive, with smart resources by your side. Start today and become the transformational leader of tomorrow.
FAQ
1. Who is Orral Nadjari?
Orral Nadjari is the founder of Britishvolt, a UK-based startup aimed at producing EV batteries. He is now focusing on establishing battery factories in the Gulf region. Learn more about Britishvolt’s progress
2. Why is Orral Nadjari building battery factories in the Gulf?
Nadjari sees the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as a strategic region for clean tech investment due to its stable, long-term-driven government policies and ambitions to diversify away from oil dependence. Explore the Gulf region’s focus on climate tech
3. What applications are planned for the batteries manufactured in the Gulf factories?
The batteries will target high-tech niches, including premium sports EVs, robotics, and eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) vehicles.
4. What lessons can startup founders learn from Britishvolt’s collapse?
Britishvolt's shortfall was due to governance issues, missed funding milestones, and inconsistent government support. Entrepreneurs should learn to secure reliable funding, prioritize governance, and be adaptive to challenges. Find startup insights
5. How large are the planned Gulf battery factories?
The proposed Gulf battery factories are planned to span between 40,000–50,000 square meters, demonstrating a large-scale investment.
6. Why did Britishvolt fail?
Britishvolt’s failure was attributed to governance issues, inadequate private funding, and delays in receiving conditional government grants, coupled with external issues like rising interest rates. Read about Britishvolt’s collapse
7. What is the Gulf region’s appeal for clean tech investments?
The Gulf region’s monarchic governance and long-term policy stability make it appealing. These nations are actively diversifying their economies by investing in green technology.
8. How can entrepreneurs benefit from tools like PlayPal?
PlayPal, developed by Fe/male Switch, helps entrepreneurs validate ideas, pivot strategies, and organize workflows effectively. Learn more about PlayPal
9. What are the strategic advantages of monarchic governance for clean tech initiatives?
Monarchic governance offers long-term planning with fewer disruptions, unlike regions with frequent elections. This stability helps attract clean tech projects like battery manufacturing.
10. How can startups secure better funding?
Startups can avoid funding pitfalls by using platforms like the F/MS EU Grant Finder, which offers tools for locating and applying for grants. Access EU grants
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch. The Fe/male Switch team is located in several countries, including the Netherlands and Malta.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
