Doha, Qatar: Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) - member of Qatar Foundation (QF) -  welcomed 13 tech startups from across the globe as part of the second edition of its Global Innovation Link (GIL) program.

Building on the success of its inaugural edition, which engaged startups from Pakistan, GIL’s latest edition was significantly expanded to include a diverse cohort of entrepreneurs from countries including the US, Poland, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Malaysia, and Jordan.

The program demonstrates QSTP’s firm resolve to lay the groundwork for future collaborations in tech research and development by establishing a link between Qatar’s tech ecosystem and international tech ecosystems.

The startups represented a wide array of industries and sectors, with a focus on innovation-driven fields such as spacetech, edtech, fintech, tourism tech, gaming, urban planning, manufacturing, and engineering. As part of the  two-week immersive experience, the participating startups gained access to QSTP’s world-class infrastructure and co-working space, the opportunity to interact with key stakeholders in Qatar, and exposure to the country’s thriving tech landscape. They were also given a chance to present their solutions to a diverse audience at QSTP’s AI Week 2024, a premier event that gathered over 3,000 local and global industry leaders, experts, and tech enthusiasts.

Dr. Jack Lau, President of QSTP, said the second edition of GIL builds on QSTP’s strong focus on enabling interactions between local and global innovation ecosystems.

“This program is part of our triangulation process where we facilitate international entrepreneurs to engage with the local tech community as well as stakeholders in the education system.  This experience allows them to understand the potential demand for their technologies in Qatar, in addition to providing a fertile ground for cross-border research collaborations and benefit from QF’s diverse talent pool of students, researchers, and academics,” Dr Lau said.

Beknazar Abdikamalov, Co-Founder of Hupo, a Singapore-based startup that participated in this edition of GIL, said the program was highly valuable in connecting with key stakeholders in Qatar, especially at a time that his startup is looking to enter the MENA market.

“This program has been a great starting point for us. It revealed the opportunities available in Qatar and the region, allowing us to interact with startups based here as well as the wider ecosystem. We have already managed to find some potential partners and clients and look forward to building on these connections to achieve our growth objectives.”

QSTP’s GIL program is open to teams with a strong STEM background (PhD, patent holders, Master’s +5 years of experience, or a company with $100k+ annual revenue). These teams must be nominated by official state/national bodies.

Qatar Science & Technology Park

Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), part of Qatar Foundation, is a Free Zone, accelerator and incubator for tech-product development in Qatar. The park fosters an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Qatar that works to accelerate commercialization of market-ready technologies to realize Qatar’s national diversification drive.

QSTP’s focus ranges across four overarching themes, comprising Energy, Environment, Health Sciences and Information & Communication Technologies (ICT), in line with the Qatar National Research Strategy announced in 2012.

Located in Qatar Foundation's Education City, QSTP has access to the vital resources of a cluster of leading research universities. Members of QSTP’s Free Zone include Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), international corporations and research institutions. They are collectively committed to investing in new technology development programs, creating intellectual property, enhancing technology management skills and developing innovative new products.

QSTP supports QF’s economic and human development objectives for Qatar and is increasingly recognized as an international hub for applied research, innovation, incubation, and entrepreneurship.

Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential

Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) is a non-profit organization that supports Qatar on its journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. QF strives to serve the people of Qatar and beyond by providing specialized programs across its innovation-focused ecosystem of education, research and development, and community development.

QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education. Today, QF’s world-class education system offers lifelong learning opportunities to community members as young as six months through to doctoral level, enabling graduates to thrive in a global environment and contribute to the nation’s development.

QF is also creating a multidisciplinary innovation hub in Qatar, where homegrown researchers are working to address local and global challenges. By promoting a culture of lifelong learning and fostering social engagement through programs that embody Qatari culture, QF is committed to empowering the local community and contributing to a better world for all.

For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, please visit: www.qf.org.qa

To learn more about QSTP programs, please visit: https://qstp.org.qa/.

For any media inquiries, please contact: pressoffice@qf.org.qa