Qatar Investment & Innovation Conference

Overview

The Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference, organized by The Business Year and Msheireb Properties, will bring together key stakeholders to discuss the growing start-up ecosystem in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. As the GCC countries transition away from oil dependency, they are positioning themselves as global hubs for innovation, investment, and entrepreneurship. This conference will focus on fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors to create an environment that supports the growth of start-ups and drives business development.

Two panels will explore the future of entrepreneurship and investment in the GCC. The first will examine how governments and the private sector can foster start-ups through education, mentorship, incentives, and regional collaboration. The second will focus on investment strategies, highlighting promising sectors, evolving funding models, and policy reforms to keep the GCC an attractive destination for capital and innovation.

AI for Good Challenge
One of the standout features of this year’s conference is the AI for Good Innovation Challenge—the first-ever Qatar edition of the high-impact startup competition. Organized in collaboration with ITU’s AI for Good initiative and its local Doha chapter, Young AI Leaders Community by AI for Good. This dynamic segment will showcase ten pre-qualified startups pitching live on the main stage, each delivering a concise 3-minute presentation to a panel of expert judges. The winning startup will attend the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 in Geneva, and fast-track access to select accelerator programs both locally and internationally. By embedding this challenge into the conference, we reinforce Qatar’s positioning as a regional hub for responsible AI innovation.

Judges:

Tarik Sultan – Builders VC
Bilel Al Souaied – Young AI Leaders for AI for Good in Qatar
Alexander Wiedmer – Rasmal Ventures
Andrea Azzolari – Plug and Play
Omair Sultan AlNaimi – Digital Economy Department at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology

Application Guide & Terms