Dr Maher Hakim, Managing Director of QSTP. Pic: Kammutty VP / The Peninsula
As part of the plan to foster local tech entrepreneurship, Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) aims to facilitate 20 projects each year at the Incubation Centre, says a senior official.
QSTP Incubation Center is a technology-focused programme which supports innovations that have commercial potential.
The 12-month programme helps promising tech startups with a free working space, business facilitation, and support services which include access to a network of mentors, funding programmes, training, and prototyping facilities, said Dr Maher Hakim, Managing Director of QSTP.
"In the incubation programme, we give them a 12 month free space and we offer them services like mentoring and coaching if they are really serious about a tech based startup. Then after a while if they are truly committed we actually fund them as well,” Dr Hakim told The Peninsula.
“At present we have 13 projects in the incubation centre and we are thinking of supporting a total of 20 projects per year,” he said.
The selection process for the incubation programme is mostly focused on the team’s commitment and capacity.
“The most important thing is to have the right mindset and be conscious about getting expertise in the area. One should have an idea to build an innovative product and the eagerness and the commitment to bring it to the market,” said Dr Hakim, speaking on the sidelines of the ‘QSTP Afterhours’ event.
The event also included the fourth Demo Day for its ongoing ‘Accelerator Programme’ of QSTP and six innovative projects were showcased. The projects were DynoGroin, Nanosmart Sensor, Athar Design, Hope Smart Glasses, Offbeat Qatar and V for Vanity.
“In the Accelerator program is the first step, when somebody comes with an interesting idea, we put them through a three month training program , where we can actually monitor them in all aspects,” said Dr Hakim.
Accelerator program is aimed at bridging the gap between research and commercialisation, while facilitating the transformation of inspiring ideas into feasible products that address various market demands.
In addition, QSTP is offering several programs for students including the Arab Innovation Academy a two-week boot-camp for aspiring college students in pan-Arab countries starting from next year.
“We have launched several programs and we are trying to understand what the demand. There is interest in all industries but most are into IT elements , as most who approach us are young people,” said Dr Hakim.
Further QSTP is home for three tenant categories including high tech companies like the Microsoft, Research and Development centers of traditional industries mainly oil and gas sector and many new small and medium-sized technology based businesses.
