File photo used for representation only.
Doha, Qatar: Hosting Web Summit Qatar 2024, the largest technology event is an opportunity for local companies as it will attract several entrepreneurs, investors and technology sector leaders from around the world.
Web Summit Qatar helps to connect a new generation of founders in the Middle East and represents a new opportunity to develop an already fast-growing tech scene in the region. Speaking to The Peninsula, Anatoly Motkin, President of StrategEast, said, “By launching a Gulf chapter in Doha Web Summit recognises Qatar’s ability, ambition, and vision to become a global digital hub.”
“Bringing the thought leaders to Doha is not just an opportunity for local companies and government to chat with those who are at the frontier of digital global economy development but also makes Doha one of the prime global digital capitals where the future strategy is not only discussed but also developed.”
Motkin added: “Over the years, Web Summit has become the prime global digital event that brings together all the stakeholders responsible for developing the world’s digital economy and IT industry. It’s not only a venue where startups meet investors and companies meet customers, but rather a prime venue for exchanging ideas and for global digital thought leaders to share their vision of how the future digital world would look like.”
Commenting about the technology sector of the Gulf states, he noted that they are booming, thanks to two crucial incentives.
Firstly, the leadership identifies and recognises the need to diversify the economic model of the countries from a traditional natural resource-based to a knowledge-driven one. Knowledge transfer became the main objective of Vision 2030 in Qatar and similar strategy papers in other GCC countries. This inevitably leads to attracting more technological providing high-quality digital services to traditional companies. Thus, ensuring the transfer of knowledge and training of local talent.
Secondly, the entrepreneurial skills and global experience in the Gulf led to the establishment of over 500 venture capital funds in the region. This fact, on the one hand, encourages locally gifted youngsters to be able to implement their tech ideas domestically. On the other hand, investing in foreign startups increases the international digital presence of the Gulf states, gradually turning the region into one of the key global innovative stakeholders.
Responding to a query regarding how Central Asian countries can help in developing the IT industry in Qatar, Motkin said, “Central Asian countries have passed a long way from being post-Soviet natural resource-based economies to more diversified knowledge-driven models. P2
“Some of the challenges they faced are similar to what has to be implemented under Vision 2030 in Qatar.”
“Sharing the experience of workforce and startups pipeline development, international companies attraction are just a minor part of mutual interest. By extending the Qatari digital footprint to Central Asia will significantly enforce the digital capacity of Qatar making it one of the global digital sprinters and a regional role model,” he added.
