Participants in a group photo at the end of the event.
DOHA: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), represented by the Digital Incubation Center, concluded the 11th edition of the Creative Ideas Camp program, which aims to support entrepreneurs in developing scalable technology startups.
This edition featured extensive participation from local and international startups, aiming to empower entrepreneurs in their early stages by providing them with the tools to transform their ideas into a fundable and implementable business model.
This edition marked the culmination of a series of successes, both in terms of the wide turnout, the quality of the projects incubated, and the program’s positive impact in supporting digital innovation and strengthening the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The 11th edition received 374 applications, of which 79 startup projects were approved. These projects included 44 promising ideas from outside Qatar. Participants underwent eight intensive training workshops, in addition to more than 78 hours of individual mentorship by a select group of experts. This enabled them to develop their business models, test the feasibility of their ideas, and prepare to present them to investors.
In this context, Director of the Digital Innovation Department at the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology Eman Al Kuwari emphasized the importance of the Creative Ideas Camp program in empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs.
She said that the Creative Ideas Camp is a practical model that reflects the ministry’s commitment to implementing the goals and pillars of the Digital Agenda 2030, by developing a national system for digital innovation and entrepreneurship capable of transforming promising ideas into applicable solutions that contribute to diversifying the national economy and enhancing its competitiveness.
In a related context, she noted that investing in and enabling creative ideas is a strategic investment in the country’s future digital innovation. The current cycle saw a clear focus on projects that rely on modern technologies.
The accepted projects varied across various fields, such as educational technology, human resources technology, and health technology, with a focus on advanced and transformative technologies, primarily artificial intelligence.
Following a final round of judging, 15 startups were selected to join the Digital Business Incubator’s incubation program, divided into two main tracks: the Growth Track and the Idea Track.
These companies will begin a two-year incubation journey, during which they will benefit from free workspaces, specialized training, direct mentorship, and networking opportunities with partners and investors within Qatar’s digital innovation ecosystem. At a closing ceremony, the program awarded financial grants totaling QR550,000 to five outstanding startups in both tracks.
