QSTP gets ready for the first edition of Arab Innovation Academy.
Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) will host the first edition of the Arab Innovation Academy (AIA), an ambitious new initiative aimed at giving 200 future entrepreneurs an opportunity to work under the guidance of leading Silicon Valley mentors and establish a startup by end of this month.
The Arab Innovation Academy, a collaboration between QSTP – part of Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R&D) and the European Innovation Academy (EIA), has received applications from 68 students from top universities in Qatar, along with 142 students from regional universities, to participate in the inaugural two-week startup boot camp in Doha from December 31, to January 11.
As part of the innovation initiative, participants will be introduced to an accelerated mode of experiential learning, including how to develop and launch new tech ventures in a real marketplace with genuine customer feedback.
Dr Maher Hakim, Executive Director of QSTP, said, “We are delighted to join forces with the EIA to launch the largest entrepreneurship program for young and aspiring technology innovators in the pan-Arab region. Through AIA, both organizations aim to import the best practices in innovation that meet local market demands and contribute to a sustainable success for the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the wider region.”
“QSTP serves as a regional hub of tech innovation, and, through AIA, we aim to foster an entrepreneurial mind-set among the region’s youth, who will go on to develop products and services that advance the pan-Arab tech landscape. The boot camp has been designed to enrich participants’ learning experiences and provide a solid foundation for them to successfully launch a startup and, in turn, actively contribute to the diversification of the regional economy through knowledge and innovation,” he added.
Alar Kolk, President of EIA, said, “Based on our previous European ventures I can say that the passion and skills of students from the Arab world is remarkable. We are excited about the potential to scale our previous efforts within Qatar and the Arab World, and we could not have asked for a better partner than QSTP.”
Throughout the two-week program, participants will be able to leverage an extensive global network comprising top experts in the field of tech entrepreneurship, who will introduce them to cutting-edge research methods developed by leading universities and companies, including University of California, Berkeley; Stanford University; Google; and Amadeus IT Group, as well as QSTP.
The academy will host international mentors, speakers, and investors, including those in Silicon Valley. A one-of-its-kind chat-bot mentor will add uniqueness to the program together with the learning tools and mobile applications provided by the EIA, a non-profit educational institution recognized for excellence in tech entrepreneurship.
