DOHA: Three teams were announced as winners at the third edition of the Startup Weekend organised on November 27-29.
It was held at Qatar University by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology’s (ictQATAR) Digital Incubation Center in partnership with Center for Entrepreneurship of the QU’s College of Business and Economics.
The three-day event was attended by around 50 young people dreaming of going through the experience of entrepreneurship and transforming their innovative ideas into business models. Sponsored by Ooredoo for the second time and attended by 10 QU teaching staff as volunteers, the event was part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW).
Startup Weekends worldwide are 54-hour events where developers, coders, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and create startups.
These are weekend-long, hands-on experiments where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if startup ideas are viable.
Most events are attended by people with technical and business backgrounds.
Over three days, participants pitched their ideas and explained the best resources and tools they believe could help sharpen their ideas.
After pitches were finished, all attendees voted on their favourites, and using these votes, the top ideas were selected and worked on over the weekend.
Coaches provided advice. Teams wrapped up their products and prototypes as well as presentations and the jury selected the top teams.
The DIC organised the event for the third time in a row as part of its commitment to Qatar’s entrepreneurial community, said Ahmed Laiali, DIC Manager.
He said Startup Weekend aims to build an innovative society, start up digital businesses and promote the culture of working instead of talking.
Dr Mahmoud Abdellatif, Director, Center for Entrepreneurship, said supporting entrepreneurs in and outside QU “has always been one of the centre’s top objectives. Our participation in organising the event aims to support non-student entrepreneurs and promote the culture of entrepreneurship among QU students and encourage them to move forward.”
The Peninsula
