Doha, Qatar: Qatar is positioning itself as a leading global innovation hub by building a comprehensive, founder-first startup ecosystem that spans incubation, acceleration, and scale-up support.
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the Web Summit Qatar, Majid Jassim Al-Nusf, Economic Specialist at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), said that the Ministry has designed its startup programmes to ensure founders retain full ownership of their companies while gaining access to capital, mentorship, and market opportunities.
“At MCIT, we built a complete ecosystem of programmes that enable our startups,” Al-Nusf said. “We start with our digital incubation center, then move to the TASMU accelerator programme, and finally ScaleNow; all with 100 percent equity for the founder and the startup itself.”
He stated that the combined portfolio generated through the TASMU Accelerator programme has reached a valuation of approximately QR4bn, reflecting the growing maturity and commercial potential of startups supported under the initiative.
Al-Nusf highlighted that momentum continues to build following the recent graduation of the accelerator’s third cohort.
The programme has seen strong international interest, receiving more than 1,000 applications from 78 countries, underscoring Qatar’s rising profile among global founders.
“Startups are applying because they understand that we offer more than funding. We provide mentorship and hands-on support, and we help companies build sustainably,” he said. The economist noted that recent policy announcements have further strengthened Qatar’s position within the global innovation landscape.
He pointed to statements made by the Prime Minister, announcing an increase in the country’s fund-of-funds initiative, as a clear signal of Qatar’s long-term commitment to innovation and venture capital development.
“That announcement highlighted Qatar’s focus on positioning itself as an innovation hub,” he said, adding that MCIT’s programmes align closely with this national vision.
A key pillar of that strategy is the TASMU Accelerator’s “soft-landing” approach, designed to help international startups enter the Qatari market smoothly while building local partnerships and scaling regionally.
Al-Nusf explained, “We create a soft landing for companies from outside that are looking to enter the market. That makes TASMU a natural fit for founders attending Web Summit Qatar.” Oulining Doha as a strategic destination for founders launching and scaling new ventures, Al-Nusf said the answer is increasingly evident.
“With yesterday’s announcements and what we are seeing here at Web Summit, Qatar’s position in the innovation ecosystem is clear,” he said. “We are competing not only within the region, but globally.” Al-Nusf cited the concentration of founders, investors, and policymakers at the summit, alongside MCIT’s startup enablement programmes, as key drivers of that momentum. “When you put all of that together, there’s no question that Qatar offers one of the strongest environments for innovation today,” he added.
