QRDI Council officilas and members of the Media City delegation during the visit.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council welcomed a delegation from Media City Qatar to its headquarters for a strategic engagement session, bringing together Media City Qatar’s group of licensed companies and stakeholders alongside representatives from local large enterprises (LLEs), universities, and research institutions.
The visit aimed to provide an overview of QRDI Council’s national innovation priorities, encourage collaboration opportunities, and build connections across Qatar’s RDI ecosystem.
Bader Al-Saai, Director of Strategic Partnerships at QRDI Council, said, “As we advance Qatar’s innovation agenda, strategic dialogues like this are key to unlocking new value across emerging sectors. Engaging with Media City Qatar and its partners allows us to surface shared ambitions, identify opportunities, and encourage the kind of cross-sector partnerships that accelerate national progress. At QRDI Council, our focus remains on enabling systems that turn ideas into impact, and positioning Qatar at the forefront of global innovation.”
Thair Khaled Al-Anani, Director of Business Development at Media City Qatar, added, “Media City Qatar is home to over 250 companies, including a significant number of startups, working alongside leading local and international media organisations. At its core, Media City Qatar prioritises supporting these companies by providing a comprehensive work environment, stimulating opportunities, and fostering productive and thriving partnerships.
“The ability to keep up with cutting-edge technologies and innovative approaches remains a significant challenge for startups, as they seek to produce high-quality, impactful content that reinforces Qatar’s position as a regional and global hub for the media industry. In this context, our partnership with QRDI Council, which leads efforts to organise and develop the research and innovation ecosystem in the country, comes as a fundamental step towards empowering media startups and SMEs. This partnership focuses on launching targeted programs that offer technical and financial support to pioneering media projects, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.”
The agenda featured opening remarks by Bader Al-Saai, Director of Strategic Partnerships at QRDI Council and Thair Khaled Al-Anani, Director of Business Development at Media City Qatar, followed by a presentation on QRDI Council’s strategy and priority innovation clusters. QRDI Council’s Open Innovation team presented key funding and piloting opportunities, along with details on eligibility and application processes.
A panel discussion on open innovation and agentic AI brought together voices from across the media sector, featuring Mohammad Ali Abbaspour, Founder & CEO of Sponix Tech, Ashrith Makam, Digital Director at WPP Media, and Ali Abbas, Founder & CEO of Arigatou.
The day concluded with a networking session designed to encourage meaningful dialogue between Media City Qatar stakeholders and Qatar’s broader research and innovation community.
