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Doha, November 03 (QNA) - The second edition of the Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference: Driving GCC Entrepreneurial Growth successfully convened Monday at Barahat Msheireb. Organised by The Business Year in partnership with Msheireb Properties, with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) as Strategic Partner, the conference brought together over 700 entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to explore opportunities in entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital transformation across the Gulf region. Building on the momentum from the inaugural edition held in January, the conference provided a platform for meaningful dialogue on the region's rapidly evolving startup ecosystem. Against the backdrop of the GCC's ongoing economic diversification efforts, discussions centred on public-private collaboration, investment strategies, and the policy frameworks needed to support the next generation of entrepreneurs. Eng. Ali Al Kuwari, CEO of Msheireb Properties, said: "The conversations and connections forged at this year's conference demonstrate Qatar's growing role as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. As Msheireb Downtown Doha continues to serve as a platform for dialogue on the region's economic future, gatherings such as these strengthen the ecosystem needed to support emerging businesses and advance the GCC's economic diversification objectives." Faraj Jassim Abdulla, Director of the Digital Economy Department at MCIT, said: "This conference exemplified the power of public-private partnerships in advancing Qatar's digital economy and innovation ecosystem. The meaningful discussions and connections made here will contribute to our ongoing efforts to position Qatar as a regional leader in entrepreneurship and sustainable economic transformation, in line with the Third National Development Strategy and Qatar Digital Agenda 2030." Executive Director of Strategy & Programs at QRDI Council, Nejoud Al Jehani, emphasized that GCC countries are entering a new phase of development driven by investment in innovation and strategic capital. She noted that innovation is no longer merely a political objective, but has become an investment priority rooted in economic sustainability and national competitiveness. Al Jehani added that the QRDI Council is working under the Third National Development Strategy to increase national spending on research, development and innovation, while also boosting private sector participation in the field. The conference featured two high-level panel discussions examining the GCC's entrepreneurial landscape. The first panel, "Fostering Entrepreneurship & Driving Economic Growth in the GCC," explored how public policy, institutional leadership, and cross-border collaboration can create stronger conditions for entrepreneurship. The second panel, "Financing the Future: GCC Investment Strategies & Policy Insights," examined how venture capital, private equity, and government-backed funding are evolving to support emerging entrepreneurs. A highlight of this year's conference was the AI for Good Innovation Challenge, hosted in collaboration with the AI for Good initiative YAILs and its Doha chapter. Ten pre-qualified startups, each with solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, delivered live pitches to a panel of judges. The winner, CLARRIO, received the opportunity to attend the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 in Geneva, alongside fast-track access to select international and local accelerator programmes. The challenge reinforced Qatar's commitment to positioning itself as a regional leader in responsible artificial intelligence while showcasing how emerging technologies can address real-world challenges in sustainability, digital transformation, and social impact. Ahead of the main conference, HEC Paris in Qatar hosted a pre-event insight session titled "The Architecture of AI: Energy, Capex, and Capability," providing a strategic overview of AI's impact as both a tool and an industry. (QNA)
