Doha, 18 Sept. 2024

Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), a member of Qatar Foundation has welcomed five tech startups from Pakistan as part of the inaugural edition of its Global Innovation Link program.

QSTP’s latest offering, the Global Innovation Link program, is designed to foster collaboration with innovators, entrepreneurs, science parks, growth accelerators, and universities from around the world.

In a two-week immersive experience, selected teams joined QSTP’s ecosystem and engage with key academic, industry, and government stakeholders in Qatar. The teams will benefit from free co-working space, a weekly stipend of $1,000 per team, and opportunities to showcase their solutions at QSTP AI Week ‘An Immersive Experience for Entrepreneurs’, set to take place in November this year.

The event is organized by QSTP, supported by the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), and coordinated by Ms. Serein Asad, Pakistan’s Commercial Attaché to Qatar.

Attendees included QSTP President Dr. Jack Lau, Pakistan’s Ambassador Muhemmed Aejaz, Commercial Attaché Serein Asad, QSTP officials, Prof. Dr. Javaid Sheikh, Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha Campus and a prominent thought leader in global academic medicine as well as the participants in the 2-Week program.

The first edition of the Global Innovation Link features Software as a Service (SaaS), Data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) company, Bilytica. Founded in 2012, with headquarters in Australia, and local offices in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Spain, and Pakistan, the startup has been supporting over 600 clients in the banking, healthcare, and retail sectors.

Focused on AI retail analytics, Adlytic AI that transforms existing CCTV surveillance cameras into smart sensors to capture actionable insights and data driven decision-making, also joins the program this month. Adlytic AI’s core expertise revolves around optimizing operations and marketing efforts of the retail sector, drive-thru restaurants, security companies, and improving Return on Investment (ROI) for businesses through intelligent automation.

The program also welcomes Shispare, a software product development, consulting, and business solutions company helping enterprises transform their businesses using technology and innovation. Shispare provides a wide range of customized solutions to clients covering SaaS cloud product engineering, mobile app development, and UI/UX prototyping, among other services.

Other startups chosen for this edition include: Aridian Technologies, a one-stop shop for a variety of digital and IT solutions, offering services in applications development, AI, data analytics, and business intelligence; and Digifloat, recognized as a global data technology service provider offering Big Data and analytics, Generative AI, and cybersecurity solutions.

Dr. Jack Lau, President of QSTP, commented: ‘QSTP is thrilled to receive the first batch of participants to our Global Innovation Link program, which builds on our commitment to serve as the premier technology gateway to the Middle East.

He said that the program is meant to stimulate knowledge-exchange, capacity building, and strategic collaborations between Qatar and international innovation ecosystems. We are especially excited to interact with the selected startups from Pakistan and look forward to facilitating their growth and impact through a well-rounded, inspiring, and insightful program’.

Ambassador of Pakistan to Qatar, Muhemmed Aejaz, commented: ‘The QSTP Global Innovation Link – Pakistan Edition is a transformative opportunity for Pakistani startups to engage with Qatar’s vibrant innovation ecosystem. This program not only showcases the exceptional talent and innovation emerging from Pakistan’s IT sector but also strengthens the collaboration between our two countries in critical areas such as technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

He added that ‘by building bridges between Pakistani startups and Qatari innovators, tech leaders, and investors, we are paving the way for joint ventures, knowledge exchange, and strategic growth. This collaboration will contribute to the realization of Qatar’s Vision 2030 and open new avenues for the entrepreneurial and tech communities in both nations to thrive’.

In November, QSTP will host its AI week. One of the benefits that these startups get for being part of GIL program is that they will have the opportunity to exhibit at the AI week.

Global Innovation Link program is open to teams of two with a strong STEM background (PhD, patent holders, Master’s +5 years of experience, or a company with $100k+ annual revenue). These teams must be nominated by official state/national bodies. QSTP has been in talks with other countries and will soon host more global innovators to become a part of the experience.

To learn more about QSTP programs, please visit: https://qstp.org.qa/.

Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), part of Qatar Foundation, is a Free Zone, accelerator and incubator for tech-product development in Qatar.

The park fosters an innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Qatar that works to accelerate commercialization of market-ready technologies to realize Qatar’s national diversification drive.

QSTP’s focus ranges across four overarching themes, comprising Energy, Environment, Health Sciences and Information & Communication Technologies (ICT), in line with the Qatar National Research Strategy announced in 2012.

Located in Qatar Foundation’s Education City, QSTP has access to the vital resources of a cluster of leading research universities. Members of QSTP’s Free Zone include Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), international corporations and research institutions. They are collectively committed to investing in new technology development programs, creating intellectual property, enhancing technology management skills and developing innovative new products.

QSTP supports QF’s economic and human development objectives for Qatar and is increasingly recognized as an international hub for applied research, innovation, incubation, and entrepreneurship.