Connect with us at the QRDI Council pavilion at Web Summit Qatar 2025

Pavilion #E202, Hall 1

Doha Exhibition and Convention Center(DECC)

February 24 - 26, 2025

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Explore Innovation Hub Schedule

Browse The Innovation Hub Schedule at the QRDI Council Pavilion.

Explore the talks, Panel Discussions, Announcements, and many more activities on Feb 24 - 26.

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February 2025

Becoming a Deep Tech Nation

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 24, 09:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Speakers

Haya Al Ghanim (Moderator)

Director (Qatar Portfolio) - QIA

Thorsten Lambertus

Site Lead - Creative Destruction Lab (Berlin)

Commercializing new tech and creating an ecosystem including deep tech startups, exploring how research, funding and bold entrepreneurship combine to turn science into globally competitive companies.

Fostering Biomed Breakthroughs in Qatar's Clusters

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 24, 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

Speakers

Dr. Slim Slama (Moderator)

CEO - WISH

Dr. Rana Lonnen

Managing Director - Novartis

Dr. Hilal A. Lashuel

RDI Adviser, Qatar Foundation Chairperson Office

Dr. Andre Hofmann

CEO - Leap Up

Amr Metwally

Associate Executive Director - ITQAN/HMC

Discover how innovation & clusters fuel biomedical breakthroughs, catalyze innovation-driven entrepreneurship, and unlock investment opportunities, accelerating Qatar’s global biotech competitiveness.

Qatar: Gateway to GCC Growth for Indian Startups

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 24, 10:45 AM - 11:30 AM

Speakers

Malik Habayeb (Moderator)

International Program Expert - QRDI

Mr. Vipul

Ambassador - Embassy of India in Doha

Arjun Nagarajan

Co-founder and CEO - Syook

Sujit Chakrabarty

Founder and CEO - DroobiSmit

Vishnu Narahari

RDI Expert - QRDI

The session will begin with a 10-minute keynote speech delivered by HE Indian Ambassador about Qatar-India ties and how India’s innovation ecosystem can be leveraged to support Qatar National Vision 2030. A panel will follow including representatives from the Indian government, TDG awardees, and QRDI.

InnoLight Unveiled: Qatar’s Gateway to Innovation

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 24, 11:30 AM - 12:00 AM 

Speakers

Nejoud M. Al-Jehani

Senior Director (Policy Planning and Evaluation) - QRDI

Haytham Abdalla Ali

Director (Collaboration Platforms) - QRDI

Dr. Alwala M. Yousif

Director (Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning) - QRDI

Join us for the official launch of InnoLight, Qatar’s reimagined digital platform for research, development, and innovation. As the gateway to innovation, InnoLight is designed to help researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders Connect, Collaborate, and Create by providing access to funding, talent, and cutting-edge resources. Discover how this next-generation portal will drive impact, foster collaboration, and shape the future of Qatar’s RDI ecosystem.

Qatar Open Innovation Program: A Thriving Testbed for Emerging Technologies

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 24, 12:30 PM - 01:15 PM

Speakers

Johannes Jaeger (Moderator)

VP Enterprise - Agorize

Hussain M. Mohammed

Chemical Engineer - MoECC

Mohammed Haider Arif Hayat

Head of Data & AI - MATAR

Jose Iralde

Chief Strategy Officer - Hassad Food

Dr. Rodney Whiteley

Assistant Director - Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital

Join industry leaders to explore how the Qatar Open Innovation Program drives impact, accelerates local solutions, unlocks insights, and fosters partnerships through open innovation.

WISE’s impact on education innovation in MENA

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 24, 01:15 PM - 02:00 PM

Speakers

Aurelio Amaral

Director of Programs - WISE

Nisrine Makkouk

Co-founder - Kamkalima

Dr. Fahad Alnemary

Co-Founder and CEO - YNMO

Abdelrazek Aly

Co-founder - Bonacle

Discover how WISE drives education innovation in MENA, supporting changemakers, scaling solutions, and enabling testbed opportunities for real-world impact.

Qatar’s First homegrown VC Fund: Empowering Startup Success

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 24, 02:00 PM - 02:30 PM

Speakers

Hind Zaki

Senior Program Director - QRDI

Dr Saira Siddique

CEO & Founder - MedIQ

Alex Wiedmer

Partner - RasMal Ventures

Join Rasmal Ventures Co-founder Alex and Teamsec CEO Esad Koroglu to explore how Qatar’s first homegrown VC fund is fuelling startup success in the region.

Smart Bio Techs: Transforming Research into Impact

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 24, 03:15 PM - 4:15 PM

Speakers

Dr. Sara Abdulla (Moderator)

Senior Research Program Manager - QRDI

Dr. Mazen El-Masri

Associate Professor of Information Systems, CEO - Genesis

Prof. Gheyath K. Nasrallah

Professor of Immunology and Microbiology - Qatar University

Dr. Shidin Balakrishnan

Clinical Research Scientist - Hamad Medical Corporation

Prof. Susu Zughaier

Professor of Microbiology - Qatar University

Dr. Muhammad Muhammad Tukur

Research Fellow - Hamad Bin Khalifa University

Discover QRDI-funded biomedical breakthroughs as top researchers showcase cutting-edge innovations shaping healthcare, diagnostics, and industry across Qatar and beyond.

Beyond the Pitch: Fundraising, Growth & Exit Plans

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 25, 9:45 - 10:30 AM

Speakers

Sara Daniel (Moderator)

CEO, Doha Tech Angels (DTA)

Afeef Zaman

Co-founder and CEO - ShopUp

Marwan Chaar

Entrepreneur

Nathan Roestandy

Co-founder and CEO - Nafas

How do founders secure funding, scale effectively, and prepare for an exit? A conversation with seasoned founders on the challenges, tough decisions, and strategies that shape a startup’s journey.

Qatar-Spain Innovation: B2B Success Stories

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 25, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM

Speakers

Sarah-Jane Hutchinson (Moderator)

RDI Program Manager - QRDI

Dr. Ammar Elhoweris

Head of Technology and Innovation - GORD Institute

Mr. Jesús Lama

CEO - Zenon Innovations

Alfonso García

Co-founder and General Director - Pandata

José Marı́a Alzaga González

General Manager - Gotor Comunicaciones

Explore Qatar-Spain B2B Innovation with QASIP, a QRDI-CDTI initiative bridging R&D across borders. Hear success stories, gain insights, and network with top start-ups and industry leaders. Meet your QASIP partner today.

Unlocking Qatar’s Potential: The QFC advantage for Startups

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 25, 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM

Speakers

Hessa Nasser Al Thani

Business Development expert - Qatar Financial Centre (QFC)

Nour Herzallah

Client Relationship Expert - Qatar Financial Centre (QFC)

Hussain Fahad Al Majid

Professional Services Analyst - Qatar Financial Centre (QFC)

Balca Yılmaz

Co-Founder and CEO - Werover

Majed Lababidi

Director of Ecosystem Integration/ Alchemist Doha

QFC support for startups and businesses who would like to do business in Qatar. Moreover, the partnership with QRDI by hearing from Mr. Majed Lababidi from Alchemist Doha and a startup under their accelerator.

Building global unicorns with Alchemist Doha

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 25, 12:30 PM - 01:15 PM

Speakers

Ravi Belani

Founder and Managing Director - Alchemist Accelerator

Hovakom Zakaryan

Balca Limaz

Co-Founder and CEO - Werover

A fireside chat introduction to Alchemist Accelerator, Alchemist Doha, and its Founders successful stories.

Fueling Innovation: Bridging Academia and Industry

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 25, 01:15 PM - 02:00 PM

Speakers

Aysha Al-Mudahka (Moderator)

Program Director - QRDI Council

Amir Neihoum (Moderator )

Program Expert, KTP Manager - QRDI

Dr. Antonio P. Sanfilippo

Chief Scientist - HBKU

Prof. Alaaldin M. Alkilany

Professor of Pharmaceutics and Nanotechnology - Qatar University

Dr. Ahmed Hamad Al Mohanadi

Chairman & CEO - QLife Pharma

Explore how academia and industry collaborations in Qatar, including KTP, foster innovation, economic growth, and real-world impact. Learn how universities and businesses can engage.

From Lab to Market: The Phd Pitch

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 25, 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM

Speakers

Dr Ayman Bassil (Moderator)

RDI Program Director – QRDI

Dr. Aisha Hamad Al-Rumaihi

Sustainability Analyst - Qatar Energy

Nadine Younes

PhD Candidate - Qatar University

Jamal Adel Hannun

PhD Candidate - Qatar University

Discover PhD-led innovations as researchers present cutting-edge work to industry leaders, investors, and peers—unlocking collaboration, funding, and global impact opportunities.

Shaping Qatar’s Digital Future Through Innovation

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 25, 2:45 PM - 3:30 PM

Speakers

Lucy Antrobus (Moderator)

CEO - Human Alchemy

Amna Khalid Al-Kaabi

Head of Emerging Technologies - MCIT

Francesco Paolo Di Gregorio

Director of Advocacy & Policy - Ooredoo

Bassam Fadol

Chief of Digital Services - Malomatia

Dr. Francis S C Yeoh

Senior Advisor - QRDI Council

Experts explore how innovation is fueling Qatar’s digital transformation, addressing challenges, opportunities, and the power of collaboration for growth

QRDI's Grant Funding to Fuel Early Stage Ventures

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 25, 03:30 PM - 04:15 PM

Speakers

Omar Bazian

Senior Program Analyst - QRDI

Hayfa Al-Abdullah

Innovation Director - QSTP

Sylia Khecheni

Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship - UDST

Dr. Samer Ahmed

Professor - Qatar University

Discover QRDI Council’s new grant funding designed to reduce innovation risks, boost tech readiness, and bridge commercialization gaps for early-stage ventures in Qatar.

Data is Power: Converting Browsers to Brand Lovers

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 25, 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM

Speakers

Hazem El Zayat

Chief Experience Officer - Ogilvy MENA

Build relationships that matter: Digital customer experience (CX) is not just about technology; it's about creating meaningful interactions that foster loyalty & propel users towards desired outcomes.

Boost Your R&D Growth with QRDI's Tech Development Grant

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 26, 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

Speakers

Vishnu Narahari (Moderator)

RDI Program Manager - QRDI

Hamad Saleh H S Hadeed

CEO - Cytomate

Sujit Chakrabarty

Founder and CEO - DroobiSmit

Wisam Costandi

Founder & CEO - Emma Systems

Learn how Technology Development Grants fuel private sector R&D in Qatar, driving innovation, advancing technologies, and creating new opportunities for startups, corporates, and investors.

Qatar & Sweden: Powering Deep Tech Innovation

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 26, 10:45 AM - 11:30 AM

Speakers

Malik Habayeb (Moderator)

International Program Expert - QRDI

Linus Arnold

VP - Ignite Sweden

Jessica Persson

Head of VC and M&A - Scania CV

Christoffer Ekström

CEO - AI Medical Technology

Rajet Krishnan

CEO & Co-founder - Viking Analytics

Sweden is a deep tech powerhouse. Learn what it takes to build a thriving innovation ecosystem and how global partnerships unlock new opportunities for startups, investors, and industry leaders.

Beyond Smart: AI, Startups & the Future of Cities

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 26, 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Speakers

Otman Aghmou

Smart City Director - Microsoft

Khalifa Al-Mana

Smart City Senior Manager - Qatari Diar

Zagriatski Serguei

General Manager - ST Engineering Urban Solution

Ahmed Mohammed Al Korbi

ICT Manager - Msheireb Properties

Dana Abdulrahman Al‑Muftah

Section Head of Smart Applications - MCIT

Discover the latest strategic challenges, business opportunities, digital innovations, and cognitive solutions beyond “smart,” positioning Qatar at the forefront of the technological future.

Bridging Capital & Innovation: The Startup Qatar Journey

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 26, 12:30 PM - 01:15 PM

Speakers

Aysha Al-Mudahka (Moderator)

Program Director - QRDI Council

Shaikha Al Romaihi

Head of Investment - Qatar Development Bank

Junaid Wahedna

Founder - Wahed

Ahmed Ghadani

Founder - Byanat

Innovation thrives where research, capital, and entrepreneurship intersect. This panel explores the opportunities and challenges of launching and scaling startups in Qatar, highlighting support and ecosystem dynamics

Rising Innovation Award - RIA

QRDI Council Pavilion #E202

February 26, 13:45 PM - 15:00 PM

Speakers

Aysha Al-Mudahka (Moderator)

Program Director - QRDI

Dr. Hilal Lashuel

RDI Adviser, Qatar Foundation Chairperson Office

Majed Lababidi

Director of Ecosystem Integration/ Alchemist Doha

Mohammed Al Emadi

Executive Director of Investment & Incubation - QDB

Prof. Khalid A. Fakhro

Chief Research Officer - Sidra Medicine

The Rising Innovators Award (RIA) honors young innovators, offering a platform to showcase ideas, gain recognition, and connect with leaders. Supported by QRDI, finalists present at Web Summit Doha 2025.