Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference Announces Complete Programme Featuring HEC Paris Insight Session, High-Level Panels, and AI for Good Qatar Challenge

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Doha, Qatar – 26 October 2025 – The Business Year, in collaboration with Msheireb Properties, has announced the complete programme for the Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference: Driving GCC Entrepreneurial Growth, scheduled for 3 November 2025 at Barahat Msheireb, Doha. Held in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the conference will bring together policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators from across the Gulf, beginning with a pre-event session at HEC Paris, Doha.

Insight Session hosted by HEC Paris, Doha

The day will commence at 2:00 PM with an Insight Session organized by HEC Paris, Doha, titled “The Architecture of AI: Energy, Capex, and Capability.” Facilitated by Dr. Pablo Martin de Holan, Dean of HEC Paris, Doha, this two-hour interactive discussion will examine AI as an emerging industry and explore the potential and challenges it poses for founders, investors, organisations, and national economies. The session will also include a panel of technology and innovation experts, featuring:

• Dr. Fadi Nasser, Chief Commercial Officer, MEEZA
• Ms. Nouf Almarri, Chief Information Officer, Civil Services and Government Development Bureau
• Eng. Sarah Al-Mawlawi, Director Corporate Information Security, Ooredoo Qatar
• Ms. Aysha Al Mudahka: Senior Director of RDI Programmes – Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council (QRDI)

Panel Discussions on Entrepreneurship and Investment

Following registration and networking at Barahat Msheireb from 4:30PM, the main conference will feature two panel discussions on the GCC’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, with a keynote speech from Nejoud Al-Jehani, Executive Director of Strategy and Programmes, Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council, and introductory remarks by Faysal Shair, Partner at Dar Ventures and Omar Sultan, Managing Partner at Sultan Ventures & CEO of Acasia.

The first panel, “Fostering Entrepreneurship and Driving Economic Growth in the GCC,” will focus on how public policy, institutional leadership, and cross-border collaboration can create stronger conditions for entrepreneurship in the GCC. Moderated by Vanessa Rameix, Regional Director at The Business Year, the panel will include:

• H.E. Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO, Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP)
• Yousuf Mohamed Al-Jaida, CEO, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC)
• Rama Chakaki, President, Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP)
• Fahad AlSharekh, Founder & Managing Partner, TechInvest

The second panel, “Financing the Future: GCC Investment Strategies & Policy Insights,” will examine how venture capital, private equity, and government-backed funding are evolving to support the next generation of entrepreneurs. Moderated by Sophia Swire, Founder of GEDI, the panel will feature:

• Mohammed Alzubi, Founder & Managing Partner, Nama Ventures
• Abdulrahman AlJiffry, Partner, 500 Global
• Steve Khayat, CEO, Phoenix Venture Partners
• Dr. Mohammed Al-Housani, Director of Research and Advocacy, Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council

AI for Good Qatar Challenge

The AI for Good Qatar Challenge, organised in partnership with AI for Good YAILs Qatar, will bring together the most promising GCC-based pre-seed and seed-stage startups leveraging artificial intelligence to address global challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Ten pre-qualified startups will pitch live on the main stage in two rounds, each delivering 3-minute presentations to a panel of expert judges:

• Tarik Sultan, Builders VC
• Bilel Al Souaied, AI for Good Doha Chapter
• Andrea Azzolari, Plug and Play
• Omair Sultan AlNaimi, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
• Faysal Shair, Dar Ventures
• Faris Al-Obaid, Tamara
• Majed Lababidi, Alchemist Doha

The winning startup will attend the AI for Good Global Summit 2026 in Geneva and receive fast-track access to select accelerator programmes both locally and internationally.

Dr. Hafiz Ali Abdulla, Senior Director of Corporate Communication at Msheireb Properties, said: “Msheireb Downtown Doha has long been committed to fostering innovation and providing a platform where ideas transform into impactful solutions. This comprehensive conference, which includes the high-level panels and the ‘AI for Good Qatar Challenge’, aligns perfectly with our vision of creating dynamic urban spaces that inspire progress and cooperation. By hosting this pivotal event at Barahat Msheireb, we are proud to support regional collaboration and the next generation of entrepreneurs who are harnessing technology to build a more sustainable and prosperous future for the entire Gulf.”

Vanessa Rameix, Regional Director at The Business Year, stated: “The AI for Good Qatar Challenge represents a critical step in connecting Qatar’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with global innovation networks. This competition will not only showcase the region’s most promising AI-driven solutions but also provide startups with access to the mentorship, capital, and partnerships they need to scale their impact across the GCC and beyond.”

The Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference, co-organised by TBY and Msheireb Properties, in its second edition, will serve as a high-level forum connecting policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators from across the Gulf and by hosting this panel discussion, the event reinforces Qatar’s position as a regional hub for entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.

The conference is organised by The Business Year, as part of its mission to connect global investors and stakeholders with leading GCC markets. The event, in partnership with Msheireb Properties, complements TBY’s flagship publication, The Business Year: Qatar 2026, and its special reports, reinforcing a shared vision to promote transparency, knowledge exchange, and sustainable economic growth.