Qatar is steadily positioning itself as a serious destination for global startups, offering a structured, zero-equity pathway from idea to international scale.
Speaking during an interview on the sidelines of the Web Summit Qatar 2026 with Okay News, Noor Abu-Khadija, Head of the Digital Economy Enablement Section at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) in Qatar, explained that Qatar’s startup support framework is designed as a clear progression that meets founders at every stage of their journey, from early ideation to global expansion.
“What we have built at MCIT is structured as a progression,” she said.
“So whether you are starting with an early concept or prototype or you want to go to an international market, there is a program dedicated exactly for your stage.”
Okay News reports that the journey begins with the Digital Incubation Center, which focuses on turning early-stage ideas into market-ready products. Founders at the ideation and prototyping stage are supported with mentoring, co-working spaces, technical resources, and guidance aimed at helping them develop their first viable product.
Once a product has been validated, startups move into the TASMU Accelerator, which is designed to help companies accelerate growth and enter the Qatari market.
According to Abu-Khadija, international startups are also able to establish a physical presence in the country through the programme’s soft-landing model.
“And then lastly, we have Scale Now program,” she said.
“It’s Qatar’s first program that is built for companies that already proven themselves locally and are ready to expand into the global and regional markets here in Qatar.”
A key attraction of the ecosystem, MCIT stressed, is that all three programmes operate on a zero-equity model, allowing founders to retain full ownership of their startups.
“All these three programs, Digital Incubation Center, Tasmu Accelerator, and Scale Now, have a zero equity model,” Abu-Khadija said. “So the founder has 100% ownership of their company or startup.”
Global demand for the programmes has been strong. MCIT disclosed that more than 2,200 founders from 78 countries have applied to the TASMU Accelerator alone, a signal that Qatar is increasingly viewed as a credible and attractive market for innovation-led businesses.
“Tasmu Accelerator has fundamentally changed the conversation about Qatar and the international and global start-up ecosystem,” she said.
“You have over 2,200 founders from 78 countries that have applied to that program, and that international demand is a direct indicator that the global ecosystem community sees Qatar as an attractive and credible market for their growth venture businesses.”
Okay News reports that beyond programme support, founders are also benefiting from strong government demand for digital solutions. Qatar’s public sector is actively adopting innovation under the Qatar Digital Agenda 2030, which is driving technology deployment across healthcare, transport, education, and public services.
“The government itself is also a major customer to digital innovation,” Abu-Khadija said. “Founders here have the access to large-scale real-world deployment opportunities.”
Investment backing is also expanding. At the summit, Qatar announced the expansion of Qatar Investment Authority’s fund-of-funds programme to $3 billion, strengthening access to capital for venture growth.
“So all in all, you can see that Qatar offers a combination of advantages that are rare to find elsewhere,” the MCIT representative said. “From geographic position, to infrastructure, to having access to a lot of consumers.”
