Every Thursday, ILQ features a different Qatari startup in our ‘Startup of the Week’ segment. Qatar has some of the most creative, unique, and impactful startups in the region, and we cover them all across a variety of industries in Doha—from fashion and beauty, to food and dining, health, education, technology, and more!

This week, we're having a bird's eye view of Polygon—a mobile product design studio in Qatar which aims to boost the country's economy by making 3D printed versions of Qatar's architectural models of buildings, icons of local people, as well as the 3D printed versions of these as souvenirs.

A polygon is a solid figure that is connected with multiple surfaces, lines, and segments creating shapes, forms, and figures that looks visually-pleasing. Like a polygon, the team of all-female Doha-based designers is connected closely together to share their passion, love, and commitment to learning through making.

The idea all started during the fall semester of 2018 when the then-schoolmates formed an independent study, the ladies happily shared. "History was made when nine Graphic Design Seniors came together to share their passion for making."

Polygon's products are inspired by the present local culture, moving away from traditionally associated one. The girls study and deconstruct the current cultural phenomenon of Qatar as they make products that either entertain, explores a topic, generate insight, change and enable new behavior in the society.

The pool of talented ladies enjoy popping in public spaces to offer or showcase their innovative products. Everything that they showcase is designed and produced in-house using each and everyone’s special set of strength and skills.

Polygon's cute 2D and 3D souvenirs were publicly displayed at the Doha Exhibition Convention Centre (DECC) as part of the Rowad Conference led by Qatar Development Bank just recently. "We received mixed reviews as many people had not seen 3D printing companies developing their own products rather than just offer services. People were excited to see the production run lively and see the potential products that were produced on the spot," shared Maryam Al Mudahka, one of the team members.

One of the lady designer even emphasized that the Polygon souvenirs that they're making will help further boost Qatar's economic growth by promoting many of the different aspects of the country through well-crafted 2D/3D products.

"We believe that this community has a lot of creative potentials that need to be connected and put together under one roof. Our mission is to introduce our customers to the available technologies of making by showing products as samples of all the possibilities that could be explored," she added.

When asked about the girls' advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in Qatar, Maryam has this to say: "Work towards bringing your passion into the real world. Everyone has ideas that are unique of themselves and in order to make them real, we all should take opportunities offered by various start-up platforms to give our idea a try and more importantly, understand what the audience thinks about those ideas."

"These ideas and opportunities will boost your confidence in the product/service that you're trying to sell, giving you room for improvement and also an insight into the real world," they concluded.

The Polygon designers are currently working to develop a proposal to make their business come to reality by approaching potential sponsors who can help them financially to move forward. For now, they're an online-based business via Instagram.

To know more about Polygon, check them out HERE.

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Sonkie

Content writer

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