Every week ILQ features a different startup in a segment called ‘Startup of the Week’. Qatar has some of the most creative, unique, and impactful startups in the region. We cover different startups across various industries in Doha, from fashion and beauty to food and dining, to health and education, and more! This week we’re doing a special edition of Startup of the Week where we tell you how you can get your business off the ground.

There are a number of different institutions and organizations in Qatar that help individuals incubate their ideas and help them grow and develop into successful businesses. These institutions exist to provide support and resources to innovative minds and equips potential entrepreneurs with the necessary tools to make their goals a reality. The top organizations in Qatar that help startups are Bedaya, Qatar Business Incubation Center (QBIC), and ictQATAR’s Digital Incubation Center.

Bedaya

Bedaya helps empower, support and guide the youth of Qatar to launch their business and start their career. Their purpose is to help the youth discover their path and fulfill their dreams. This organization offers different services that can help either students who just graduated from university and are looking to develop their career paths, or future entrepreneurs who want to kickstart their ideas and evolve their business models. Here are Bedaya’s three tips to start your own business:

1. Write a business plan
2. Design a business model
3. Use effective marketing techniques

QBIC

At QBIC, all you need to get started is an idea. They have established their LeanStartup program, which is a ten-week course that’s very hands-on. It runs on a biannual basis, during the spring and fall seasons, and provides an immersive and practical learning experience to those who are interested in starting a successful business.

QBIC believes that you don’t need a business plan to begin their LeanStartup Program. They provide you with the essentials right from the start. What matters most is the strength of your business idea and the market viability of your product or service.

The LeanStartup program also provides entrepreneurs with lecture sessions and encourages them to spend their time outside of QBIC talking to customers, partners, and competitors, this way they can apply what they’ve learned in real life scenarios.

Once the program ends, entrepreneurs will get to pitch their businesses to judges, and those who are successful, qualify for incubation at QBIC.

ictQATAR Digital Incubation Center

ictQATAR’s Digital Incubation Center (DIC) focuses on tech-based startups. DIC’s aim is to help young entrepreneurs transform innovative ideas into viable businesses, and provide support, professional guidance — including mentors — access to space, business planning, education, and training throughout the different phases of the start-up development. They have two different programs that entrepreneurs can get into: the Launchpad Track and the Startup Track.

Launchpad Track:

• 6 months in duration
• Focused on idea creation and transforming those ideas into a viable product ready for the market
• Priority on conceptualizing, prototyping and customer validation
• Provides services, such as education and training, mentors, free office space, access to networking, publicity, and more

Startup Track:

• 2 years long
• For early stage start-ups
• Focused on helping you fine tune your business model or revenue model
• Hones your skills from proven peers and entrepreneurs, particularly if you are a first-time CEO
• Provides structured educational content focused on the core areas of first-stage businesses
• Affords you the unique experience of learning from and connecting with the region’s most influential entrepreneurs
• Provides potential funding through the Qatar Development Bank and other financial institutions

To find out more about all these different organizations, check out the details below!

Important links:

Bedaya Website: http://www.bedaya.qa/en/#looki...
QBIC Website: http://www.qbic.qa/incubation/...
ictQATAR DIC Website: http://www.motc.gov.qa/en/dic

What are some of your favorite startups around Doha? Comment below! If you found this article useful, give us a like and share!

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar

AngelPolacco

Start a discussion