QDB doubles investment packages to attract global startups at Rowad 2025

Doha, Qatar – Qatar Development Bank (QDB) has announced a major expansion of its investment support for entrepreneurs, unveiling significantly larger funding packages for seed and growth-stage startups during the 11th Rowad Entrepreneurship Conference in Doha.

Expanded investment packages for seed and growth-stage startups

At the opening of Rowad 2025, QDB confirmed that its flagship investment packages for technology and high-growth ventures have been doubled. Seed-stage companies can now access up to QR4mn in funding, while growth-stage companies are eligible for up to QR20mn. These enhanced packages are positioned as a bridge for high-potential startups from around the world to establish operations in Qatar and use Doha as a base for global expansion. 

The move aligns with Qatar’s wider efforts to position itself as a competitive hub for innovation-driven businesses, particularly in knowledge-intensive and technology sectors.

Strengthening the role of private venture capital

QDB highlighted that entrepreneurship has shifted from being a niche activity to a central pillar of Qatar’s economic strategy under the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3). Within this framework, the role of private-sector venture capital in financing startups is expanding rapidly.

According to figures shared at Rowad, private-sector players accounted for 57% of total venture capital investments in Qatar last year, with a national target of reaching 70% private participation by 2030. QDB’s own investment arm now ranks as the fourth most active investor in the Middle East and North Africa, with direct and indirect investments exceeding QR350mn. 

The bank has also tripled the value of single co-investment deals to around QR11mn, deepening collaboration with both local and international funds and increasing the scale at which promising startups can be supported. 

Strategic partnerships and venture-building platforms

QDB’s investment strategy is being reinforced through a series of partnerships and platforms designed to anchor global innovation flows in Qatar:

• Collaboration with the Qatar Investment Authority’s Fund of Funds programme, including the HealthTech Accelerator launched with Deerfield’s Cure programme, which links Doha with New York’s health innovation ecosystem.
• Establishment of Qatar’s first venture-building studio, “The Studio”, in partnership with Utopia Capital Management, focused on creating and scaling new ventures from ideation to market. 

These initiatives complement QDB’s broader equity and investment offerings and are intended to attract specialised expertise, international founders and institutional investors into the Qatari ecosystem. 

Startup Qatar Investment Programme milestones

A key pillar of QDB’s globalisation agenda is the Startup Qatar Investment Programme, which targets both startups launching in Qatar and established companies expanding into the local market. 

In just two years, the programme has supported more than 35 companies with cumulative investments exceeding QR130mn. It provides funding for seed and growth stages alongside incentives and support services coordinated through the Startup Qatar platform, enhancing the country’s attractiveness as a regional launchpad rather than a purely local destination. 

Building an investor base and talent pipeline

QDB has also prioritised capacity building in both the investor community and the entrepreneurial talent pool. More than 220 angel investors have been accredited through a programme delivered in partnership with the Qatar Finance and Business Academy, helping to develop a more sophisticated and engaged early-stage investor base across the region. 

On the talent side, the bank’s Talent Community Programme has already benefited over 50 entrepreneurs linked to around 30 local and international companies, offering structured support for skills development, networking and cross-border collaboration. 

Driving digital transformation among SMEs and startups

Digitalisation remains a core focus of QDB’s support strategy. The bank has introduced a Digital Transformation programme that offers grants, financing and advisory services to help companies adopt advanced technologies and modernise operations.

As part of this effort, QDB has rolled out the Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI) self-assessment tool, enabling industrial and manufacturing firms to benchmark their digital maturity and plan investment in technologies such as automation, data analytics and AI. 

Citing data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), QDB noted that 81% of early-stage entrepreneurs in Qatar already rely on modern technology in their ventures, underscoring the ecosystem’s ability to keep pace with global innovation trends. 

Rowad 2025: regional platform for entrepreneurs and investors

The announcements were made during the 11th Rowad Entrepreneurship Conference, held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC) under the theme “Beyond Boundaries: Scaling, Sustaining, and Succeeding.” The event is organised by QDB in collaboration with the Young Entrepreneurs Club and under the patronage of Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs.

This year’s edition brought together more than 120 local and international companies, with a programme featuring 15 panel discussions, 45 workshops and a competition in which 28 startups pitched their projects. The conference serves as a key platform for direct engagement between entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and ecosystem partners, supporting Qatar’s ambition to place entrepreneurship at the centre of its economic transformation.