Doha: HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani inaugurated Web Summit Qatar 2025, marking the second edition of the Middle East and North Africa’s largest technology event at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center.
According to Qatar News Agency, during his keynote address, the Prime Minister emphasized Qatar’s commitment to positioning itself as a global hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. He outlined the country’s ongoing regulatory reforms and economic opportunities aimed at empowering the private sector. Highlighting Qatar’s robust energy sector, the Prime Minister expressed optimism for transformative partnerships across various sectors, including fintech and climate technologies.
The Prime Minister announced that the Qatar Investment Authority has successfully fulfilled its Web Summit Qatar 2024 commitment by establishing a USD one billion Fund of Funds. This initiative will support startups through partnerships with six globally recognized investment firms, which will establish offices or regional headquarters in Qatar, benefiting the entire MENA region.
The expansion of the Startup Qatar initiative was also announced, which has attracted over 2,000 applications from 60 countries. The program aims to support more startups by establishing R and D offices, collaborating with local universities, and enhancing Qatar’s AI and machine learning ecosystem. Qatar’s strategic efforts have led to significant progress in global rankings, advancing 11 places in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index within a year.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister highlighted the growing interest from global companies and investment firms in exploring regional opportunities and forming partnerships in Qatar. Web Summit Qatar’s role in bridging East and West and fostering innovations to address global challenges was emphasized, reaffirming Qatar’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and enhancing global partnerships.
Paddy Cosgrave, Founder and CEO of Web Summit, praised the efforts in bringing the summit to the region. He noted the unexpected success of the event, with over 25,000 attendees from more than 120 countries, far exceeding initial expectations. Investment data revealed that 148 companies from the inaugural edition have raised nearly USD 30 billion since attending.
The summit features panel discussions with leading entrepreneurs, including Alexander Wang of Scale AI and Alexis Ohanian of Reddit. This year’s edition hosts over 1,520 startups, more than 600 investors, and numerous industry partners and media representatives, highlighting the event’s significant impact on the global technology landscape.