Qatar has 1 city in the top 1000 and is one of Middle East’s best countries for setting up a startup.
Qatar’s startup scene saw an increase in 2024 and jumped 11 spots from the previous year, outranking Azerbaijan.
Qatar, one of the world’s wealthiest nations due to its abundant oil and gas reserves, is strategizing for a future beyond reliance on these finite resources. With the Qatar National Vision 2030 guiding the way, the government is actively working to diversify and enhance the economy to ensure long-term sustainability and competitiveness. Despite the challenges presented by the Qatar diplomatic crisis, the tech startup scene in Qatar remains resilient, with standout companies like Snoonu and At-Home-Doc securing significant investments.
Foreign startups are increasingly drawn to Qatar’s favorable business landscape, with Invest Qatar playing a pivotal role in facilitating their entry into the market. Through the Invest Qatar Gateway platform, companies can access valuable resources, connect with key players, and explore partnership opportunities to establish a strong presence in the country.
The Startup Qatar Investment Program, backed by a substantial US$ 100 million fund managed by Qatar Development Bank, offers vital support to seed and growth-stage tech startups, with funding ranging from US$ 500,000 for early-stage ventures to US$ 5 million for expanding companies. This initiative aligns with the broader objectives of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) to diversify the economy and reduce reliance on energy prices, making strategic investments in promising ventures like Insider PTE.
Complementing the investment landscape, Qatar boasts a vibrant startup community supported by incubation centers, seed funding programs, and innovation hubs like Qatar Science & Technology Park and Qatar Business and Incubation Center. With access to talent, capital, and market opportunities, entrepreneurs in Qatar have the necessary ingredients to cultivate a thriving startup ecosystem. Encouraging the establishment of private sector venture capital funds is crucial to fuel the growth of scalable startups and position Qatar as a leading hub for innovation in the region.
The health check tables allow you to look at the performance Qatar has in each of the parameters that are part of StartupBlink's ranking algorithm. There are five tables, corresponding to the three subscores, the subscore analysis and industry ana...
Startup Funding in Qatar 2017 - 2024
From 2022 to 2023, startup funding in Qatar has increased by 8.9%. During this period, the number of deals in Qatar has decreased by 16.67%. Since 2017, total startup funding in Qatar exceeded US$ $75.22M.
Average Funding in 2023
$4.04M
Funding in 2023
$20.20M
Deals in 2023
5
USD
Amount of Funding (USD)
Number of Deals
Qatar is ranked within the top 100 startup ecosystems globally.
Qatar’s startup scene is best represented in Software & Data, Ecommerce & Retail, and in Edtech.
For the first time ever, 372 corporations across 30 countries, 11 major industries, and 10 sub-industries have been ranked based on how actively they engage with startups. StartupBlink’s Corporate Startup Activity Index is the world’s first benchmark for corporate startup engagement — powered by real data, global partnerships with top corporations, governments and data sources, […]
A robust startup ecosystem creates a sense of community that brings entrepreneurs together and helps them feel less isolated. It gives them access to mentors, advisors, fellow entrepreneurs, and talents. The foundation of such an ecosystem largely relies on government support. Good policies create a fair and supportive environment that helps startups grow. Bad policies […]
In this episode of the Startup Ecosystem Podcast, we’re traveling back in time by revisiting an old recording to explore the state of Bulgaria’s startup ecosystem in 2022. This episode features an interview by Eli David Rokah, CEO of StartupBlink, with Momchil Vassilev, the Managing Director of Endeavor Bulgaria, discussing how different stakeholders’ engagement in […]
Startup Ecosystem of Qatar | Startupblink