Web Summit Qatar 2025 Kicks Off with Record Numbers, Drawing 25,000+ Attendees and 1,250 Startups

The Web Summit Qatar 2025 officially opened its doors yesterday at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC), marking a transformative moment for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as it cements its position as a global hub for technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

The event, being held from February 23 to 26, is gathering over 1,250 exhibiting startups (including 190 from Qatar), 500+ investors in addition to more than 150 partners and 300 speakers, highlighting Qatar’s unique ability to unite diverse stakeholders — from multinational corporations and venture capital firms to incubators and accelerators — in pursuit of shared goals. Over the past year, there has been a surge in global interest, with companies and investors actively exploring opportunities in Qatar and the wider region.

In an inspiring opening speech, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, set the tone for the event, articulating a bold vision that underscores Qatar’s commitment to fostering innovation, empowering startups, and driving economic diversification in the digital age.

The event was attended by several of Their Excellencies Ministers, Ambassadors, business leaders and other dignitaries.

In his address, the Prime Minister described Qatar’s journey as akin to that of a startup — an ambitious entity with big dreams, leveraging hard work, creativity, and strategic partnerships to achieve extraordinary results.

“Being a small state like Qatar is similar to being a startup in this exciting digital age, where an entrepreneur with a brilliant idea can change the world. With hard work and commitment, opportunity is open to you. That’s why at the state level, we are focusing on helping startups, because they embody the spirit of Qatar,” the Prime Minister remarked, emphasising how nations, much like entrepreneurs, can punch above their weight through determination and forward-thinking policies.

“Qatar wants to create opportunities for future generations, and this runs deep within our national identity, reflected in many of our domestic and international commitments,” he said.
He added that through the catalyst of Web Summit Qatar, the country is witnessing a convergence of talent, technology, and ambition, not just in Qatar, but throughout the region.

“Just like in many nations around the world, we are embarking on a massive deregulation campaign to unlock our economy for the private sector,” he noted.

Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) established a $1bn (QR3.65bn) investment fund at the inaugural event last year, dedicated to supporting technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

“QIA has signed six leading global investment entities to deploy capital internationally, regionally, and locally. Each of them will open offices or their regional headquarters in Qatar so that all of the MENA region can benefit from their expertise and investments. These entities represent distinct and relevant sectors, crucial to our ecosystem, from digital health technologies to fintech to clean energy solutions, AI and manufacturing, helping us build depth and excellence across our innovation landscape,” the Prime Minister said.

He added that well over 2,000 companies applied to the Startup Qatar Investment Program from more than 60 countries around the world over the past year, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and India.

“We are expanding this home-run project and will support even more startups this year by establishing R&D offices, collaborating with local universities, and enhancing countries’ AI and machine learning ecosystems,” he said. He noted Qatar’s rapid rise to the 11th position in the worldwide startup ecosystem ranking, the highest of any country in the top 100, making it a regional technology hub.

“We are giving small startups tools they need to accomplish great things, and we are nurturing the next generation of startups by offering them an environment where they can thrive and emerge as a global leader,” he said.

In his speech at the event, CEO and Founder of Web Summit Paddy Cosgrave said that hosting the Web Summit in Qatar has been the best decision the organisers have ever made.

“I’m delighted to say that more than 7,500 attendees will join us over the next three days. In fact, more than 25,000 attendees are in Doha this week from more than 120 countries around the world. It is beyond anything we could have expected or planned for,” Cosgrave said.

He added that since Web Summit Qatar 2024, data from one of its partners, Crunchbase, one of the world’s leading valuable resources for startups, indicated that 148 companies that attended Web Summit Qatar 2024 have since raised nearly $30bn in investment, with Scale.ai leading the pack, having raised over $1bn in investments six months ago.

“In a sense, all 25,000 of us in Qatar this week are here in search of answers about our rapidly changing future. And over the next two days, you’ll find every imaginable discussion on that future,” Cosgrave added.

News & Image courtesy : The Peninsula

---

Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content. 

Instagram - @qatarliving

X - @qatarliving

Facebook - Qatar Living

YouTube - qatarlivingofficial