Greetings from the

Digital Incubation Center!The latest news from the Digital Incubation Center February 2020

2nd edition of Lego superplay meet-up for startups

Inside this issue

DIC participates atStartup Grind Doha

Bonocleworkshop

DIC holds workshop onPitching to Investors

27 Startups CompletedIncubation at DIC

QFC holds orientationfor entrepreneurs at DIC.

DIC celebratesNational Sport Day

DIC holds a legal awarenessworkshop for startups

Information session onIntellectual property

As part of a series that aims to open discussion around Qatar's startup eco system, Startup Grind Doha organized a panel discussion on the role of incubators and accelerators in a startup journey. Startup Grind Doha is a member of Google’s largest independent startup community worldwide and aims to nurture startup ecosystems through events, workshops, and partnerships with organizations like Google for Startups.

The panel featured Duha Al Buhendi, Digital Incubation Center Manager, Majed Al Khulaifi, Head of Incubation at Qatar Business Incubation Center, Mohammed Zebian, Program Manager for Accelerators at Qatar Science and Technology Park, and Heba Al Masri, Program Director at Qatar Sports Tech.

During the panel, Duha Al Buhendi shared anecdotes from her career and the Digital Incubation Center journey in supporting digital entrepreneurs at the last decade. “Founded in 2011, DIC offers expertise and professional guidance in the fields of technology and business,” said Al Buhendi when she was asked about Qatar's' startup eco system for tech entrepreneurs.

“DIC’s services include access to space, business planning, education and training, mentorship, and legal advice throughout the phases of the startup development.” she added.

Al Buhendi also shared insight to her business philosophy and keys to being a successful entrepreneur as well as incubator and accelerator.

To watch the full panel discussion, check out Startup Grind Doha:https://www.startupgrind.com/events/details/startup-grind-doha-presents-the-role-of-incubators-accelerators-in-a-startup-journey/

DIC participates at Startup Grind Doha

DIC holds workshop on Pitching to Investors

The Digital Incubation Center held a workshop

on pitching to investors for entrepreneurs.

The workshop is a part of DIC’s continuous

efforts to equip digital startups with

necessary entrepreneurship skills.

The workshop was conducted by Rodrigo

Martinez, founder of fyi.to and an expert

entrepreneur in starting, growing, scaling, and

selling startup companies. The aim of the

workshop was to explore all the personal and

profitable aspects of starting a startup as well

as prepare entrepreneurs for pitching to

investors and Venture Capital firms within a

short timeframe.

During the workshop, entrepreneurs learned

how to develop an engaging pitch, choose a

wise exit strategy, and be prepared for

investors’ questions while having a

comprehensive business plan on-hand.

In addition, entrepreneurs had the

opportunity to speak one-on-one with Mr.

Martinez and get their questions answered.

At the end of the workshop entrepreneurs

built a precise revenue model that shows

investors how well they understand the

needs of their targeted market.

In collaboration with the Digital Incubation

Center, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), one of

the world's leading and fastest growing

onshore financial centers, held an orientation

for DIC’s incubated startups. The orientation

is part of DIC’s long term strategy to support

the growth of digital startups by linking them

to key financial centers in Qatar.

The orientation was aimed at familiarizing

DIC’s entrepreneurs with the application

process at QFC’s business platform as well as

briefing them on policies and the

comprehensive set of integrated specialized

services that QFC offers.

Qatar Financial Centre holds orientationfor entrepreneurs at DIC.

These services include, but are not limited to, providing legal environment based

on English common law, trading in any currency, allowing foreign ownership, and

an extensive double taxation avoidance agreement network with 81 countries. In

addition, DIC entrepreneurs learned about Qatar’s increasingly competitive

business environment and its latest changes.

The Digital Incubation Center has concluded

its training workshop on legal insights for

startups in cooperation with International

Law Chamber, a licensed law firm which

offers a wide array of regulatory,

transactional and disputes related advice.

The workshop, targeting DIC’s incubated

startups, was aimed at enhancing the

awareness about the latest developments

and laws governing the businesses in Qatar.

The workshop is an integral part of DIC’s

efforts to help entrepreneurs have access to

essential legal consultation. Led by Rahul

Kumar and Amit Shankar, the workshop

provided an overview of the challenges and

opportunities associated with startup

companies in Qatar as well as the means to

identify how to use the legal framework for

entrepreneurship in Qatar.

Participants at the session were given a short

introductory to Qatar Companies Commercial Laws

and other aspects of international commercial laws.

Entrepreneurs were also provided with

fundamental knowledge necessary to understand

the legislation and agreements related to

e-commerce, cyber-security, contract, investments,

insurance and intellectual property in Qatar and

worldwide.

DIC holds a legal awareness workshop for startups

In line with its commitment to build a network

of qualified digital entrepreneurs, and to

strengthen cooperation between various

organizations in Qatar, the Digital Incubation

Center organized an information session on

Intellectual property. The info session was held

in cooperation with the Intellectual Property

and Technology Transfer (IPTT) Office, a

member of Qatar Foundation Research and

Development.

John McEntire, the director of industry

development and knowledge transfer at Qatar

Foundation, gave a presentation to help

attendees grasp concepts of patenting,

registered trademarks, copyrights and

intellectual property rights. He also advised

entrepreneurs on how to protect their IP.

Entrepreneurs learned about IPTT office

services and the existing procedures and

legal approaches to protect their intellectual

property. They were also introduced to

intellectual property legalizations’ scope of

application in entrepreneurship.

At the end of the session, Mr. McEntire

encouraged entrepreneurs to make the best

use of IPTT office’s consultation sessions

and to book an appointment with IPTT IP

attorneys and trademark specialists.

DIC holds information session on Intellectual property

Attendees were asked to form teams and

competed against each other. They used

LEGO® bricks and followed a series of

instructions during which they build things

that represent their vision. Entrepreneurs

utilized visual, auditory and kinesthetic skills

during the gamified networking.

At the end of the event, PLAY MEETUP

awarded five teams the top prize following

an intense finale against 11 other teams.

PLAY MEETUP is a social initiative founded

by Emad Saif and Joseph Al-Hadad with an

ambition to connect people from different

professional backgrounds through gamified

networking sessions.

During the event, DIC staff, incubated

startups and entrepreneurs were introduced

to Lego super play, the problem-solving

methodology that helps improve

communication skills as well as focuses on

creating innovative solutions to enhance

team performance.

In an aim to diversify the scope of support that Digital Incubation

Center offers to startups, DIC organized the second edition of Lego

super play meet-up in cooperation with PLAY MEETUP.

Second edition of Lego super play meet-up for startups

2

Bonocle, an incubated startup at the Digital

Incubation Center, has organized a workshop

with an aim to raise awareness on assistive

devices for visually impaired communities.

The workshop was conducted by Abdelrazek

Aly and Ramy Abdulzaher, co-founders of

Bonocle.

Joining with special needs specialists, Mada

Center, Alnoor Institute for the Blind and DIC

startups, the workshop examined how

Bonocle device helps visually impaired

communities in Qatar and worldwide.

Shaped like a computer mouse, Bonocle is an

easy-to-use electronic device that uses

Bluetooth technology to transform digital

content into braille messages, thus

enhancing access to content for people with

visual impairments and at a much lower cost

than existing devices. The device allows

users to effectively carry a braille library in

their pockets.

At the end of the workshop, attendees tested

Bonocle and learned how to store thousands

of braille books on it.

Bonocle workshop

Continuing with its strategy to build the digital

entrepreneurial landscape in Qatar, the Digital

Incubation Center (DIC) celebrated the graduation of

27 digital startup companies that completed their

incubation in January, 2020.

The ceremony was held in the presence of Reem Al

Mansoori, the Assistant Undersecretary of Digital

Society Development at the Ministry of Transport

and Communications, Duha Ali Al Buhendi, Digital

Incubation Center Manager and was attended by

senior officials.

Duha Ali Al Buhendi, Digital Incubation Center

Manager congratulated the entrepreneurs in her

speech, and emphasized their responsibility towards

building and developing the technology sector in

Qatar for future generations.

The 27 graduating startups were among the 250

innovative ideas that competed in the second

edition of IdeaCamp. They made it to the finals and

won an incubation opportunity with the Digital

Incubation Center for two years.

The Digital Incubation Center (DIC) was created to

boost ICT innovation in Qatar, particularly among

young people at the critical early stages of starting

or growing a technology-related business.

By offering incubation, training workshops, and

network opportunities, DIC has been successful in

helping digital entrepreneurs gain the skills needed

to turn their tech ideas into real business.

27 Startups Completed Incubation at DIC

DIC celebrates National Sport Day

The Digital Incubation Center hosted an enjoyable celebration of National Sport Day,

featuring a variety of sports-based activities for staff members and incubated startups.

To mark the celebrations of this year’s event the DIC organized a number of fun-filled

sports activities particularly intended to keep its startups and team members active by

highlighting the importance of sports and healthy eating in their lives. Friendly

competitions of table tennis and table football took place between employees and

entrepreneurs with the aim of educating them about the importance of sport and its

role in building a healthy and active generation.

National Sport Day is celebrated every year on the second Tuesday of February in line

with Qatar’s National 2030 vision, which aims to incorporate healthy lifestyles among

people in Qatar. DIC seeks to take part in fulfilling Qatar’s vision by hosting an annual

event to show the significant role of sports and to encourage its employees and

entrepreneurs to be healthy and active.

DIC_Startups

Our Incubated Startups

Our startups are looking for the best talent in Qatar!

If you would like to work in a dynamic environment with an enthusiastic team on exciting

projects take a look below at the jobs currently being advertised.

See our full list of jobs at DIC startups.

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Please email us on:incubation@motc.gov.qa or Call +974 40452655

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