Qatar showcased its growing venture capital and startup ambitions Monday as investors, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders convened in Doha for ‘Qatar: Innovation Rising in the Heart of the Middle East,’ the first major event of the QVenture Capital Association (QVCA) since its May 2025 launch at the Qatar Economic Forum.Set against the Corniche, the gathering brought together regional and international venture capital funds, limited partners, and public-sector representatives to showcase Qatar’s accelerating innovation agenda.QVCA is an emerging industry body dedicated to supporting and growing the venture capital and private equity ecosystem in Qatar.Formed by early adopters and key figures in Qatar’s innovation landscape, the association is a private-sector–led initiative that complements the Qatar Investment Authority’s $1 billion Fund of Funds programme.The Fund of Funds programme was first announced by Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani at Web Summit Qatar, in February 2024, and is designed to strengthen the country’s startup and venture capital ecosystem.Aligned with Qatar’s National Development Strategy and Vision 2030, QVCA unites fund managers, policymakers, corporates and entrepreneurs to build a robust and scalable investment environment.Speaking to Doha News, Alina Truhina, founding partner of A-Typical Ventures and co-chair of QVCA, described the event as a milestone for Qatar’s fast-evolving innovation ecosystem.“We are delighted to be hosting our first official event since our launch in May,” she said.Truhina explained that the association, founded by A-Typical Ventures alongside Golden Gate Ventures, Rasmal Ventures and Builders VC MENA, aims to unify the various players shaping Qatar’s next generation of entrepreneurship and investment.“We want to bring VC and private equity groups together, but also family offices, corporates and service providers, to make sure Qatar is positioned as a thriving startup ecosystem and a hub for innovation, talent and capital flow,” she added.Truhina noted that A-Typical Ventures chose Doha as its headquarters because of the “beautiful convergence of talent, connectivity, capital and intentionality,” emphasising that both public- and private-sector institutions are now moving with clarity and coordination.While acknowledging that “it’s still early days,” she pointed out how dramatically the landscape has changed in only two years. “We have now got so many fund managers on the ground building teams, investing capital and attracting entrepreneurs into Qatar,” she said, expressing confidence that the momentum will help establish the country as “the hub for innovation in the Middle East and globally”.Hussain Abdulla, Golden Gate Ventures Partner and also a founding member of QVCA, spoke to Doha News and highlighted the need for a unified voice in Qatar’s investment space, one of the core reasons behind the formation of the association.The event featured panels and keynote addresses highlighting Qatar’s evolving investment landscape and the opportunities for local and regional entrepreneurs. Speakers stressed the importance of ecosystem development, regulatory support, and educational initiatives for venture capital talent.The association’s three pillars, ecosystem development, advocacy and policy representation, and education and training, were central themes, signalling a comprehensive approach to growing a sustainable innovation economy in Qatar.QVCA’s launch also aligns with the goals of Qatar Investment Authority’s Fund of Funds programme, which aims to attract leading venture capital funds and entrepreneurs to the region while closing the funding gap for local and regional startups.With several international VC firms already establishing offices in Doha, the city is increasingly positioning itself as a hub for technology, innovation, and investment in the Middle East.As Qatar’s venture capital ecosystem continues to mature, QVCA aims to ensure that early momentum translates into long-term, sustainable growth. For the country’s founders, investors, and policymakers, the event represented a step forward in solidifying Qatar’s position as a regional leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, while signalling to the world that the nation is ready for the next wave of economic diversification and technological advancement. (ICE Doha)

Fonte notizia: DOHA NEWS