MCIT Announces Partnership with Four National Entities to Support Qatar’s High-Potential Companies

• MCIT partners with MOCI, QDB, QRDI, and Invest Qatar under the Scale Now program
• Scale Now Program provides tailored expertise, mentorship, and market access to position Qatari scale-ups for global competitiveness.
• Scale Now has already delivered strong results. In its first cycle, six companies secured $7.2 million in B2B deals, $5.7 million in funding, and achieved over 50% revenue growth
• First cycle delivered $12.9 million in combined B2B deals and investments.

 The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), in a joint press conference with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), Qatar Development Bank (QDB), Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (QRDI), and Invest Qatar, announced the launch of a strategic partnership under its ‘Scale Now’ program. This cooperation reflects a shared national commitment to enabling the growth of promising Qatari companies, enhancing their global competitiveness, and supporting the achievement of the objectives of the Digital Agenda 2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030.

This collaboration contributes to strengthening the shared national role in supporting the digital business environment by helping to select the next cohort of Qatari companies under the ‘Scale Now’ program, based on the criteria of innovation, sustainability, and economic impact. It also enhances the integration between the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and its national partners in supporting promising Qatari companies, through expanding the scope of the ‘Scale Now’ program and activating its financing and mentorship tools to ensure the sustainable growth of these companies and empower them to compete regionally and globally. This integration aligns national efforts to create an enabling digital environment, bridge gaps within the scale-up ecosystem, and provide specialized guidance that strengthens companies’ efficiency in the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The press conference, held on  15 October 2025, witnessed a notable presence of senior officials and representatives of the partner entities, in addition to a number of entrepreneurs and experts in the fields of innovation and technology. The conference highlighted the role of the partner entities in this collaboration, reviewed the outcomes of the first cycle of the ‘Scale Now’ program, and outlined the program’s future expansion plans.

The conference opened with remarks by Mr. Faraj Jassim Abdullah, Director of the Digital Economy Department at MCIT, who emphasized that the new partnership represents a practical step within the Ministry’s efforts to expand its support for Qatari startups and enable their growth through integrated financing, mentorship, and training tools. He noted that the program contributes to connecting entrepreneurs with funding entities and innovation partners, thereby enhancing the readiness of these companies to expand locally and regionally, while reinforcing Qatar’s position as an attractive hub for promising technology enterprises.

He added: “We consider this partnership as a model of integration between government entities and the private sector in building a dynamic digital ecosystem that transforms ideas into scalable and expandable products, in line with the objectives of the Digital Agenda 2030. This will be realized through a clear implementation package that includes phased financing pathways, specialized mentorship programs, and field trials. We will also strengthen the alignment of solutions with national policies and standards, thereby accelerating companies’ transition toward sustainable growth and enhancing the competitiveness of the digital economy.

The conference also featured representatives of the partner entities, each of whom highlighted their role in supporting the Scale Now program ecosystem, outlining the mechanisms through which Qatar’s digital business environment will be further developed, investment in emerging technologies promoted, and the readiness of local companies to expand into new markets enhanced.

Mr. Ali Al Mawlawi, Director of Business Development at Ministry of Commerce and Industry said: “The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is pleased to partner with MCIT’s Scale Now program, as part of our joint efforts to accelerate the growth of Qatar’s promising companies. Through this partnership, we will support entrepreneurs in areas such as capacity building, go-to-market strategies, and regulatory and financial guidance, thereby creating new opportunities for their success. This initiative reflects our commitment to empowering startups, fostering innovation, and advancing the Digital Agenda 2030, further reinforcing Qatar’s position as a leading hub for the digital economy.”

Mr. Mohammed Al-Emadi, Executive Director of Incubation and Venture Capital Investment at Qatar Development Bank, stated: “At Qatar Development Bank, we take pride in Qatar’s thriving startup and investment ecosystem, which continues to elevate the country’s regional standing. Last year, Qatar ranked fourth in the Middle East and North Africa in terms of venture capital deals, while the Bank’s investment arm also secured fourth place in the same ranking, which is a testament to our continued commitment to advancing the sector and fostering innovation.

As for our role in the Scale Now Program, previous editions have witnessed fruitful collaboration, with several of QDB’s portfolio companies participating in the program, an experience that has significantly contributed to their growth.

This success reflects the strength of the partnership between QDB and MCIT. The program builds on the journey of startups that have benefited from our pre-acceleration and acceleration programs, facilitating the access of Qatar’s most promising and innovative digital startups to investment opportunities, while enhancing their readiness to compete in new markets. Such collaborations help unify national efforts and provide an integrated platform for supporting startups, further strengthening Qatar’s economic diversification.

Nada Al-Olaqi, Senior Director of Innovation, Development and Piloting Programs at QRDI Council, said:

“Our partnership with the Scale Now Program represents a strategic step in the Council’s ongoing efforts to advance Qatar’s technological innovation ecosystem through its three key pillars: funding, coordination, and empowerment. This collaboration combines the QRDI Council’s expertise in supporting innovation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology’s vision to strengthen digital entrepreneurship, contributing to positioning Qatar as a leading hub for scalable and high-growth technology companies.

The partnership also aims to empower local companies to drive technological innovation in the country by providing them with the funding, tools, and platforms necessary to expand their operations regionally and globally, in alignment with the objectives of the Third National Development Strategy.”

Dr. Hamad Al Naimi, Strategy Manager at Invest Qatar, stated: “At Invest Qatar, we are proud to join forces with our partners in the ‘Scale Now’ program, driving forward Qatar’s vision for economic diversification and innovation. Through this strategic partnership, we are committed to elevating Qatari scale-ups on the global stage, connecting them with strategic partners and enabling a thriving ecosystem where entrepreneurship flourishes. Together, we are building the foundation for the next generation of industry leaders and ensuring Qatar remains a premier location for investment and growth.”

The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology launched the ‘Scale Now’ program to advance the objectives of the Digital Agenda 2030 through an integrated support ecosystem that brings together capital, expertise, policies, innovation, and market access. The program strengthens the role of national partners in selecting the next cohort of promising companies and shaping their structure to achieve maximum impact, while addressing gaps in the scale-up ecosystem and providing specialized mentorship that enables companies to grow and compete regionally and globally”.

The ‘Scale Now’ program serves as a strategic platform that unifies resources and expertise across national institutions to enable Qatari startups to unlock their full potential and strengthen their global competitiveness. The partners play a key role in transforming the program into a comprehensive national initiative for expansion and growth.

The first cohort of the ‘Scale Now’ program delivered tangible results, leading to deals worth over USD 7.2 million, raising investments of approximately USD 5.7 million, and achieving revenue growth of more than 50%. One of the companies also succeeded in expanding into a new market. Building on this success, the second cycle has been launched with the participation of 14 companies operating across more than 10 key sectors, including artificial intelligence, Healthtech, edtech, cybersecurity, and other promising fields within the digital economy.

It is worth noting that this collaboration represents a significant milestone in the journey of the ‘Scale Now’ program, as the unification of partners’ capabilities will accelerate the implementation of pilot projects, open new financing opportunities, and expand access to global markets, while providing specialized mentorship that enables promising Qatari companies to scale and deliver tangible impact. It also reflects a strategic commitment to strengthening Qatar’s position as a regional hub for digital innovation, contributing to the creation of more than 26,000 jobs in the ICT sector by 2030, and advancing the transition toward an innovation-driven digital economy.