QRDI Council launches Qatar Open Innovation programme

Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council has launched Qatar Open Innovation, a first of its kind programme in the country to support the cultivation of innovation in Qatar to further expand the country’s growing ecosystem.

QRDI Council is working closely with large local enterprises and government agencies across five priority areas to identify opportunities where innovation can drive productivity and create more job opportunities. The Qatar Open Innovation programme calls on local and global innovators to create, in Qatar, technological innovations which address the needs of large local enterprises and government agencies.. The programme’s introductory partners are Hassad Foods, and Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation(Kahramaa). Collaborating with QRDI Council, they have identified innovation opportunities in water, energy and agriculture. The program will continue to add more partners from across large local enterprises and government entities in Qatar. QRDI Council will work closely with partners to identify and frame opportunities in areas relevant to Qatar’s wider focus on sustainability.Essa bin Hilal al-Kuwari, president of Kahramaa, said: "We are pleased to be among the first pioneering strategic partners to participate in the Qatar Open Innovation programme. At Kahramaa, we are working tirelessly to provide high-quality and sustainable water and energy services to meet Qatar’s needs. We look forward to staying up to speed on the latest technological developments that will support our efforts to offer the best-in-class utility and storage services.”Mohamed al-Sadah, Hassad CEO commented: “It is our pleasure to be a strategic partner in Qatar Open Innovation Program -we constantly seek to support the country’s food security efforts, through supporting projects, initiatives and R&D, which help in developing the local agricultural sector.Al- Sadah added: “We regularly collaborate with renowned institutions such as QRDI Council, a leader in the innovation field. Through this collaboration, Hassad will provide a testing platform for the new technologies in some of its farms, as we look forward to finding innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the agricultural sector.”Omar Ali al-Ansari, secretary-general of the QRDI Council stated: "Having developed Qatar’s national research, development and innovation strategy, QRDI 2030, QRDI Council has worked closely with opportunity owners across key sectors to identify their innovation needs and goals. Qatar Open Innovation is an important step towards growing Qatar’s burgeoning innovation ecosystem. By offering innovation opportunities to local and international companies and talent, the program facilitates connections between the brightest minds and opportunity owners locally, helping position Qatar as a country driven by sustainability and innovation.Open Innovation Qatar is a QRDI Council program which supports industry and government drive innovation in Qatar. It connects innovators from startups, SMEs, and corporates to Opportunity Owners, who can collaborate to pilot innovation solutions to meet their unique needs and further their business goals.